# llms.txt vs AGENTS.md

> llms.txt describes a website for AI tools; AGENTS.md tells coding agents how to work in a code repository. Where each lives, what goes in it, and who reads it.

Source: https://llmstextgenerator.com/llms-txt-vs-agents-md/
Last updated: 23 October 2026

Both are Markdown files meant for AI, and both sit at a root. They answer different questions for different readers: one describes a website, the other explains how to work on a codebase.

**llms.txt is for websites. AGENTS.md is for code repositories.** In the words of [the llms.txt proposal at llmstxt.org](https://llmstxt.org/), llms.txt is a way “to provide information to help agents use a website”. [agents.md](https://agents.md/) calls AGENTS.md “a README for agents: a dedicated, predictable place to provide the context and instructions to help AI coding agents work on your project.”

|  | llms.txt | AGENTS.md |
| --- | --- | --- |
| For | AI tools and agents reading a website | AI coding agents working in a code repository |
| Where | `/llms.txt` at the site root, or under a path such as `/docs/llms.txt` | The repository root, plus one inside any package; agents read the nearest file |
| What goes in it | A title, a short summary and lists of links to the pages that matter | Setup and test commands, code style, testing, security notes, pull request rules |
| Format | Markdown with a fixed shape (H1, summary, H2 link lists) | Plain Markdown, any headings |
| Who reads it | Optional: each AI company decides; Google Search ignores it | Coding tools that support it, such as Codex, Jules, Cursor, Gemini CLI and GitHub Copilot’s coding agent, among others listed on agents.md |
| Status | A proposal (V2, August 2026) | An open format stewarded by the Agentic AI Foundation under the Linux Foundation |

## Which one do you need?

- **You run a website and don’t ship code in public:** only llms.txt is relevant, and it is optional. The [honest answer on whether you need one](https://llmstextgenerator.com/do-i-need-llms-txt/) covers when it helps.
- **You maintain a code project:** AGENTS.md helps the coding agents your contributors use. llms.txt is not needed for the repository itself.
- **You publish developer documentation:** both can make sense. AGENTS.md in the repository for people changing the code, and llms.txt on the docs site for tools answering questions about it.

## Can one file do both jobs?

No. They are found in different places by different tools: a coding agent looks for AGENTS.md in the folder it is working in, while an AI tool reading your site asks for `/llms.txt` on your domain. Some coding tools also read their own file names, such as Claude Code’s `CLAUDE.md`; AGENTS.md is the shared name many tools agreed on.

To make the website file, use the [llms.txt generator](https://llmstextgenerator.com/) and check the result with the [validator](https://llmstextgenerator.com/llms-txt-validator/). The [llms.txt format](https://llmstextgenerator.com/llms-txt-format/) guide covers the fixed shape.

## Frequently asked questions

Is AGENTS.md a replacement for llms.txt?

No. AGENTS.md guides coding agents inside a code repository; llms.txt describes a website. A project can use both.

Where do I put AGENTS.md?

At the root of the repository, and optionally one inside each package; agents read the nearest file in the folder tree ([agents.md](https://agents.md/)).

Does AGENTS.md help my website rank?

No. It lives in a code repository, not on your site. Neither file is a search ranking signal.