Two machine-readable files keep coming up in AI-visibility work: llms.txt and llms-full.txt. They are not competitors — they do different jobs. Here is the practical guide.
llms.txt | llms-full.txt | |
|---|---|---|
| Length | Short (a page or two) | Long (full site content) |
| Purpose | Orientation: what you do, key links | Deep context for grounding answers |
| Read by | Every agent, first | Agents that need detail |
| Effort | 10 minutes | Generated from your pages |
Publish llms.txt first
It is the handshake. A concise file at your root that tells an assistant what your site is, and points to the few pages that matter. If you do one thing, do this.
# Your Brand > One sentence on what you do and who it's for. ## Docs - [Quickstart](https://yoursite.com/start) - [API](https://yoursite.com/api)
Add llms-full.txt when answers need depth
If agents cite you on detailed questions (pricing nuance, methodology, specs), give them the long form. Most teams generate it from their existing docs so it never goes stale.
Our recommendation
Both. llms.txt for discovery, llms-full.txt for grounding. Sites with both score highest on our AI Visibility Index.
Don't want to write them by hand?
Get the Full AI Visibility Report — €19 (includes a generated llms.txt + fix list), or call the generator API: /api/x402?product=llms ($3, USDC on Base).
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