Glossary
llms.txt – what does it mean?
Definition
llms.txt: llms.txt is a simple text file in the root of a website that summarises for AI systems who the company is and what each page is about.
It is modelled on robots.txt and contains company details, the date of the last update and a list of the main pages.
How it works
The file sits in the root of the website, so AI systems find it in a known place. It contains the company’s name and contact details, the date of the last update, and a list of the main pages with a short description. Each page gets one or two sentences.
AI systems can read it, but not every system uses it. Its effect is not yet proven, while creating and maintaining it takes little work. The file can be read as plain text, without any special program.
An example from a company
A service provider’s llms.txt lists the price list, the references page and the FAQ, with their addresses and the date. Next to each page there is one sentence on what the AI system will find there.
The file is updated whenever the website is maintained, so the page list reflects the current content.
What this means for business owners
Decide whether you need such a file, because it does not replace a well-structured page. If you decide in favour of it, ask the provider who creates it and who updates it, and whether the list matches the actual page addresses.
Risk: an outdated price or an incomplete list is worse than nothing, because the machine believes the data it is given. Maintenance is therefore just as important as creating the file.
Ask for the file to be approved together with the rest of the website content, and for it to show the date of the last update. That way you can see when it was last updated.
What to do now?
Do you have a question about your own website or online store? Request a demo or see pricing.