Can AI Read Your SaaS? Why Llms.txt Beats MCP for Developers (medium.com)

A new initiative in SaaS development is highlighting the necessity for AI-friendly interfaces, particularly through the adoption of the llms.txt standard. In a landscape increasingly dominated by AI coding agents like Claude and GitHub Copilot, these platforms can dramatically reduce the time developers spend integrating services by generating tailored code within seconds. The llms.txt format serves as a comprehensive guide that AI agents can reference to create reusable and customizable code, enhancing the development process. This contrasts with the Model Context Protocol (MCP), which offers real-time task execution but lacks the flexibility and learning potential provided by llms.txt. For the AI/ML community, this shift signifies a crucial evolution in how SaaS products will engage with developers. As llms.txt becomes the standard, it positions SaaS providers to give developers the tools they need to easily integrate services into their projects. The required elements for llms.txt include service descriptions, feature lists, API specifications, and example code, all written in Markdown to ensure AI compatibility. This evolution not only optimizes individual project workflows but may also redefine the overall developer experience in the AI era, placing a higher value on permanent code integration rather than one-off solutions.