What is llms.txt, and does it matter?

What exactly is an llms.txt file?

It is a text file, written in markdown, that sits at the root of a website. The idea, set out at llmstxt.org, is to give AI models a short, clean summary of the site and a list of its most useful pages, so they don't have to pick through navigation, cookie banners and scripts to work out what the site is about.

A companion file, llms-full.txt, is sometimes added alongside it with the full text of the key pages in one place.

What goes in an llms.txt file?

The proposal suggests a simple structure:

• A heading with the name of the site or business.
• A short summary in a quote block.
• A few lines of plain detail, if useful.
• Sections with lists of links to important pages, each with a one-line description.

You can see ours at drivnhub.com/llms.txt. It is generated from the same content as the website, so the two can never say different things.

Does llms.txt help you get recommended by ChatGPT or Google?

There is no evidence that it does. At the time of writing, none of the major AI search providers has said it uses llms.txt to decide what to cite or recommend. Google's guidance on AI features says there are no special files or markup needed beyond normal search fundamentals.

AI search tools mostly read your actual pages, through the same kind of crawling search engines have always done. If those pages are clear, fast and answer real questions, that matters far more than any summary file.

So why bother having one?

Because it costs almost nothing and it may become more useful. Some AI tools and coding assistants already read llms.txt files, mostly on software documentation sites. If the convention spreads to search, sites that already have an accurate file are ready.

The risk is treating it as a strategy. It isn't one. A business that adds an llms.txt file and does nothing else has done close to nothing.

How do I create an llms.txt file?

Write it in a plain text editor following the structure above, save it as llms.txt and upload it to the root of your website, so it opens at yourdomain.com/llms.txt. On most website builders you will need a developer or a plugin to place a file at the root.

The better approach, if your site is custom-built, is to generate it from the same content as your pages. That way, when you change a service description or an FAQ on the site, the llms.txt file changes with it and the two can never drift apart.

What should not go in an llms.txt file?

Anything that isn't also on your website. The file should summarise your real pages, not make new claims, add keywords you don't use elsewhere, or describe services you don't offer. AI tools that do read it can compare it with your site, and a mismatch undermines trust in both.

Leave out anything private as well. The file is public, and anyone can read it.

Is llms.txt the same as robots.txt?

No. robots.txt tells crawlers what they are and are not allowed to access, and well-behaved crawlers follow it. llms.txt is an optional guide to your content and controls nothing.

If you want AI tools to be able to read your site, robots.txt is the file to check first. Blocking crawlers like OAI-SearchBot or PerplexityBot there will keep you out of those tools no matter what your llms.txt says.

Should a small business add one?

If someone is already working on your site, yes, as a small extra. Keep it accurate and keep it in step with the site. An out-of-date llms.txt that contradicts your pages is worse than none.

If it would be a separate paid job on its own, spend the money on the things that matter more: crawl access, clear pages and consistent business details. We cover those in what GEO is, and they are the core of our AI search visibility work.