What is a robots.txt file?

A robots.txt file is a text file placed in the root of a website to guide search engine spiders (such as Google, Bing, and Yahoo) about which pages they are allowed to index and which ones they should avoid. This tool is used to regulate search robots' access to website content, helping to manage search engine visibility and protect certain content from unwanted indexing.

The importance of the robots.txt file

1. Protect sensitive content: This can prevent search engines from accessing certain pages such as login pages or temporary pages.
2. Saving resources: By preventing unnecessary pages from being indexed, you save server resources and prevent search engine spiders from having to explore pages that don't add value.
3. Improving user experience : By directing search engines to focus only on important content, the quality of search results shown to users can be improved.

How does a robots.txt file work?

The file consists of instructions known as User-agent , which identifies the target robot, and Disallow or Allow , which specify which parts are allowed or forbidden to be indexed.

A simple example of a robots.txt file:

User-agent: Mediapartners-Google
Disallow: 
User-agent: *
Disallow: /search
Allow: /
Sitemap: Put your blog link here sitemap.xml

This example prevents all search spiders from accessing the admin and private folders.

Tips for using robots.txt

• Make sure to place the file in the root directory of the site.
• Use it with caution, as preventing important pages from being indexed may negatively impact your site's appearance in search results .
• Don't rely solely on robots.txt to hide sensitive content, as others can access it in other ways.