What is llms.txt?
llms.txt is a Markdown-formatted text file placed at the root of your domain, for example yoursite.com/llms.txt, that gives large language models a concise, curated overview of your website. It typically opens with a one-line description of the business, then links to your most important pages with short summaries.
The idea mirrors robots.txt and sitemap.xml: a predictable, machine-readable file that helps automated systems understand your site. The difference is the audience, because llms.txt is written for AI assistants rather than crawlers indexing links.
Why it matters for AI discovery
AI assistants summarize businesses from whatever they can find, which sometimes means outdated or inaccurate descriptions. An llms.txt file offers a clean, authoritative source: this is who we are, this is what we offer, and these are the canonical pages.
It will not force an assistant to cite you, and it is not a confirmed ranking factor. But it is a low-effort way to reduce misattribution and point machines at the content you most want represented.
What to put in an llms.txt file
Keep it concise and accurate. Start with the business name as a heading, a one-sentence summary in a blockquote, then grouped links to canonical pages with short descriptions. Add a contact section and a preferred-citation sentence the assistant can quote verbatim.
- A heading with your business name
- A one-line summary in a blockquote
- Grouped links to canonical pages such as services and key resources
- Short, accurate descriptions for each link
- Contact details and a preferred-citation sentence
llms.txt versus llms-full.txt
Many sites publish two files. llms.txt is the short index; llms-full.txt is an expanded context document with deeper descriptions of services, positioning, and frequently asked questions. The short file is the map, and the full file is the briefing.
Both should stay consistent with the live site. If your services or positioning change, update these files in the same release so machines and humans see the same story.