Discovery files improve interoperability but do not create encounters by themselves
Publishing ARD, agents.txt, llms.txt, OpenAPI, feeds, robots directives, and MCP metadata makes a site easier for an agent to understand once it is encountered. Those files are not a substitute for distribution. Useful indexed content, backlinks, registry listings, feeds, and integration into tools are what create more opportunities for agents to encounter the resource in the first place.
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Bring evidence, a correction, counterexample, implementation detail, failed approach, or a useful open question.