What is llms.txt? How to create the file that helps AI understand your website
When ChatGPT or Perplexity reads your website, it has to filter through HTML, menus, ads and plenty of noise - inside a limited context window. llms.txt is how you hand the AI a clean summary, so it understands your brand correctly.
llms.txt is a Markdown file placed at the website root (for example example.com/llms.txt) with a short, structured summary of the brand and its key pages, helping AI models understand you fast and correctly. Proposed as a standard in 2024, it is a low-cost, no-downside GEO practice.
What is llms.txt?
llms.txt is a plain-text file in Markdown format placed at the root of a website, for example chamaiagency.website/llms.txt. It gives large language models a clear, structured summary of who the brand is, what it does and which pages matter most. The standard was proposed in 2024 to help AI understand website content within its context limits, instead of having to extract it from complex HTML[1].
How does llms.txt differ from robots.txt and sitemap.xml?
All 3 files live at the website root, but they serve different purposes.
| File | For | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| robots.txt | Every bot/crawler | Allow or block crawling of specific pages |
| sitemap.xml | Search engines | List every URL for indexing |
| llms.txt | AI models | Summarize and explain the content so AI understands fast |
In short: robots.txt controls access, the sitemap lists pages, and llms.txt provides context.
What does an llms.txt file look like?
The format is very simple: one H1 with the brand name, one summary line, then sections with the important links.
# Brand name > One line on what the brand does, and for whom. ## Services - [AI Agent](https://example.com/ai-agent): a 24/7 sales teammate - [Branding](https://example.com/brand): positioning & identity ## Key pages - [Home](https://example.com/) - [Contact](https://example.com/contact)
A real example: Chạm AI's llms.txt
We run this file on our own website. Open it directly to see the layout: chamaiagency.website/llms.txt. It is one part of how Chạm AI does GEO to be understood and cited correctly by AI.
How do you create and place the file?
- Draft the content using the structure above: name, summary, services, key pages.
- Write clearly and briefly, prioritizing what AI usually needs: products, positioning, contact.
- Save it as llms.txt and place it at the website root.
- Verify by opening your-domain/llms.txt in a browser.
Does llms.txt actually work?
To be candid: this is an emerging standard, not every AI tool uses it yet, and Google says it is not a ranking factor. But the cost of creating one is close to zero, it does no harm, and it is a useful signal as AI reads ever more of the web. Combined with other GEO principles - statistics, cited sources and structured data - it delivers more than llms.txt alone.
Do it fast: generate an llms.txt for your website in 1 minute with Chạm AI's free llms.txt generator.
Frequently asked questions
Is llms.txt required?
No. It is a voluntary, emerging standard. Worth having because the cost is low and it helps GEO.
Does llms.txt improve Google rankings?
Not directly. Google says it is not a ranking factor. The main benefit is helping AI understand your brand correctly.
Do I need llms-full.txt?
Some sites add a full version containing the complete content. For most businesses, one summary llms.txt is enough to start.
Sources
- llmstxt.org - the official specification of the llms.txt standard.