llms.txt is a plain text file placed in the site root to inform large language models and crawlers about the site's focus, which pages are most important, and where content updates are posted. It's not mandatory, but a well-written llms.txt reduces misunderstandings and signals that the site is optimized for machine reading.
A common approach is to start with a headline and brief description defining the site's purpose, followed by key pages grouped by category. Each group includes a single-line explanation. Links use full URLs, and descriptions are concise—avoiding keyword stuffing. Group order should match the site navigation for better readability.
Dating portals can separate public content from login-required sections in their files. This indicates that member profiles are not crawled publicly, while articles are open for citation. This clarifies the scope and boundaries, reducing wasted crawl attempts on private pages.
Recommend updating the file in sync with category adjustments and including the last modified date at the top. llms.txt does not replace robots.txt or a sitemap; it serves as a supplement. All three components work best together. After making changes, verify accessibility and check for obvious formatting errors using a crawling test tool.