What is Robots.txt?
Robots.txt is a text file placed at the root of a website that instructs search engine crawlers which pages or sections should not be accessed or indexed.
Table of Contents
Full Definition
It helps control crawl traffic, prevent indexing of sensitive or duplicate content, and guide search engines towards important site areas.
Proper configuration is essential to avoid unintentionally blocking valuable pages.
Robots.txt directives are guidelines; some crawlers may ignore them.
Examples
Crawl control
Indexing management
Sensitive content protection
Benefits
Optimizes crawl budget
Prevents unwanted indexing
Enhances SEO focus
Common Mistakes
Misconfiguration can block important pages
Not all crawlers respect robots.txt
Conclusion
Managing robots.txt effectively supports efficient search engine crawling and indexing.