GEO · 6 min read

llms.txt: what this file is for, and do you really need one?

The llms.txt file summarizes your site for AI. What it is, what it really does (and doesn't), and how to create one in two minutes.

Published October 6, 2026 · by Alexandre

In short

llms.txt is a text file at the root of your site that summarizes what you do and lists your important pages, for AI. It's a proposal, not an official standard: nothing proves today that it improves rankings or citations. It costs almost nothing to create; do it, but only after the real levers (content, structured data, mentions).

The llms.txt file gets a lot of attention, sometimes with exaggerated promises. Here's what it really is, without overstating it either way.

What it is

llms.txt is a Markdown file placed at your-site.com/llms.txt. It contains a title, a sentence summarizing your business, then lists of links to your important pages, each with a short description. The idea, proposed in 2024, is to give AI a clean summary of your site, easier to read than a full site with menus and scripts.

What it isn't

It's not an official standard: neither the W3C nor the major search engines have adopted it as a norm.
It's not a robots.txt: it doesn't allow or forbid anything.
It's not a guarantee: no AI company has publicly committed to using it to choose sources, and Google has said it doesn't use it for Search.

So why create one?

Because the cost is close to zero and the possible effect is positive: some AI tools and agents read it when they visit a site, and it forces you to state clearly what you do and which pages matter. That clarity exercise also helps your real pages.

But keep priorities in order. Before an llms.txt, make sure AI crawlers can read your site (see should you block AI crawlers?), that your pages answer questions directly and that your structured data describes your business.

How to create your llms.txt

A title line: your company name.
A summary sentence: what you do, for whom, where.
A section with your main pages (home, services, pricing, contact), each with a short description.
Optionally, a section with your most useful guides or articles.
Upload the file to the root of the site, like robots.txt.

The llms.txt generator reads your site and suggests a ready-to-upload file. CoolSEO publishes its own as an example: coolseo.app/llms.txt.

Mistakes to avoid

Putting information that differs from the site (prices, offers): AI cross-checks sources.
Listing every page: keep the essentials, it's a summary.
Forgetting to update it when you change your offer or prices.
Spending more time on it than on your real pages.

Frequently asked questions

Does Google use llms.txt?

Google has said it doesn't use it for Search. The file mostly targets AI assistants and agents that read it when visiting a site.

Does llms.txt replace the sitemap or robots.txt?

No, it replaces nothing. robots.txt gives permissions, the sitemap lists pages for search engines; llms.txt is a readable summary for AI.

Do I need an llms-full.txt file?

It's a variant containing the full text of your pages. It's mostly useful for technical documentation; for a business site, llms.txt is enough.

Go further

And your site, where does it stand?

The free SEO audit checks all of this in a minute, on Google and in AI answers.