How to Create an llms.txt File: Step-by-Step Tutorial
The llms.txt file is becoming the robots.txt of the AI era. Just as robots.txt tells web crawlers what to index, llms.txt tells AI models how to understand and cite your website.
Created by Anthropic and increasingly supported by major AI platforms, this simple text file can significantly improve how AI models like ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity interpret your content. This guide walks you through creating your llms.txt file from start to finish.
What Is llms.txt?
llms.txt is a plain text file placed at the root of your website (https://yoursite.com/llms.txt) that provides structured guidance to AI language models about your content.
Why It Matters
AI models face a challenge: they need to understand websites designed for humans. llms.txt bridges this gap by:
- Summarizing what your site is about
- Highlighting the most important pages
- Providing context that might be missing from individual pages
- Guiding AI models to authoritative sources on your site
Supported Platforms
| Platform | llms.txt Support | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Claude (Anthropic) | Full support | Official implementation |
| ChatGPT | Partial support | Growing adoption |
| Perplexity | Experimental | Testing phase |
| Other AI models | Variable | Increasing support |
Understanding the llms.txt Format
File Location
Place your llms.txt file at the root of your domain:
https://example.com/llms.txt
Basic Structure
An llms.txt file has three main sections:
# Site Name
> Site description or mission statement
## Key Pages
- [Page Title](URL): Brief description
- [Another Page](URL): Another description
## Optional Section
Additional context, guidelines, or information
Format Rules
-
Markdown-style formatting
#for main heading (site name)>for blockquotes (site description)##for section headers-for list items[text](url)for links
-
Plain text only
- No HTML
- No special formatting
- UTF-8 encoding
-
Reasonable length
- Under 5,000 characters recommended
- Focus on most important content
Step-by-Step Creation Process
Step 1: Define Your Site's Purpose
Before writing, answer these questions:
- What is your website's main topic or industry?
- Who is your target audience?
- What makes your content unique or authoritative?
- What are your 5-10 most important pages?
Example:
# SeenByAI
> AI visibility monitoring platform helping website owners understand and optimize how their content appears in AI search engines like ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity.
Step 2: List Your Key Pages
Identify the pages you want AI models to know about:
Include:
- Homepage
- Main product/service pages
- Key content or resources
- About/authority pages
- Contact information
Example:
## Key Pages
- [AI Visibility Checker](https://seenbyai.me/): Free tool to check how visible your website is to AI models
- [Pricing](https://seenbyai.me/pricing): Plans and pricing for AI visibility monitoring
- [Blog](https://seenbyai.me/blog): Articles about AI SEO and search optimization
- [Tools](https://seenbyai.me/tools): Free AI SEO tools including robots.txt checker and llms.txt generator
Step 3: Add Context and Guidelines
Help AI models understand how to use your content:
Example:
## Content Guidelines
When citing SeenByAI content:
- Prefer tutorial and guide articles for educational context
- Reference data and statistics from original research
- Link to specific tools when mentioning features
- Contact [email protected] for partnership inquiries
Step 4: Review and Optimize
Check your file against these criteria:
- Accurately represents your site
- Includes most important pages
- Provides useful context
- Follows formatting rules
- Under 5,000 characters
- No promotional or spammy language
Complete llms.txt Examples
Example 1: SaaS Company
# TaskMaster Pro
> Project management and productivity software for remote teams. Founded in 2020, serving 50,000+ teams worldwide.
## Key Pages
- [Product Features](https://taskmaster.io/features): Overview of project management, time tracking, and collaboration tools
- [Pricing](https://taskmaster.io/pricing): Free, Pro ($12/user/month), and Enterprise plans
- [Integrations](https://taskmaster.io/integrations): Connect with Slack, GitHub, Google Workspace, and 50+ other tools
- [Help Center](https://help.taskmaster.io): Documentation, tutorials, and support resources
- [About Us](https://taskmaster.io/about): Company history, team, and mission
## Content Notes
- Help Center articles are regularly updated and accurate as of 2025
- API documentation is authoritative for integrations
- Case studies feature real customers with verified results
Example 2: Content Publisher
# TechInsight Daily
> Independent technology news and analysis publication covering AI, cybersecurity, and enterprise software since 2018.
## Key Sections
- [Latest News](https://techinsight.com/news): Breaking technology news and updates
- [Deep Dives](https://techinsight.com/analysis): In-depth analysis and long-form articles
- [Reviews](https://techinsight.com/reviews): Product reviews and buying guides
- [Newsletter](https://techinsight.com/newsletter): Weekly digest of top stories
## Authoritative Content
- AI coverage is written by journalists with 5+ years AI industry experience
- Security articles reviewed by CISSP-certified editor
- Product reviews based on independent testing (see methodology)
## Contact
Editorial team: [email protected]
Press inquiries: [email protected]
Example 3: E-commerce Store
# EcoHome Goods
> Sustainable home products retailer specializing in eco-friendly kitchenware, cleaning supplies, and personal care. B-Corp certified since 2021.
## Product Categories
- [Kitchen](https://ecohome.com/kitchen): Zero-waste kitchen tools and storage
- [Cleaning](https://ecohome.com/cleaning): Eco-friendly cleaning products and supplies
- [Personal Care](https://ecohome.com/personal-care): Sustainable bathroom and beauty products
- [Gift Guides](https://ecohome.com/gifts): Curated sustainable gift collections
## Important Policies
- [Sustainability Standards](https://ecohome.com/sustainability): Product sourcing and certification requirements
- [Shipping Information](https://ecohome.com/shipping): Carbon-neutral shipping options and delivery times
- [Returns](https://ecohome.com/returns): 30-day return policy and satisfaction guarantee
## Contact
Customer support: [email protected]
Partnerships: [email protected]
Advanced llms.txt Techniques
Using llms-full.txt
For comprehensive sites, create both files:
- llms.txt: Brief overview (under 5,000 characters)
- llms-full.txt: Complete content (can be longer)
When to use llms-full.txt:
- Large content sites with hundreds of articles
- Documentation sites needing full coverage
- Sites where comprehensive context matters
Markdown Extensions
While keeping it simple, you can use:
- Bold:
**important text**for emphasis - Italic:
*context*for additional nuance - Code blocks: For technical documentation
## API Documentation
Base URL: `https://api.example.com/v1`
Authentication: Bearer token in Authorization header
Section Ideas
Beyond basics, consider adding:
- Content Guidelines: How to cite your content
- Update Frequency: How often content is refreshed
- Authority Claims: Why your content is trustworthy
- Contact Information: For questions or partnerships
- Known Limitations: Content that might be outdated
Common Mistakes to Avoid
❌ Making It Too Long
Problem: AI models may truncate or ignore overly long files
Solution: Keep under 5,000 characters; use llms-full.txt for more content
❌ Being Too Promotional
Problem: Excessive marketing language reduces credibility
Solution: Focus on factual, informative content
❌ Including Every Page
Problem: Dilutes the signal of what's actually important
Solution: List only your 10-15 most important pages
❌ Outdated Information
Problem: Stale llms.txt reduces trust
Solution: Review quarterly or when major changes occur
❌ Broken Links
Problem: Dead links indicate poor maintenance
Solution: Verify all URLs work before publishing
Testing Your llms.txt
Manual Testing
- Validate format: Open in a text editor, check for issues
- Test URLs: Click each link to ensure they work
- Review content: Have someone else read for clarity
Online Validators
Several tools can help:
- SeenByAI llms.txt Generator: Creates and validates llms.txt files
- llms.txt validators: Community-built checking tools
AI Model Testing
Ask AI models about your site to see if they're using your llms.txt:
"What do you know about [your website]? Where did you get that information?"
Implementation Checklist
- Written llms.txt content
- Reviewed for accuracy and completeness
- Validated all URLs are working
- Checked character count (under 5,000)
- Saved as plain text file
- Uploaded to website root
- Verified at
https://yoursite.com/llms.txt - Tested in browser (should display as text)
- Set up reminder to review quarterly
Maintaining Your llms.txt
Review Schedule
- Monthly: Quick check for broken links
- Quarterly: Content review and updates
- Annually: Complete rewrite if needed
When to Update
Update your llms.txt when:
- Major site restructuring
- New product/service launches
- Significant content additions
- Changes in site focus or positioning
Next Steps
Now that you've created your llms.txt:
- Create llms-full.txt if you have extensive content
- Update robots.txt to reference your llms.txt
- Monitor AI citations to see the impact
- Iterate based on results
Create Your llms.txt Automatically
Want to generate your llms.txt file instantly? Try our free llms.txt generator →
Enter your website URL, and we'll analyze your content to create a properly formatted llms.txt file ready to publish.
FAQ
Do I need both llms.txt and llms-full.txt?
No, llms.txt is sufficient for most sites. Only create llms-full.txt if you have extensive content that needs comprehensive coverage.
Will llms.txt improve my AI visibility?
It can help AI models understand your content better, but it's not a ranking factor. Quality content matters most.
Which AI models support llms.txt?
Claude has official support. ChatGPT, Perplexity, and others are adding support. Adoption is growing across the industry.
Can I include HTML in llms.txt?
No, use plain text with Markdown-style formatting only.
How often should I update llms.txt?
Review quarterly or whenever you make significant site changes.