llms.txt validator

Check whether /llms.txt returns a usable text file and follows the common Markdown index format. Inspect its title, summary, section headings and document links. The file is optional and earns no score points.

Format checks use the same bounded llms.txt response the scanner already fetches. They do not crawl linked documents, verify all proposal extensions or establish that an AI search engine consumes the file.

maintains Let The Bots In, a technical AI-readiness scanner and reference site.

Read the technical guide · Browse finding fixes

How do I run this check?

  1. Enter the public URL, including the path you want to inspect.
  2. Review the focused observations and the measurement coverage.
  3. Open a finding's fix guide, confirm the evidence and apply the relevant change.
  4. Rescan the same URL. Use Overview to inspect the full six-category breakdown.

Frequently asked questions

Is llms.txt required for AI search?

No. This optional index does not replace crawl access, readable HTML or an indexed page. The scanner awards no points for its presence.

What does this validator check?

It checks the usable text response, one Markdown H1, a blockquote summary, H2 sections and absolute HTTP or HTTPS document links. It reports format observations, not a formal certification.

Does HTTP 200 mean llms.txt is valid?

No. A catch-all route can return an HTML app shell with HTTP 200. The scanner checks the response body before treating the file as present.