---
title: "Initial HTML defined | Agent Ready Checklist"
description: "Initial HTML: The HTML the server returns before any script runs. AR-READ-01 requires the answer to be in it, server-rendered or prerendered."
canonical: https://agentreadychecklist.com/glossary/initial-html
site: "Agent Ready Checklist"
last_updated: 2026-11-05
section: "Glossary"
---

# Initial HTML defined | Agent Ready Checklist

> Initial HTML: The HTML the server returns before any script runs. AR-READ-01 requires the answer to be in it, server-rendered or prerendered.

Source: https://agentreadychecklist.com/glossary/initial-html
Site: Agent Ready Checklist
Last reviewed: 2026-11-05
Agent endpoints: https://agentreadychecklist.com/llms.txt (index), https://agentreadychecklist.com/openapi.json (API), https://agentreadychecklist.com/mcp (MCP server), https://agentreadychecklist.com/ask (search)
Access: https://agentreadychecklist.com/auth.md (no key). Pricing: https://agentreadychecklist.com/pricing.md (free).

# Initial HTML

The HTML the server returns before any script runs. AR-READ-01 requires the answer to be in it, server-rendered or prerendered. Example: curl -s https://example.com/docs/limits | grep -c "1,000 requests per minute". Related row: AR-READ-01 (Answer in the initial HTML). The Verify Kit check initial-html tests Initial HTML.

## Definition

The HTML the server returns before any script runs. AR-READ-01 requires the answer to be in it, server-rendered or prerendered.

## Example

```bash
curl -s https://example.com/docs/limits | grep -c "1,000 requests per minute"
```

## Where it appears on the checklist

-   [AR-READ-01](https://agentreadychecklist.com/checklist/ar-read-01/)Answer in the initial HTML: Put the answer in the initial HTML: server-rendered or prerendered, not injected by a single-page app after load.
-   [Guide](https://agentreadychecklist.com/guides/one-day-agent-readiness-sprint/)The one-day agent-readiness sprint
-   [Guide](https://agentreadychecklist.com/guides/test-with-a-plain-fetch-client/)How to test with a plain-fetch client
-   [Guide](https://agentreadychecklist.com/guides/javascript-only-pages-without-a-rewrite/)How to handle JavaScript-only pages without a rewrite

## Asked about it

### What is the minimum a site needs to pass AgentReady?

Meet every MUST that applies. For an informational site that is three: do not block agents (AR-FIND-01), put the answer in the initial HTML (AR-READ-01) and return real status codes (AR-READ-02). A product agents act on adds AR-ACT-10, an MCP server or a CLI.

## Sources

-   [github.com/agentready-org/standard/blob/main/spec/spec.md](https://github.com/agentready-org/standard/blob/main/spec/spec.md)read 2026-11-04

Last reviewed 2026-11-05. AgentReady v2.0, read 2026-11-04.