What is Robots.txt?
TL;DR
A text file that tells search engine crawlers which pages they can and can't access. It's a suggestion, not a rule, crawlers can ignore it. Common uses include blocking admin pages, staging sites, or duplicate content from Crawling. Mistakes in robots.txt can accidentally block important pages from being indexed.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Robots.txt
What is robots.txt and where do I find it?
Robots.txt is a text file at your site's root (yoursite.com/robots.txt) that tells search engine bots which pages to crawl or ignore. Every website has one, though it might be default settings. It's a crawling instruction, not a security measure.
Can robots.txt block pages from appearing in Google?
Blocking crawling doesn't block indexing. Google might still index a blocked page (just without content) if other sites link to it. To prevent indexing, use noindex tags instead. Robots.txt is for crawl management, not hiding pages.
What should I block in robots.txt?
Block admin areas, duplicate content (print versions, parameter URLs), staging environments, and resource-heavy pages that waste crawl budget. Don't block CSS, JavaScript, or images, Google needs these to render pages. Be careful; mistakes can hurt rankings.
Terms Related to Robots.txt
Crawling
How search engines discover your website's pages. Google sends automated programs called "crawlers" or "spiders" to foll...
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