How to Create llms.txt (or llm.txt) Step by Step
Create llms.txt in minutes: copy the template or generate one from your URL. Covers the llm.txt spelling, where to put the file, and how to check it.
By Mubashir Hussain · CrawlReady AI · Human-reviewed technical guide
Some guides may be AI-assisted and are always human-reviewed for accuracy before publish. See our Google generative AI search guide and Google's AI content guidance.
llms.txt is a plain-text Markdown file at your domain root that maps your site for AI crawlers and assistants. People often search llm.txt or how to create llms.txt — publish /llms.txt (with the s) at the same place as robots.txt.
llms.txt is not a training opt-out. To opt out of training crawls, Disallow GPTBot, ClaudeBot, Google-Extended, or CCBot in robots.txt. You can still publish llms.txt for AI search discovery.
Fastest path: generate a draft with the llms.txt Generator, edit it, upload it, then confirm with the llms.txt Checker.
llms.txt vs llm.txt
Use llms.txt. There is no separate official llm.txt standard. If you only publish /llm.txt, checkers and crawlers that look for /llms.txt will miss it.
How to create llms.txt (5 steps)
- Create a UTF-8 text file named
llms.txt. - Add an H1 site name, a one-line description, and 10–30 of your best URLs with short labels.
- Upload it to the domain root so
https://yourdomain.com/llms.txtreturns HTTP 200 andtext/plain(Markdown is fine). - Link important pages that you also list in your XML sitemap — do not include noindex, login, or checkout URLs.
- Validate the live file with the llms.txt Checker.
Copy-paste template
# Your Site Name
> One-sentence description of who the site is for and what it does.
## Important Pages
- [Homepage](https://example.com/): What you do in one line
- [Docs](https://example.com/docs): How to get started
- [Pricing](https://example.com/pricing): Plans and limits
## Contact
- [Contact](https://example.com/contact): Support and salesThe format follows the community proposal from Jeremy Howard / llmstxt.org: Markdown, an H1, a blockquote summary, then H2 sections of labeled links. It is not a W3C standard. Googlebot does not rank you for having the file.
Create llms.txt automatically
Enter your website URL in the LLMs.txt Generator. We fetch public pages and draft a starter file you should edit before publishing — especially the description line.
llms.txt vs robots.txt vs sitemap.xml
- robots.txt — Allow or Disallow crawlers (GPTBot, OAI-SearchBot, Googlebot)
- sitemap.xml — URL list for discovery
- llms.txt — curated, readable map of what matters on the site
Best practices
- Keep it under ~2,000 words and 10–30 links
- Use real titles, not keyword stuffing
- Update it when you ship a major product or docs change
- Do not put secrets, private URLs, or
noindexpages in the file - Do not rely on
/llm.txtas a fallback
Validate your file
After you publish, run the llms.txt Checker on your homepage. It confirms /llms.txt exists, returns 200, and looks like the expected Markdown map.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I create an llm.txt file?
The conventional filename is llms.txt (with an s), placed at https://yourdomain.com/llms.txt. Use the template below or the free generator, then publish at the domain root — the same file answers llm.txt searches.
Is llms.txt a training opt-out?
No. llms.txt maps your site for AI systems. Use robots.txt Disallow rules for GPTBot, ClaudeBot, Google-Extended, or CCBot if you want to opt out of training crawls.
Where does llms.txt go?
Place it at the root of your domain: https://example.com/llms.txt — the same location as robots.txt.
Is llms.txt required by Google?
No. llms.txt is an emerging convention for AI systems, not a Google Search requirement. It complements — not replaces — sitemaps and good on-page SEO.
What should llms.txt include?
A title, short description, sections for important pages with URLs, and optional contact or documentation links.
What is the difference between llms.txt and robots.txt?
robots.txt controls which crawlers may fetch which paths. llms.txt describes your site for AI systems — it does not allow or block bots. You usually want both.
Do I need llms-full.txt too?
No. llms.txt at the domain root is enough for most sites. llms-full.txt is an optional dump of page text; skip it unless you have a specific consumer that asks for it.
Important disclaimer
This guide is for educational purposes only. No tool or technique guarantees search rankings, AI inclusion, or specific traffic results. Refer to official documentation from search engines and AI providers for current policies.
