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How to create llms.txt: structure, examples, and validation
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How to create llms.txt: structure, examples, and validation

·10 min read

A good llms.txt file is short, stable, and intentionally curated. It should help an AI agent understand the website before it reads deeper content. Treat it as an editorial map, not a raw export of every URL.

1. Start with the project identity

Use a top-level heading for the product or organization name. Add one short paragraph that explains what the site does, who it serves, and what kind of information is authoritative.

# Example Cloud
> Developer tools for deploying and monitoring production web apps.

2. Group links by intent

Avoid a flat list of random pages. Group links into sections such as Product, Documentation, API, Pricing, Support, Policies, or Changelog. The section names should match how a user or agent would reason about the site.

## Documentation
- [Quickstart](https://example.com/docs/quickstart)
- [API reference](https://example.com/docs/api)
- [Deployment guide](https://example.com/docs/deployments)

3. Prefer canonical pages

Link to the source of truth. If a marketing page summarizes a feature but the documentation has the exact behavior, include the documentation URL. If a policy has regional variants, link to the version that applies globally or explain the difference.

4. Add llms-full.txt for dense content

llms.txt should stay compact. For long documentation, product catalogs, or knowledge-base exports, create /llms-full.txt. This lets agents decide whether they need the short overview or the full context.

5. Validate before publishing

  • The file returns HTTP 200.
  • The content is plain text or Markdown-like text.
  • Important links are absolute and canonical.
  • The file does not expose private, draft, or internal URLs.
  • The content can be understood without executing JavaScript.

Example structure

# Example Cloud
> Developer tools for deploying and monitoring production web apps.

## Product
- [Overview](https://example.com/product)
- [Pricing](https://example.com/pricing)

## Documentation
- [Quickstart](https://example.com/docs/quickstart)
- [API reference](https://example.com/docs/api)

## Support
- [Status page](https://status.example.com)
- [Contact support](https://example.com/support)

## Optional
- [Full context](https://example.com/llms-full.txt)

Once the file is live, run an audit and submit it to the temporary llmsmap.me global directory.

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