LLMS.txt File
Location: dedicated setting when the edition supports it.
llms.txt is a machine-readable guidance file.
What it helps with
It helps express:
- preferred machine-readable reading paths
- source precedence support
- high-level policy guidance
- a cleaner distinction between public product description and unsupported expansion
What it does not prove
It does not prove:
- crawler obedience
- answer-engine inclusion
- citation guarantees
- legal enforceability
- runtime blocking
When to use it
Use it when:
- the site wants a clearer machine-readable policy surface
- AI usage distinctions matter publicly
- you want a cleaner summary layer for tools and wrappers
When not to overthink it
Do not treat llms.txt as a magical enforcement layer. It is useful because it improves clarity, not because it compels every crawler.