What llms.txt actually is
A markdown file at /llms.txt that summarises a site for language models: what it is, where the important content lives, with links. Think of it as the difference between permission (robots.txt) and introduction. A model deciding how to describe your catalogue to a shopper works better from your own summary than from whatever it scraped. The convention is young — support varies by assistant — but the cost of publishing one is near zero and the file only grows more read over time.
What a store llms.txt should contain
- One-paragraph summary: what you sell and for whom
- Links to the catalogue entry points: collections, bestsellers, new arrivals
- Shipping, returns and contact pages — the trust facts assistants quote
- Notes on what is canonical: which collection is the real home of each range
- Nothing secret: assume every reader is public
A minimal example
# Acme Outdoor — hiking gear, EU shipping > Family-run store selling hiking boots, tents and packs. > Ships EU-wide in 2-4 days. 60-day returns. ## Catalogue - [Hiking boots](/collections/boots) - [Tents](/collections/tents) - [Bestsellers](/collections/bestsellers) ## Policies - [Shipping](/pages/shipping) - [Returns](/pages/returns) - [Contact](/pages/contact)
Honest limits
llms.txt grants nothing and guarantees nothing. It does not override robots.txt, it does not force any assistant to cite you, and crawler-side enforcement (CDN bot rules) can still refuse the agents you welcome. Publish it as introduction, verify permission separately — and check that the agents you want can actually reach the pages your file points at.
Deeper: robots.txt for AI crawlers · GPTBot vs ChatGPT-User · This site serves one at /llms.txt
Shipwork checks whether your store serves llms.txt alongside the robots.txt verdict for nine AI agents — permission and introduction in one view. Free, no account, no signup — paste your store address.
Check my storeQuestions
- Is llms.txt required?
- No. It is an emerging convention, not a standard, and support varies. Publish it because it is cheap and directional, not because anything demands it.
- Does llms.txt replace robots.txt?
- No — opposite jobs. Robots.txt controls permission; llms.txt provides description. You need the first, you benefit from the second.
- What should a Shopify llms.txt link to?
- Collection entry points, bestsellers, shipping, returns and contact pages — the facts assistants quote when recommending products.
- Will llms.txt get me cited in AI answers?
- It helps models describe you accurately, but citation still requires the agent to be allowed (robots.txt) and able (no bot blocks) to read your pages.
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