robots.txt is a file used to give crawler access instructions for sections of a website.
Example of robots.txt
Example: A staging site might use robots.txt to discourage crawling, but those rules must not accidentally move to production. Blocking important pages can prevent search engines from discovering them.
Why robots.txt matters
It matters because technical issues can prevent great content from being discovered, rendered, indexed, or trusted. Strong technical foundations protect rankings during redesigns, migrations, content expansion, and platform changes.
Related terms
Frequently Asked Question
What does robots.txt mean?
robots.txt means a file used to give crawler access instructions for sections of a website.