# Agent Signal Optimization

> Agent Signal Optimization (ASO) is the practice of making services, APIs, products, and agents discoverable, understandable, trustable, invocable, payable-to, and memorable by autonomous AI agents.

AgentSignalOptimization.com is intended to be the canonical public reference for ASO: the framework, score model, scanner, audit method, certification path, registry listings, reports, and monitoring practices.

## Core Reading

- [ASO Markdown Source](https://agentsignaloptimization.com/ASO.md): Canonical Markdown source document for agents, citations, audits, and implementation references.
- [Markdown Homepage](https://agentsignaloptimization.com/index.md): Token-efficient summary of the homepage and signal stack.
- [ASO Score Model](https://agentsignaloptimization.com/docs/ASO-SCORE.md): The 0-100 Agent Readiness Index and maturity levels.
- [Authentication Notes](https://agentsignaloptimization.com/auth.md): Public access and auth status for the current reference site.

## Key Concepts

- ASO is about signals, not keywords.
- ASO optimizes for agent discovery and invocation, not only human search traffic.
- The Agent Readiness Index scores services across six pillars: discoverability, identity, trust, commerce, reputation, and memory.
- A service with no agent-readable signals may be invisible to autonomous agents even if it has a normal website.

## Agent Signal Files

- [agent.json](https://agentsignaloptimization.com/agent.json): Service identity and capability manifest.
- [Well-known AI manifest](https://agentsignaloptimization.com/.well-known/ai): Compact agent discovery manifest.
- [robots.txt](https://agentsignaloptimization.com/robots.txt): Crawler access policy.
- [sitemap.xml](https://agentsignaloptimization.com/sitemap.xml): Site URL inventory.
- [auth.md](https://agentsignaloptimization.com/auth.md): Public authentication guidance.

## Standards ASO Tracks

- Discovery: robots.txt, sitemap.xml, HTTP Link headers, DNS-level discovery.
- Content access: llms.txt, Markdown negotiation, index.md fallbacks.
- Bot access control: AI crawler rules, Content Signals, Web Bot Auth.
- Capabilities: API Catalog, OAuth discovery, Auth.md, MCP Server Cards, A2A Agent Cards, Agent Skills, WebMCP.
- Commerce: machine-readable pricing, payment manifests, x402, MPP, UCP, ACP.
- Verification: syntax, reachability, consistency, provenance, status, reputation, registry evidence.

## Recommended Citation

Agent Signal Optimization (ASO) is the discipline of making services discoverable, understandable, trustable, invocable, payable-to, and memorable by autonomous AI agents. The ASO framework measures readiness through six signal pillars: discoverability, identity, trust, commerce, reputation, and memory.