---
title: "llms.txt: plain-language definition | Am I Ready for Agents?"
description: "llms.txt: A proposed plain-text file that points AI tools to a site's most useful pages, written for language models. Dated and sourced."
canonical: https://amireadyforagents.com/glossary/llms-txt
site: "Am I Ready for Agents?"
last_updated: 2026-11-04
section: "Glossary"
---

# llms.txt: plain-language definition | Am I Ready for Agents?

> llms.txt: A proposed plain-text file that points AI tools to a site's most useful pages, written for language models. Dated and sourced.

Source: https://amireadyforagents.com/glossary/llms-txt
Site: Am I Ready for Agents?
Last reviewed: 2026-11-04

# llms.txt

## In short

llms.txt is optional: decide yes or not yet, and link it from every page if you publish one. llms.txt explained is the next stop after llms.txt. Compare it with Sitemap and Markdown negotiation. Ora's lab found 86 percent of llms.txt fetches arrived through a link rather than a guessed path (October 2026).

## Definition

A proposed plain-text file that points AI tools to a site's most useful pages, written for language models.

## A dated example

-   Read 4 Nov 2026
    
    Ora's lab found 86 percent of llms.txt fetches arrived through a link rather than a guessed path (October 2026).
    
    Vendor claim. [AgentReady.org guide](https://agentready.org/?utm_source=amireadyforagents.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=glossary), read 4 Nov 2026
    

## Where it matters

It is optional: decide yes or not yet, and link it from every page if you publish one.

-   [llms.txt explained](https://amireadyforagents.com/briefings/llms-txt-version-2-explained)

## Related terms

-   [Sitemap](https://amireadyforagents.com/glossary/sitemap)A file that lists the pages you want automated visitors to find.
-   [Markdown negotiation](https://amireadyforagents.com/glossary/markdown-negotiation)A site returning a plain markdown version of a page when an agent asks for one with the header Accept: text/markdown.

## Sources

1.  [AgentReady.org guide](https://agentready.org/?utm_source=amireadyforagents.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=glossary) (agentready.org), read 4 Nov 2026. Vendor claim.

Last reviewed 4 November 2026

Reviewed 4 November 2026. [1 source](#sources), each with the day it was read.