What is an llms.txt file? (and how to create one)
llms.txt is a simple Markdown file you place at the root of your website (at /llms.txt) that gives AI systems — like ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity and Google's AI — a clean, curated summary of what your site is and which pages matter most.
What is llms.txt?
llms.txt is a proposed web standard (introduced in 2024, see llmstxt.org) for helping large language models (LLMs) understand your website. Instead of making an AI crawl and parse your full HTML — with all its menus, scripts and styling — you hand it a short, tidy Markdown file that says, in plain language, what your site is and links to your most important pages.
It's deliberately simple: a heading with your site name, a one-sentence summary, then grouped lists of links with short descriptions. Because it's plain Markdown, it's cheap for an AI to read and easy for you to maintain.
Why does llms.txt matter?
Search is shifting. People increasingly ask AI assistants questions instead of scrolling a results page — this is the world of AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) and GEO (Generative Engine Optimization). To be quoted in those answers, AI systems need to understand your site clearly and quickly.
- Clarity over clutter. A curated file is easier for an AI to interpret than raw HTML.
- You choose what's important. You point AI at your best pages, in your words.
- Low effort, future-facing. It takes minutes to create and is low-risk to publish.
llms.txt vs robots.txt vs sitemap.xml
These three files all sit at your site root but do very different jobs:
| File | Who it's for | What it does |
|---|---|---|
robots.txt | Search crawlers | Tells bots which URLs they may or may not crawl. |
sitemap.xml | Search crawlers | Lists every URL you want indexed. |
llms.txt | AI / LLMs | A curated, readable summary of your best content for AI to understand and cite. |
They're complementary — `llms.txt` doesn't replace the other two.
What does an llms.txt file look like?
The format is just Markdown, in this order:
- An
# H1with your site or business name (required). - A
>blockquote with a one-line summary (recommended). - Optional short paragraphs of context.
## H2sections grouping links (e.g. Services, Guides, Policies), each link with a short description.- An optional
## Optionalsection for lower-priority links AI can skip if short on space.
Example llms.txt file
Here's a complete example for a small business:
# Riverside Dental
> Riverside Dental is a family dental practice in Guildford, Surrey,
> offering check-ups, hygiene, whitening and dental implants.
## Main pages
- [Home](https://example.com/): Practice overview and how to book
- [Treatments](https://example.com/treatments): Check-ups, hygiene, whitening, implants
- [About](https://example.com/about): Meet the team and the practice
- [Contact](https://example.com/contact): Address, opening hours and booking
## Guides
- [Nervous patients](https://example.com/nervous-patients): How we help anxious patients
- [Pricing & finance](https://example.com/pricing): Treatment costs and payment plans
## Policies
- [Privacy Policy](https://example.com/privacy)You can see a real one any time at cheesebridge.com/llms.txt.
Free llms.txt template (copy & paste)
Here's a blank starter template. Copy it, replace the [placeholders] with your own details and links, and save it as llms.txt at your site root:
# [Your Business Name]
> [One sentence: what you do and where — e.g. "A family-run bakery in Woking, Surrey."]
## Main pages
- [Home](https://yourdomain.com/): What you offer and how to get in touch
- [Services](https://yourdomain.com/services): Your main products or services
- [About](https://yourdomain.com/about): Your story and team
- [Contact](https://yourdomain.com/contact): Address, opening hours and how to reach you
## Guides
- [Guide or blog title](https://yourdomain.com/guide): Short description
## Policies
- [Privacy Policy](https://yourdomain.com/privacy)
---
Template by [CheeseBridge](https://cheesebridge.com/ai/what-is-llms-txt) — web design optimised for SEO, AEO & GEO.That last credit line is optional — keep it if this helped (it links back here for anyone who finds your file), or remove it. For a fully worked, real-world example, model yours on CheeseBridge's own llms.txt.
Prefer to skip the typing? Use our free llms.txt generator — fill in your details and copy or download the file.
How to create an llms.txt file
- List your most important pages — home, services, about, contact and your best guides.
- Write a one-line summary of what your business or site is.
- Create a plain-text file named
llms.txt. Start with your# H1name and a>blockquote summary. - Group your links under
## H2headings (Services, Guides, Policies…), each with a short description. - Publish it at your site root so it loads at
https://yourdomain.com/llms.txt. - Test it by visiting that URL — it should show as plain text.
On most static hosts you simply drop the file in your public/root folder. On WordPress you can add it via a plugin or by uploading to the site root.
llms.txt vs llms-full.txt
Some sites also publish an optional llms-full.txt — a much larger file containing the actual full text of key pages in one place, so an AI can read your content without visiting each URL. llms.txt is the short, curated index; llms-full.txt is the deep archive. Start with llms.txt.
Do AI tools actually read llms.txt?
Honestly: adoption is still early. The major AI providers haven't officially confirmed they use llms.txt for answers or ranking, though some AI and developer-documentation platforms already support it. Because it's quick to add and low-risk, many site owners publish one now to be ready as adoption grows — the same way people added sitemaps and structured data before they were universal.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Putting it in a subfolder — it must be at the root (
/llms.txt). - Dumping every URL — keep it curated to your best pages.
- Writing vague descriptions — be specific and factual.
- Including private/sensitive info — it's public, so treat it like a shop window.
- Letting it go stale — update it when your site changes.
Frequently asked questions
Is llms.txt the same as robots.txt?
No. robots.txt tells crawlers what they may or may not access. llms.txt is a curated, human-readable summary of your most important content, written to help AI systems understand your site.
Is an llms.txt file required?
No. It's an emerging, optional convention — not a requirement and not an official ranking factor. But it's quick to add, low-risk and future-facing for AI search.
Where do you put the llms.txt file?
At the root of your domain, so it's served at https://yourdomain.com/llms.txt — the same place as robots.txt.
What is the difference between llms.txt and llms-full.txt?
llms.txt is a short, curated index. llms-full.txt is an optional, much larger file containing the full text of your key pages in one place.
Does ChatGPT or Google use llms.txt?
Adoption is still early and not officially confirmed by the major AI providers. Some AI and developer-documentation platforms support it. Because it's cheap and low-risk, many site owners add it now to be ready.
Will llms.txt help my SEO?
It's aimed at AI answer engines (AEO/GEO) rather than traditional rankings. It won't replace good SEO, structured data or a sitemap, but it complements them.
CheeseBridge designs and builds websites optimised for search and AI (SEO, AEO and GEO) — including an llms.txt file, structured data and a sitemap as standard.
Get in touch →