IntentDeep Virtual Files for SEO – Robots.txt, Sitemaps & More
Virtual Files lets you create and manage robots.txt, XML sitemaps, ads.txt, security.txt, RSS feeds, and JSON files directly from your WordPress dashboard. These files can be created at any path depth (yoursite.com/robots.txt, yoursite.com/.well-known/security.txt, yoursite.com/api/data.json) and behave just like physical files, but are stored in your database—no FTP access required.
The Problem
Managing robots.txt, ads.txt, security.txt, XML sitemaps, .well-known files, and other server files traditionally requires FTP access, correct file permissions, and manual directory creation. For managed hosting or multiple sites, this becomes a maintenance nightmare.
The Solution
Virtual Files eliminates these hassles by storing everything in your WordPress database while serving content as if files physically exist at any path on your server. No FTP, no server access, no directory creation, no permission headaches.
🔥 Top Use Cases
SEO Optimization – Create and edit your robots.txt instantly to control crawler access – Serve XML sitemaps without third-party plugins – Test different configurations without file uploads
Monetization & Security – Add your ads.txt or app-ads.txt for Google AdSense compliance – Publish a security.txt file to define your security policy (RFC 9116 standard) – Approve inventory and boost revenue with proper ads.txt management
Developers & API – Host .well-known/security.txt, .well-known/apple-app-site-association – Create nested API endpoints (api/v1/data.json, api/config.json) – Serve configuration files at any path for headless WordPress setups – No need to create physical directories – paths are virtual
Managed Hosting – Perfect for WP Engine, Kinsta, Flywheel where FTP is limited – No need to contact support for simple file changes – Complete control from WordPress dashboard
Security & Performance
Enterprise-Grade Security: – All content sanitized to prevent XSS attacks – PHP code execution protection – Nonce verification on all operations – Role-based permission checks – Database-backed redundancy (included in WordPress backups)
Zero File Permission Issues: No chmod, no chown, no permission denied errors. Everything managed through WordPress capabilities.
Performance Optimized: – Smart caching (Pro) for up to 10x faster delivery – Minimal database queries – Automatic cache invalidation on updates – No file system overhead
Free Version Features
✅ Basic File Types Create virtual files with these extensions: – TXT – Plain text files (robots.txt, ads.txt, security.txt, llms.txt) – MD – Markdown documents – JSON – API endpoints and data files
✅ Smart File Management – Intuitive admin interface for creating and editing files – File status control (Active/Inactive) – Support for any path depth (root, subdirectories, .well-known) – Real-time file preview – Automatic MIME type detection – Clean URLs (yoursite.com/path/to/file.txt)
✅ SEO-Ready – Perfect for robots.txt management – Custom ads.txt and app-ads.txt support – .well-known directory support (security.txt, etc.) – Direct URL access for search engines – No redirect or rewrite delays
✅ Developer-Friendly – Simple text editor for quick edits – Character encoding support (UTF-8) – Direct content serving (no overhead) – WordPress REST API compatible
✅ Performance Optimized – Lightweight database storage – Minimal server resources – Fast content delivery – No file permission issues
✅ Free Version Limits – Up to 5 active files (inactive files don’t count) – Upgrade to Pro for unlimited files
Pro Version – Unlock Advanced Features
🚀 Premium File Types Expand beyond basics with: – XML – Sitemaps, feeds, and structured data – CSV – Data exports and imports – YAML – Configuration files (.yml and .yaml both supported) – RSS – Custom RSS feeds – LOG – Log file serving
💻 Advanced Code Editor – Syntax highlighting for all file types – Line numbers for easy navigation – Multiple themes (light/dark modes) – Auto-close brackets and smart indentation – Line wrapping for better readability – Comment toggle with keyboard shortcuts
⚡ Performance Caching – Smart file caching with configurable TTL – Cache warm-up for all active files – Automatic cache invalidation on updates – Cache statistics dashboard – Up to 10x faster file delivery
📊 Analytics & Insights – Access tracking for each file – View counts and statistics – Last accessed timestamps – File size monitoring – Performance metrics
📦 Import/Export – Backup all files as JSON – Bulk import from backup files – Duplicate detection prevents conflicts – Migration-ready for site transfers – Version control friendly
🔄 Unlimited Files – No file limits (Free version: 5 active files max) – Create unlimited virtual files – Organize with WordPress categories – Bulk operations support
🎨 Enhanced UI/UX – Modern, clean interface – File status indicators – Quick copy URL buttons – One-click file activation – Accessibility ready
Free vs Pro Comparison
Free Version Includes: ✅ TXT, MD, JSON file types ✅ Up to 5 active virtual files ✅ Simple text editor ✅ Any path depth support (.well-known, subdirectories) ✅ Active/Inactive status control ✅ Database-driven file storage
Pro Version Adds: 🚀 Unlimited virtual files (no 5-file limit) 🚀 Premium file types: XML, CSV, YAML (.yml/.yaml), RSS, LOG 🚀 Advanced code editor with syntax highlighting 🚀 Smart file caching (up to 10x faster delivery) 🚀 Analytics dashboard with access tracking 🚀 Import/Export functionality for backups 🚀 Priority email support
Upgrade to Pro | 7-Day Trial Available
What Makes Virtual Files Different?
No File System Access Required Manage everything from your WordPress dashboard. No FTP, no server access, no permission headaches.
Virtual Directories – No Physical Folders Create files at any path (.well-known/security.txt, api/data.json) without creating physical directories. Paths are virtual and work instantly.
Database-Driven Reliability Your files are backed up with your database. No lost files due to server issues or migrations.
Version Control Friendly Files live in database, not Git repos. Keep your repository clean and focused on code.
Instant Updates Change content and it’s live immediately. No file uploads, no caching delays (with proper cache invalidation).
Try Pro Risk-Free
7-Day Trial. Experience advanced features before committing.
Upgrade to Pro | Documentation | Support
Troubleshooting
Virtual file returns 404
- Go to Settings → Permalinks and click “Save Changes” to flush rewrite rules
- Verify file status is set to “Active” in Virtual Files dashboard
- Check that no physical file exists with the same name
- Ensure permalinks are enabled (required for virtual routing)
Changes don’t appear immediately
- Clear site cache (if using WP Rocket, W3 Total Cache, etc.)
- Clear browser cache (Ctrl+F5 or Cmd+Shift+R)
- Pro users: Check cache TTL settings in Virtual Files → Settings
- Verify file is set to “Active” status
Conflicts with existing physical files
Virtual files take precedence over physical files with the same name. To serve physical files instead: – Set virtual file status to “Inactive”, OR – Delete the virtual file from the dashboard
Privacy Policy
Virtual Files does not collect, store, or transmit any personal data. All file content is stored locally in your WordPress database. The Pro version may connect to our licensing server only for license validation.
Support
Need help? Have suggestions?
- Free Support: WordPress.org Forums
- Pro Support: Priority Support
- Documentation: Knowledge Base
- Feature Requests: Contact