Robots.txt is a text file placed in the root of a website that tells search engine crawlers which pages or sections they are allowed or not allowed to crawl. It helps control how bots access a site but does not guarantee indexing.
Quick Overview of Robots.txt
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Definition | A text file that gives instructions to search engine bots |
| File Location | Root directory of the website (example.com/robots.txt) |
| Purpose | Controls crawling of specific pages or folders |
| Syntax Example | User-agent: * Disallow: /private/ |
| Limitation | Does not force indexing or hiding from results |
How Robots.txt Works (With Example)
When a crawler like Googlebot visits a site, it first checks the robots.txt file for rules. These rules define which areas of the site are open for crawling and which are restricted.
For example, if Scholar247 has a private admin section at scholar247.org/admin, the robots.txt file can include:
User-agent: * Disallow: /admin/
This tells crawlers not to scan that folder. However, if the page is linked elsewhere or submitted via sitemap, it may still get indexed.
Robots.txt is useful for saving crawl budget and keeping search engines focused on important pages.
FAQs on Robots.txt
1. Is robots.txt mandatory for all websites?
No, but it’s recommended for sites that want to control crawler behavior.
2. Can robots.txt block indexing?
Not directly. To block indexing, use noindex meta tags or HTTP headers.
3. What happens if a robots.txt file is missing?
Search engines assume the site is open for crawling.