llms.txt: what the file is and how to create it

The llms.txt is a text file in the root directory of a website. It is meant to show AI systems in compact form what the website is about and which pages matter most.

Where the idea comes from

The proposal dates from 2024. So far it is not an official standard, and the providers of AI systems are not obliged to read the file. Some services and tools evaluate it, others do not.

Structure

The file is written in Markdown: a heading with the name, a short summary as a quote, and below that sections with lists of links.

# Beispiel GmbH

> Steuerberatung für Ärzte und Heilberufe in Bremen.

## Leistungen

- [Praxisgründung](https://www.beispiel.de/praxisgruendung/): Beratung von der Planung bis zur Eröffnung
- [Laufende Buchhaltung](https://www.beispiel.de/buchhaltung/): Monatliche Auswertung für Praxen

## Kontakt

- [Kontakt](https://www.beispiel.de/kontakt/): Telefon, E-Mail, Anfahrt

llms.txt and robots.txt

The robots.txt controls which crawlers may fetch which areas of a website. The llms.txt describes content. It does not replace the robots.txt, and it neither grants nor withdraws access rights.

How to create the file

1. Select the pages that explain your offer best.
2. Write the file in Markdown, with one sentence of description per link.
3. Save it as llms.txt in the root directory, reachable at your-domain.com/llms.txt.
4. Update the file when important pages change.

What the file does not do

It does not guarantee a mention in AI answers. What matters remains clear content on the website and sources that confirm your details. More in the article What is GEO?