llms.txt: What It Is and When to Use It | SEO Dictionary

llms.txt is a proposed text-index convention pointing language models toward useful resources; it is not a mandatory search-engine standard.

How it works

Link actual public resources and keep facts and URLs current.

Example

Example: A company file points to dictionaries and approved resources without private URLs.

Common mistakes

Its presence does not guarantee reading, rankings or AI citations.

How can you check this in practice?

Check that the file contains concise accurate descriptions and working public canonical links. Update it when facts or resources change. Exclude private URLs and drafts; a readable file does not establish that an AI system uses it.

Distinctions and limitations

llms.txt is a proposed orientation format, not an access or indexing standard. robots.txt governs crawling for compliant bots. Google does not require llms.txt for AI Overviews; the file promises no citation.

Official sources

The /llms.txt file, v2 – llms-txt ↗

Editorial responsibility: Martin Zhelyazkov · Founder of Z-Consult

Updated: 05/11/2026

For a correction or question: office@z-consult.bg