The state of docs traffic: a 2026 midyear report

In the midyear 2026 report on documentation traffic by Mintlify, agent-driven web requests have surged dramatically, accounting for 66% of total traffic compared to just 15.2% at the year's start, with projections suggesting this could reach 90% by year-end. This shift underscores the importance of machine-readable routes for agents, as they primarily utilize explicit machine routes, particularly .md file requests, which increased significantly from February to July. Machine Client Protocol (MCP) activities, which include search and filesystem tool calls, have also risen, with search accounting for a majority of these calls. The report highlights the inefficiencies in agent operations, where incorrect URL guesses and irrelevant page loads inflate request volumes, and emphasizes the benefits of integrating llms.txt to reduce errors. Mintlify's unified publishing system aims to synchronize human and machine-readable content, ensuring consistent updates across all formats and enhancing analytics to better understand customer needs and documentation shortcomings.

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