How to write an llms.txt file, with an example

An llms.txt file is a plain Markdown file published at the root of your website, at /llms.txt, that tells AI tools what your site is about and where its most useful pages are. Think of it as a short, curated briefing for a reader that is a language model rather than a person.

It is a proposed convention, first published in 2024 at llmstxt.org, not a formal standard. Some AI tools and developer platforms read it; others do not, and no major AI assistant has promised to use it when composing answers. That is worth being clear about. But it is cheap to write, does no harm, and forces you to state your key facts in one clear place, which is useful in its own right.

Why it exists

Websites are built for people and browsers: navigation menus, cookie banners, scripts, layout. A language model with a limited context window has to wade through all of that to find the substance. llms.txt gives it a shortcut: a summary and a list of links to the pages that matter, in a format models read easily.

It is different from the files you already know:

• robots.txt tells crawlers what they may and may not fetch. llms.txt does not grant or block anything.
• sitemap.xml lists every indexable URL. llms.txt lists a curated handful, with a sentence on each.

The format

The proposal defines a simple structure, in this order:

1. An H1 with the name of the site or product. This is the only required part.
2. A blockquote with a one- or two-sentence summary of what it is.
3. Optional paragraphs or lists with more detail. No headings in this part.
4. H2 sections containing lists of links. Each item is a Markdown link, optionally followed by a colon and a short note:

- [Page title](https://example.com/page): what this page covers

5. An optional section titled exactly ## Optional, for links that can be skipped when a tool needs a shorter context.

That is the whole format. It is ordinary Markdown, so anyone can write it in a text editor.

Step 1: Write the summary first

Start with the blockquote, because it is the part most likely to be read. In one or two sentences, say:

• what you are (product, service or publisher),
• who it is for,
• and where you operate, if that matters for your market.

Use plain, factual language. "The leading AI-powered platform revolutionising payroll" tells a model nothing. "Payroll software for businesses with 5 to 200 employees, handling salaries, payroll tax filings and benefit deductions" tells it exactly when to bring you up.

Step 2: Add the facts people ask about

Below the summary, add a short list of facts buyers commonly ask an assistant about: pricing model, main features, integrations, locations, languages, support hours. Keep each line short and specific. If a fact changes often, such as an exact price, link to the page where it is kept current rather than copying it.

Step 3: Choose the pages to link

Pick the pages that best answer the questions your buyers ask. For most businesses these are:

• product or service pages,
• pricing,
• comparison pages ("X vs Y", "alternatives to Z"),
• FAQ and help-centre articles,
• documentation, if you have a technical product,
• about and contact pages.

Leave out anything thin or purely promotional: landing pages for ad campaigns, tag archives, login pages, legal boilerplate (unless people genuinely ask about your terms).

Group the links under a few H2 headings such as "Product", "Guides", "Comparisons" and "Company". Write a one-line note for each link that says what the page answers, not what it is called.

Step 4: Put secondary links under Optional

Anything useful but not essential, such as older blog posts, case studies or detailed changelogs, goes in the ## Optional section at the end, so tools working with limited space can skip it.

A complete example

Here is a full llms.txt for a fictional payroll company:

# Northwind Payroll

> Northwind Payroll is payroll and compliance software for
> businesses with 5 to 200 employees. It runs monthly salaries and
> handles payroll tax filings and benefit deductions.

- Plans are billed monthly per employee; see the pricing page for current rates.
- Integrates with QuickBooks and Xero.
- Available in English and Spanish. Support by email and chat on weekdays.
- Free 14-day trial; no card required.

## Product

- [Features](https://northwind.example.com/features): what the software does, from payslips to statutory filings
- [Pricing](https://northwind.example.com/pricing): plans, per-employee pricing and what each includes
- [Security](https://northwind.example.com/security): where data is stored and how it is protected

## Guides

- [How to run payroll for the first time](https://northwind.example.com/guides/first-payroll): a step-by-step guide for first-time employers
- [Payroll taxes explained](https://northwind.example.com/guides/payroll-taxes): what employers withhold, what they pay and when filings are due
- [Choosing payroll software](https://northwind.example.com/guides/choose-payroll-software): questions to ask before you buy

## Comparisons

- [Northwind vs spreadsheets](https://northwind.example.com/compare/spreadsheets): when manual payroll stops being enough
- [Alternatives to Northwind](https://northwind.example.com/compare/alternatives): other options and who each one suits

## Company

- [About](https://northwind.example.com/about): who we are and who we serve
- [Contact](https://northwind.example.com/contact): sales and support contacts

## Optional

- [Changelog](https://northwind.example.com/changelog): product updates by month
- [Blog](https://northwind.example.com/blog): articles on HR and payroll practice

Notice what it does: it names the audience precisely, lists checkable facts, avoids marketing adjectives, and gives every link a note that says which question the page answers.

Prefer a form? Our free llms.txt generator builds the file in your browser from your site name, summary and key pages, ready to copy or download.

Step 5: Publish it

1. Save the file as llms.txt, encoded as UTF-8.
2. Upload it to the root of your site so it loads at https://yourdomain.com/llms.txt.
3. Open that URL in a browser and check it shows as plain text, not a download or an error page.
4. Check that every link in it works and points to the canonical URL, not a redirect.

On most website builders you can add it as a static file; on WordPress, a plugin or your host's file manager will do.

Some sites also publish an llms-full.txt containing the full text of the key pages in one file, and Markdown versions of individual pages. Those are optional extras; a good llms.txt on its own is a fine place to start.

Step 6: Keep it current

An out-of-date llms.txt is worse than none, because it states old facts with confidence. Review it whenever you:

• change pricing or plans,
• launch or retire a product,
• publish an important new guide or comparison page,
• change your service area or languages.

A quick check every quarter is a sensible habit.

Common mistakes

• Writing it like an advert. Superlatives add nothing a model can use.
• Linking everything. That is what your sitemap is for. Curate.
• Copying volatile facts. Link to the pricing page instead of pasting prices that will go stale.
• Blocking the pages you link. If robots.txt disallows them, tools that respect it cannot read them.
• Treating it as a guarantee. It helps tools that read it; it does not make any assistant recommend you. Your profiles, comparison pages and community presence still do most of the work.

Write it once, keep it accurate, and treat it as one small part of being easy for AI tools to understand.