# llms.txt

> llms.txt is a text file at the root of a website that summarises, in Markdown, what the site is and which pages matter most, for large language models to read. It was proposed in 2024 and is not an official standard. It is still unclear which AI services actually read it.

- URL: https://radkod.com/en/glossary/llms-txt
- Publisher: RadKod
- Published: 2026-07-30

## What is llms.txt?

llms.txt is a plain text file you reach by adding /llms.txt to a site's address. It holds a short description of the site and a list of its most important pages under headings. It is written in Markdown, a format both people and machines read easily. The aim is to help AI tools reach the core of a site without getting lost in menus, ads and code.

Here is an everyday case. A software company's llms.txt starts with the company name and a one-line description, followed by page links under headings such as "Services", "Guides" and "Glossary", each with a short note. An AI tool reading it sees in one place which page answers which question.

## Why does it matter?

To be honest, its effect is still unclear. llms.txt was proposed by Jeremy Howard in September 2024. It is not a standard approved by a body such as the W3C or the IETF. Some AI companies and developer tools read it, and some say plainly that they do not. Google says normal SEO practices are enough for AI Overviews. So llms.txt alone will not put you into AI answers.

Adding the file is cheap and harmless. The real work is writing the pages themselves clearly and in a quotable way, which is called [GEO](/en/glossary/generative-engine-optimization). What a [sitemap](/en/glossary/sitemap) is for search engines, llms.txt tries to be for AI tools. We keep this file up to date alongside the content on the sites we build. See our [web design](/en/services/web-design) page.

## Frequently asked questions

### How is llms.txt different from robots.txt?

robots.txt tells crawlers which pages they may or may not visit. llms.txt does not restrict anything. It shows AI tools a summary of the site and its key pages.

### Does adding llms.txt affect SEO?

It has no known effect on Google rankings. Google has said it does not use the file for search results or AI Overviews.

### What should an llms.txt file contain?

The site name, a one or two sentence description, and links to key pages grouped under headings. Each link should have a short note saying what that page answers.

## Sources

- [The /llms.txt file](https://llmstxt.org), llmstxt.org
- [AI features and your website](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/ai-features), Google Search Central