What is a robots.txt file?

A robots. txt file gives robots or spiders that crawl websites directions. In other words it tells them not to index navigation frames or folders that aren't relative to your site. Some robots are bad and can be disallowed by using the robots.txt file. Banning bad robots may help preserve bandwidth. The robots.txt file should be placed in the root of your web directory. See an example robots.txt below. The first set of rules disallows certain robots based on their headers. The second rule disallows all robots from indexing different directories or files.

User-agent: Alexibot
User-agent: Aqua_Products
User-agent: BackDoorBot
User-agent: BackDoorBot/1.0
User-agent: Black.Hole
User-agent: BlackWidow
User-agent: BlowFish
User-agent: BlowFish/1.0
User-agent: Bookmark search tool
User-agent: Bot mailto: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
User-agent: BotALot
User-agent: BotRightHere
User-agent: BuiltBotTough
User-agent: Bullseye
User-agent: Bullseye/1.0
User-agent: BunnySlippers
User-agent: Cegbfeieh
User-agent: CheeseBot
User-agent: CherryPicker
User-agent: CherryPickerElite/1.0
User-agent: CherryPickerSE/1.0
User-agent: ChinaClaw
User-agent: Copernic
User-agent: CopyRightCheck
User-agent: Crescent
User-agent: Crescent Internet ToolPak HTTP OLE Control v.1.0
User-agent: Custo
User-agent: DISCo
User-agent: DISCo Pump 3.0
User-agent: DISCo Pump 3.2
User-agent: DISCoFinder
User-agent: DittoSpyder
User-agent: Download Demon
User-agent: Download Demon/3.2.0.8
User-agent: Download Demon/3.5.0.11
User-agent: EirGrabber
User-agent: EmailCollector
User-agent: EmailSiphon
User-agent: EmailWolf
User-agent: EroCrawler
User-agent: Express WebPictures
User-agent: Express WebPictures (www.express-soft.com)
User-agent: ExtractorPro
User-agent: EyeNetIE
User-agent: FairAd Client
User-agent: Flaming AttackBot
User-agent: FlashGet
User-agent: FlashGet WebWasher 3.2
User-agent: Foobot
User-agent: FrontPage
User-agent: FrontPage [NC,OR]
User-agent: Gaisbot
User-agent: GetRight
User-agent: GetRight/2.11
User-agent: GetRight/3.1
User-agent: GetRight/3.2
User-agent: GetRight/3.3
User-agent: GetRight/3.3.3
User-agent: GetRight/3.3.4
User-agent: GetRight/4.0.0
User-agent: GetRight/4.1.0
User-agent: GetRight/4.1.1
User-agent: GetRight/4.1.2
User-agent: GetRight/4.2
User-agent: GetRight/4.2b (Portuguxeas)
User-agent: GetRight/4.2c
User-agent: GetRight/4.3
User-agent: GetRight/4.5
User-agent: GetRight/4.5a
User-agent: GetRight/4.5b
User-agent: GetRight/4.5b1
User-agent: GetRight/4.5b2
User-agent: GetRight/4.5b3
User-agent: GetRight/4.5b6
User-agent: GetRight/4.5b7
User-agent: GetRight/4.5c
User-agent: GetRight/4.5d
User-agent: GetRight/4.5e
User-agent: GetRight/5.0beta1
User-agent: GetRight/5.0beta2
User-agent: GetWeb!
User-agent: Go!Zilla
User-agent: Go!Zilla (www.gozilla.com)
User-agent: Go!Zilla 3.3 (www.gozilla.com)
User-agent: Go!Zilla 3.5 (www.gozilla.com)
User-agent: Go-Ahead-Got-It
User-agent: Googlebot-Image
User-agent: GrabNet
User-agent: Grafula
User-agent: HMView
User-agent: HTTrack
User-agent: HTTrack 3.0
User-agent: HTTrack [NC,OR]
User-agent: Harvest
User-agent: Harvest/1.5
User-agent: Image Stripper
User-agent: Image Sucker
User-agent: Indy Library
User-agent: Indy Library [NC,OR]
User-agent: InfoNaviRobot
User-agent: InterGET
User-agent: Internet Ninja
User-agent: Internet Ninja 4.0
User-agent: Internet Ninja 5.0
User-agent: Internet Ninja 6.0
User-agent: Iron33/1.0.2
User-agent: JOC Web Spider
User-agent: JennyBot
User-agent: JetCar
User-agent: Kenjin Spider
User-agent: Kenjin.Spider
User-agent: Keyword Density/0.9
User-agent: Keyword.Density
User-agent: LNSpiderguy
User-agent: LeechFTP
User-agent: LexiBot
User-agent: LinkScan/8.1a Unix
User-agent: LinkScan/8.1a.Unix
User-agent: LinkWalker
User-agent: LinkextractorPro
User-agent: MIDown tool
User-agent: MIIxpc
User-agent: MIIxpc/4.2
User-agent: MSIECrawler
User-agent: Mass Downloader
User-agent: Mass Downloader/2.2
User-agent: Mata Hari
User-agent: Mata.Hari
User-agent: Microsoft URL Control
User-agent: Microsoft URL Control - 5.01.4511
User-agent: Microsoft URL Control - 6.00.8169
User-agent: Microsoft.URL
User-agent: Mister PiX
User-agent: Mister PiX version.dll
User-agent: Mister Pix II 2.01
User-agent: Mister Pix II 2.02a
User-agent: Mister.PiX
User-agent: NICErsPRO
User-agent: NPBot
User-agent: NPbot
User-agent: Navroad
User-agent: NearSite
User-agent: Net Vampire
User-agent: Net Vampire/3.0
User-agent: NetAnts
User-agent: NetAnts/1.10
User-agent: NetAnts/1.23
User-agent: NetAnts/1.24
User-agent: NetAnts/1.25
User-agent: NetMechanic
User-agent: NetSpider
User-agent: NetZIP
User-agent: NetZip Downloader 1.0 Win32(Nov 12 1998)
User-agent: NetZip-Downloader/1.0.62 (Win32; Dec 7 1998)
User-agent: NetZippy+(http://www.innerprise.net/usp-spider.asp)
User-agent: Octopus
User-agent: Offline Explorer
User-agent: Offline Explorer/1.2
User-agent: Offline Explorer/1.4
User-agent: Offline Explorer/1.6
User-agent: Offline Explorer/1.7
User-agent: Offline Explorer/1.9
User-agent: Offline Explorer/2.0
User-agent: Offline Explorer/2.1
User-agent: Offline Explorer/2.3
User-agent: Offline Explorer/2.4
User-agent: Offline Explorer/2.5
User-agent: Offline Navigator
User-agent: Offline.Explorer
User-agent: Openbot
User-agent: Openfind
User-agent: Openfind data gatherer
User-agent: Oracle Ultra Search
User-agent: PageGrabber
User-agent: Papa Foto
User-agent: PerMan
User-agent: ProPowerBot/2.14
User-agent: ProWebWalker
User-agent: Python-urllib
User-agent: QueryN Metasearch
User-agent: QueryN.Metasearch
User-agent: RMA
User-agent: Radiation Retriever 1.1
User-agent: ReGet
User-agent: RealDownload
User-agent: RealDownload/4.0.0.40
User-agent: RealDownload/4.0.0.41
User-agent: RealDownload/4.0.0.42
User-agent: RepoMonkey
User-agent: RepoMonkey Bait & Tackle/v1.01
User-agent: SiteSnagger
User-agent: SlySearch
User-agent: SmartDownload
User-agent: SmartDownload/1.2.76 (Win32; Apr 1 1999)
User-agent: SmartDownload/1.2.77 (Win32; Aug 17 1999)
User-agent: SmartDownload/1.2.77 (Win32; Feb 1 2000)
User-agent: SmartDownload/1.2.77 (Win32; Jun 19 2001)
User-agent: SpankBot
User-agent: Sqworm/2.9.85-BETA (beta_release; 20011115-775; i686-pc-linux
User-agent: SuperBot
User-agent: SuperBot/3.0 (Win32)
User-agent: SuperBot/3.1 (Win32)
User-agent: SuperHTTP
User-agent: SuperHTTP/1.0
User-agent: Surfbot
User-agent: Szukacz/1.4
User-agent: Teleport
User-agent: Teleport Pro
User-agent: Teleport Pro/1.29
User-agent: Teleport Pro/1.29.1590
User-agent: Teleport Pro/1.29.1634
User-agent: Teleport Pro/1.29.1718
User-agent: Teleport Pro/1.29.1820
User-agent: Teleport Pro/1.29.1847
User-agent: TeleportPro
User-agent: Telesoft
User-agent: The Intraformant
User-agent: The.Intraformant
User-agent: TheNomad
User-agent: TightTwatBot
User-agent: Titan
User-agent: True_Robot
User-agent: True_Robot/1.0
User-agent: TurnitinBot
User-agent: TurnitinBot/1.5
User-agent: URL Control
User-agent: URL_Spider_Pro
User-agent: URLy Warning
User-agent: URLy.Warning
User-agent: VCI
User-agent: VCI WebViewer VCI WebViewer Win32
User-agent: VoidEYE
User-agent: WWW-Collector-E
User-agent: WWWOFFLE
User-agent: Web Image Collector
User-agent: Web Sucker
User-agent: Web.Image.Collector
User-agent: WebAuto
User-agent: WebAuto/3.40 (Win98; I)
User-agent: WebBandit
User-agent: WebBandit/3.50
User-agent: WebCapture 2.0
User-agent: WebCopier
User-agent: WebCopier v.2.2
User-agent: WebCopier v2.5
User-agent: WebCopier v2.6
User-agent: WebCopier v2.7a
User-agent: WebCopier v2.8
User-agent: WebCopier v3.0
User-agent: WebCopier v3.0.1
User-agent: WebCopier v3.2
User-agent: WebCopier v3.2a
User-agent: WebEMailExtrac.*
User-agent: WebEnhancer
User-agent: WebFetch
User-agent: WebGo IS
User-agent: WebLeacher
User-agent: WebReaper
User-agent: WebReaper [ This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ]
User-agent: WebReaper [ This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ]
User-agent: WebReaper v9.1 - www.otway.com/webreaper
User-agent: WebReaper v9.7 - www.webreaper.net
User-agent: WebReaper v9.8 - www.webreaper.net
User-agent: WebReaper vWebReaper v7.3 - www,otway.com/webreaper
User-agent: WebSauger
User-agent: WebSauger 1.20b
User-agent: WebSauger 1.20j
User-agent: WebSauger 1.20k
User-agent: WebStripper
User-agent: WebStripper/2.03
User-agent: WebStripper/2.10
User-agent: WebStripper/2.12
User-agent: WebStripper/2.13
User-agent: WebStripper/2.15
User-agent: WebStripper/2.16
User-agent: WebStripper/2.19
User-agent: WebWhacker
User-agent: WebZIP
User-agent: WebZIP/2.75 (http://www.spidersoft.com)
User-agent: WebZIP/3.65 (http://www.spidersoft.com)
User-agent: WebZIP/3.80 (http://www.spidersoft.com)
User-agent: WebZIP/4.0 (http://www.spidersoft.com)
User-agent: WebZIP/4.1 (http://www.spidersoft.com)
User-agent: WebZIP/4.21
User-agent: WebZIP/4.21 (http://www.spidersoft.com)
User-agent: WebZIP/5.0
User-agent: WebZIP/5.0 (http://www.spidersoft.com)
User-agent: WebZIP/5.0 PR1 (http://www.spidersoft.com)
User-agent: WebZip
User-agent: WebZip/4.0
User-agent: WebmasterWorldForumBot
User-agent: Website Quester
User-agent: Website Quester - www.asona.org
User-agent: Website Quester - www.esalesbiz.com/extra/
User-agent: Website eXtractor
User-agent: Website eXtractor (http://www.asona.org)
User-agent: Website.Quester
User-agent: Webster Pro
User-agent: Webster.Pro
User-agent: Wget
User-agent: Wget/1.5.2
User-agent: Wget/1.5.3
User-agent: Wget/1.6
User-agent: Wget/1.7
User-agent: Wget/1.8
User-agent: Wget/1.8.1
User-agent: Wget/1.8.1+cvs
User-agent: Wget/1.8.2
User-agent: Wget/1.9-beta
User-agent: Widow
User-agent: Xaldon WebSpider
User-agent: Xaldon WebSpider 2.5.b3
User-agent: Xenu's
User-agent: Xenu's Link Sleuth 1.1c
User-agent: Zeus
User-agent: Zeus 11389 Webster Pro V2.9 Win32
User-agent: Zeus 11652 Webster Pro V2.9 Win32
User-agent: Zeus 18018 Webster Pro V2.9 Win32
User-agent: Zeus 26378 Webster Pro V2.9 Win32
User-agent: Zeus 30747 Webster Pro V2.9 Win32
User-agent: Zeus 32297 Webster Pro V2.9 Win32
User-agent: Zeus 39206 Webster Pro V2.9 Win32
User-agent: Zeus 41641 Webster Pro V2.9 Win32
User-agent: Zeus 44238 Webster Pro V2.9 Win32
User-agent: Zeus 51070 Webster Pro V2.9 Win32
User-agent: Zeus 51674 Webster Pro V2.9 Win32
User-agent: Zeus 51837 Webster Pro V2.9 Win32
User-agent: Zeus 63567 Webster Pro V2.9 Win32
User-agent: Zeus 6694 Webster Pro V2.9 Win32
User-agent: Zeus 71129 Webster Pro V2.9 Win32
User-agent: Zeus 82016 Webster Pro V2.9 Win32
User-agent: Zeus 82900 Webster Pro V2.9 Win32
User-agent: Zeus 84842 Webster Pro V2.9 Win32
User-agent: Zeus 90872 Webster Pro V2.9 Win32
User-agent: Zeus 94934 Webster Pro V2.9 Win32
User-agent: Zeus 95245 Webster Pro V2.9 Win32
User-agent: Zeus 95351 Webster Pro V2.9 Win32
User-agent: Zeus 97371 Webster Pro V2.9 Win32
User-agent: Zeus Link Scout
User-agent: asterias
User-agent: b2w/0.1
User-agent: cosmos
User-agent: eCatch
User-agent: eCatch/3.0
User-agent: hloader
User-agent: httplib
User-agent: humanlinks
User-agent: ia_archiver
User-agent: larbin
User-agent: larbin ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it )
User-agent: larbin This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
User-agent: larbin_2.6.2 ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it )
User-agent: larbin_2.6.2 ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it )
User-agent: larbin_2.6.2 (listonATccDOTgatechDOTedu)
User-agent: larbin_2.6.2 ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it )
User-agent: larbin_2.6.2 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
User-agent: larbin_2.6.2 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
User-agent: larbin_2.6.2 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
User-agent: larbin_2.6.2 listonATccDOTgatechDOTedu
User-agent: larbin_2.6.2 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
User-agent: libWeb/clsHTTP
User-agent: lwp-trivial
User-agent: lwp-trivial/1.34
User-agent: moget
User-agent: moget/2.1
User-agent: pavuk
User-agent: pcBrowser
User-agent: psbot
User-agent: searchpreview
User-agent: spanner
User-agent: suzuran
User-agent: tAkeOut
User-agent: toCrawl/UrlDispatcher
User-agent: turingos
User-agent: webfetch/2.1.0
User-agent: wget
Disallow: /

User-agent: *
Disallow: /classifieds/
Disallow: /usage/
Disallow: /cgi-bin/
Disallow: navigator.html