Glossary · Internet & Web

RSS (Really Simple Syndication)

RSS is an XML feed format that lists a site's latest posts so readers and apps can subscribe and get updates without visiting the site.

Updated October 6, 2026

RSS (often expanded as Really Simple Syndication) is an XML-based format for publishing a feed of recent content. Feed readers and apps poll the feed URL and show new items when they appear.

Why it matters

RSS lets people follow blogs, news and podcasts without algorithms or email. It is also used to move content between systems. Atom is a similar feed format, and most readers support both.

Because the feed is just a public URL, you can monitor it like any page: if it returns an error or invalid XML, subscribers silently stop receiving your updates, and most readers will not tell you why.

Example

<rss version="2.0"><channel>
  <title>Example Blog</title>
  <link>https://example.com</link>
  <item>
    <title>New post</title>
    <link>https://example.com/new-post</link>
  </item>
</channel></rss>

Common mistakes

  • Publishing a feed with relative links or invalid XML, which readers reject.
  • Putting only short excerpts when you want readers to see full posts, or the reverse by accident.
  • Forgetting to advertise the feed with a link rel="alternate" tag.

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