A robots.txt file is a critical component of any website's SEO strategy. It tells search engine crawlers which pages or directories they can or cannot access. Creating an optimized robots.txt file ensures that search engines index your site efficiently while blocking sensitive or irrelevant content.
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Free Robots.txt Generator Tool Code |
In this article, we'll explore:
✔ What a robots.txt file is and why it matters
✔ How to generate a robots.txt file using an online tool
✔ Best practices for optimizing your robots.txt for SEO
What Is a Robots.txt File?
A robots.txt file is a simple text file placed in the root directory of a website (e.g., https://example.com/robots.txt
). It follows the Robots Exclusion Protocol (REP) and provides instructions to web crawlers (like Googlebot) about which parts of the site should or shouldn't be indexed.
Why Is Robots.txt Important for SEO?
- Controls Crawl Budget: Prevents search engines from wasting time on unimportant pages.
- Blocks Sensitive Content: Keeps private pages (e.g., admin, staging sites) out of search results.
- Avoids Duplicate Content Issues: Stops crawlers from indexing multiple versions of the same page.
The Code Behind the Robots.txt Generator Tool
To help developers understand how this robots.txt generator works, let's break down the key components of the code used to build this tool.
Technologies Used
The tool is built with:
- ✔ HTML5 – For structure and input fields
- ✔ CSS3 – For styling and responsive design
- ✔ JavaScript (Vanilla JS) – For dynamic functionality
No external libraries (like jQuery or React) are used, making it lightweight and fast.
1. HTML Structure
The tool uses a card-based layout with:
- A header section with title and subtitle
- A form for user inputs (URL, disallow rules)
- A results section (hidden until generation)
<div class="st-rbtf-container">
<div class="st-rbtf-header">
<h1 class="st-rbtf-title"><i class="fas fa-robot"></i> Robots.txt Generator</h1>
<p class="st-rbtf-subtitle">Create SEO-friendly configuration files with ease</p>
</div>
<div class="st-rbtf-card">
<h2 class="st-rbtf-card-title"><i class="fas fa-cogs"></i> Generate Your robots.txt</h2>
<div class="st-rbtf-form-group">
<label class="st-rbtf-label" for="st-rbtf-website-url"><i class="fas fa-globe"></i> Website URL</label>
<input type="text" id="st-rbtf-website-url" class="st-rbtf-input" placeholder="https://example.com">
</div>
<div class="st-rbtf-form-group">
<label class="st-rbtf-label"><i class="fas fa-ban"></i> Disallow Rules</label>
<div class="st-rbtf-checkbox-group">
<div class="st-rbtf-checkbox-item">
<input type="checkbox" id="st-rbtf-disallow-search" checked>
<label for="st-rbtf-disallow-search">/search</label>
</div>
<div class="st-rbtf-checkbox-item">
<input type="checkbox" id="st-rbtf-disallow-category" checked>
<label for="st-rbtf-disallow-category">/category/</label>
</div>
<div class="st-rbtf-checkbox-item">
<input type="checkbox" id="st-rbtf-disallow-tag" checked>
<label for="st-rbtf-disallow-tag">/tag/</label>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<button id="st-rbtf-generate-btn" class="st-rbtf-btn st-rbtf-btn-primary st-rbtf-btn-block">
<i class="fas fa-magic"></i> Generate robots.txt
</button>
</div>
<div class="st-rbtf-card st-rbtf-hidden" id="st-rbtf-result-card">
<h2 class="st-rbtf-card-title"><i class="fas fa-file-alt"></i> Your robots.txt File</h2>
<div class="st-rbtf-result-box">
<textarea id="st-rbtf-robots-result" class="st-rbtf-result-textarea" readonly></textarea>
</div>
<div class="st-rbtf-result-actions">
<button id="st-rbtf-clear-btn" class="st-rbtf-btn st-rbtf-btn-danger" title="Clear content">
<i class="fas fa-trash-alt"></i> Clear
</button>
<button id="st-rbtf-copy-btn" class="st-rbtf-btn st-rbtf-btn-primary st-rbtf-copy-btn" title="Copy to clipboard">
<i class="far fa-copy"></i>
<span class="st-rbtf-copy-text">Copy</span>
<i class="fas fa-check"></i>
</button>
</div>
</div>
</div>
2. CSS Styling
The design features:
- Flexbox for responsive layouts
- CSS transitions for smooth hover effects
- Gradient buttons for modern look
- Mobile-responsive design
.st-rbtf-container {
max-width: 100%;
margin: 0 auto;
}
.st-rbtf-header {
text-align: center;
margin-bottom: 40px;
padding: 30px 20px;
background: linear-gradient(135deg, #6C5CE7, #5649D6);
color: white;
border-radius: 12px;
box-shadow: 0 8px 20px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.12);
}
.st-rbtf-title {
font-size: 2.5rem;
margin-bottom: 10px;
display: flex;
align-items: center;
justify-content: center;
gap: 15px;
color: white;
flex-wrap: wrap;
}
.st-rbtf-subtitle {
font-size: 1.1rem;
opacity: 0.9;
}
.st-rbtf-card {
background: white;
border-radius: 12px;
box-shadow: 0 8px 20px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.12);
padding: 30px;
margin-bottom: 30px;
border: 1px solid rgba(0,0,0,0.05);
}
.st-rbtf-card-title {
font-size: 1.5rem;
margin-bottom: 20px;
color: #6C5CE7;
display: flex;
align-items: center;
gap: 12px;
}
.st-rbtf-form-group {
margin-bottom: 25px;
}
.st-rbtf-label {
display: block;
margin-bottom: 10px;
font-weight: 500;
display: flex;
align-items: center;
gap: 10px;
}
.st-rbtf-input {
width: 100%;
padding: 15px 20px;
border: 2px solid #e0e0e0;
border-radius: 12px;
font-size: 1rem;
transition: all 0.3s ease;
}
.st-rbtf-input:focus {
border-color: #00CEFF;
outline: none;
box-shadow: 0 0 0 4px rgba(0, 206, 255, 0.2);
}
.st-rbtf-btn {
display: inline-flex;
align-items: center;
justify-content: center;
gap: 10px;
color: white;
padding: 16px 32px;
border: none;
border-radius: 12px;
cursor: pointer;
font-size: 1rem;
font-weight: 600;
transition: all 0.3s ease;
}
.st-rbtf-btn-primary {
background: linear-gradient(135deg, #6C5CE7, #5649D6);
}
.st-rbtf-btn-primary:hover {
transform: translateY(-3px);
box-shadow: 0 10px 20px rgba(108, 92, 231, 0.3);
}
.st-rbtf-btn-danger {
background: linear-gradient(135deg, #ff4757, #ff6b81);
}
.st-rbtf-btn-danger:hover {
transform: translateY(-3px);
box-shadow: 0 10px 20px rgba(255, 71, 87, 0.3);
}
.st-rbtf-btn-block {
width: 100%;
}
.st-rbtf-checkbox-group {
display: flex;
flex-wrap: wrap;
gap: 15px;
margin-top: 15px;
}
.st-rbtf-checkbox-item {
display: flex;
align-items: center;
gap: 10px;
min-width: 140px;
background: rgba(108, 92, 231, 0.05);
padding: 10px 15px;
border-radius: 8px;
transition: all 0.3s ease;
border: 1px solid rgba(108, 92, 231, 0.1);
}
.st-rbtf-checkbox-item:hover {
background: rgba(108, 92, 231, 0.1);
transform: translateY(-2px);
}
.st-rbtf-checkbox-item input {
width: 18px;
height: 18px;
accent-color: #6C5CE7;
}
.st-rbtf-hidden {
display: none;
}
.st-rbtf-result-box {
background: #f8f9fa;
border-radius: 12px;
border: 2px solid #e0e0e0;
padding: 20px;
margin-top: 15px;
position: relative;
}
.st-rbtf-result-box::before {
content: "robots.txt";
position: absolute;
top: -10px;
left: 15px;
background: #6C5CE7;
color: white;
padding: 2px 10px;
border-radius: 4px;
font-size: 0.8rem;
font-weight: 600;
}
.st-rbtf-result-textarea {
width: 100%;
min-height: 200px;
padding: 15px;
font-family: 'Courier New', monospace;
font-size: 0.95rem;
line-height: 1.5;
background: white;
border: 1px solid #ddd;
border-radius: 8px;
resize: vertical;
overflow-y: auto;
box-sizing: border-box;
}
.st-rbtf-result-actions {
display: flex;
justify-content: flex-end;
gap: 15px;
margin-top: 20px;
}
.st-rbtf-copy-btn {
position: relative;
}
.st-rbtf-copy-btn .fa-check {
display: none;
}
.st-rbtf-copy-btn.copied .fa-copy {
display: none;
}
.st-rbtf-copy-btn.copied .st-rbtf-copy-text {
display: none;
}
.st-rbtf-copy-btn.copied .fa-check {
display: inline-block;
color: #00B894;
}
.st-rbtf-copy-btn.copied::after {
content: "Copied!";
margin-left: 8px;
}
@media (max-width: 768px) {
.st-rbtf-header {
padding: 25px 15px;
margin-bottom: 30px;
}
.st-rbtf-checkbox-group {
flex-direction: column;
gap: 10px;
}
.st-rbtf-checkbox-item {
width: 100%;
}
.st-rbtf-result-actions {
flex-direction: column;
}
.st-rbtf-copy-btn.copied::after {
content: "";
}
.st-rbtf-copy-btn.copied .fa-check::after {
content: " Copied";
margin-left: 5px;
}
}
3. JavaScript Functionality
The core logic handles:
- URL validation
- Dynamic robots.txt generation
- Copy to clipboard functionality
- UI state management
<script>
document.getElementById('st-rbtf-generate-btn').addEventListener('click', function() {
const websiteUrl = document.getElementById('st-rbtf-website-url').value.trim();
if (!websiteUrl) {
alert('Please enter your website URL');
return;
}
let domain = websiteUrl;
try {
const urlObj = new URL(websiteUrl);
domain = urlObj.origin;
} catch (e) {
if (!websiteUrl.startsWith('http')) {
domain = 'https://' + websiteUrl.replace(/^\/+|\/+$/g, '');
}
}
let robotsTxt = '';
robotsTxt += `User-agent: *\n`;
robotsTxt += `Allow: /\n`;
if (document.getElementById('st-rbtf-disallow-search').checked) robotsTxt += `Disallow: /search\n`;
if (document.getElementById('st-rbtf-disallow-category').checked) robotsTxt += `Disallow: /category/\n`;
if (document.getElementById('st-rbtf-disallow-tag').checked) robotsTxt += `Disallow: /tag/\n`;
robotsTxt += `\nSitemap: ${domain}/atom.xml?redirect=false&start-index=1&max-results=500\n`;
document.getElementById('st-rbtf-robots-result').value = robotsTxt;
document.getElementById('st-rbtf-result-card').classList.remove('st-rbtf-hidden');
document.getElementById('st-rbtf-result-card').scrollIntoView({ behavior: 'smooth' });
});
document.getElementById('st-rbtf-copy-btn').addEventListener('click', function() {
const result = document.getElementById('st-rbtf-robots-result');
const copyBtn = document.getElementById('st-rbtf-copy-btn');
result.select();
document.execCommand('copy');
copyBtn.classList.add('copied');
setTimeout(() => copyBtn.classList.remove('copied'), 2000);
});
document.getElementById('st-rbtf-clear-btn').addEventListener('click', function() {
document.getElementById('st-rbtf-robots-result').value = '';
document.getElementById('st-rbtf-result-card').classList.add('st-rbtf-hidden');
document.getElementById('st-rbtf-website-url').value = '';
document.getElementById('st-rbtf-disallow-search').checked = true;
document.getElementById('st-rbtf-disallow-category').checked = true;
document.getElementById('st-rbtf-disallow-tag').checked = true;
document.querySelector('.st-rbtf-container').scrollIntoView({ behavior: 'smooth' });
});
</script>
How to Generate a Robots.txt File Using an Online Tool
Manually writing a robots.txt file can be error-prone, especially for beginners. Using a robots.txt generator simplifies the process by providing a user-friendly interface.
Step-by-Step Guide to Generating a Robots.txt File
- Enter Your Website URL
-
Input your domain (e.g.,
https://example.com
). - The tool will automatically format the correct directives.
-
Input your domain (e.g.,
- Select Disallow Rules
Common options include:-
/search/
(to block internal search results) -
/category/
(to prevent thin category pages from indexing) -
/tag/
(to avoid duplicate tag pages)
-
- Generate & Copy the File
- Click "Generate robots.txt" to create the file.
- Copy the output and upload it to your website's root directory.
Example Output:
User-agent: *
Allow: /
Disallow: /search/
Disallow: /category/
Disallow: /tag/
Sitemap: https://example.com/sitemap.xml
Related Posts
Best Practices for Optimizing Your Robots.txt File
- ✅ Allow Important Pages: Ensure key pages (homepage, product pages, blog posts) are crawlable.
- ✅ Block Unnecessary Pages: Prevent indexing of duplicate, low-value, or private pages.
- ✅ Include Your Sitemap: Helps search engines discover and index content faster.
- ❌ Avoid Blocking CSS/JS Files: Google needs these to render pages properly.
-
❌ Don't Use Robots.txt for Sensitive Data: Use
noindex
or password protection instead.
Final Thoughts
A well-configured robots.txt file improves crawl efficiency and prevents indexing issues. Using a robots.txt generator ensures accuracy and saves time.
Need a robots.txt file? Try our free Robots.txt Generator Tool and optimize your site for search engines today!
FAQs
Can a robots.txt file block Google from indexing my site?
No, it only guides crawlers—Google may still index pages if linked elsewhere. Use noindex
for full blocking.
Where should I upload the robots.txt file?
In the root directory (e.g., public_html/robots.txt
).
How often should I update my robots.txt file?
Only when you add or remove restricted sections of your site.
What happens if I don't have a robots.txt file?
Search engines will crawl your entire site by default, which may waste crawl budget on unimportant pages.