agents.txt vs llms.txt
llms.txt is a file that helps language models read a site’s content — a curated map of what to read. agents.txt is a file that helps agents act — a declaration of capabilities, policies and interfaces an agent can call. One optimises comprehension of a human-written site; the other exposes machine actions. A site can serve both: llms.txt for reading, agents.txt for doing.
Comprehension vs action
llms.txt answers "what should a model read here"; agents.txt answers "what can an agent do here." The distinction matters because reading a site and transacting with it are different needs — and an accountability layer (who authorised, who is responsible) sits above both, which neither file provides on its own.
Related standards
Questions
Should my site have both?
It can. llms.txt improves how models understand your content; agents.txt (or a well-known agent document) exposes callable capabilities. They serve different readers.
Is there one ratified discovery file?
Not yet — the conventions are converging. A composable approach that does not bet on a single file is the safer stance today.
Keep reading
By Michael Gord · published 2026-09-29 · part of the Agentic Encyclopedia. Dates are the day of publication; events are cited at their own dates.