Introduction and History of RSS
– RSS is a web feed that allows users and applications to access updates to websites in a standardized, computer-readable format.
– Subscribing to RSS feeds enables users to keep track of multiple websites in a single news aggregator.
– RSS feeds are commonly used by websites to publish frequently updated information such as blog entries, news headlines, and podcasts.
– RSS gained widespread use between 2005 and 2006, with the adoption of the RSS icon by major web browsers.
– The idea of restructuring information about websites dates back to 1995 with the development of the Meta Content Framework.
– RDF Site Summary (RSS 0.9) was created by Dan Libby and Ramanathan V. Guha at Netscape in March 1999.
– RSS 0.91 was released in July 1999, simplifying the format and incorporating elements from Dave Winer’s news syndication format.
– RSS 1.0 was produced by the RSS-DEV Working Group in December 2000, reintroducing support for RDF and adding XML namespaces.
– RSS 2.0, renamed ‘Really Simple Syndication,’ was released by Dave Winer in September 2002, adding support for namespaces.
– The controversy over the proper publisher of RSS led to the creation of an alternative syndication format called Atom in June 2003.
– Atom was motivated by a desire to start fresh and resolve the issues surrounding RSS.
– Atom has been adopted as an IETF Proposed Standard RFC4287.
– The copyright of the RSS 2.0 specification was assigned to Harvard’s Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society in July 2003.
– The RSS Advisory Board was launched by Dave Winer to maintain and publish the specification.
RSS Format and Usage
– RSS is XML-formatted plain text, making it easily readable by automated processes and humans.
– An example RSS feed includes elements like title, description, link, copyright, lastBuildDate, and pubDate.
– The RSS format allows for the inclusion of metadata and supports namespaces to extend core elements.
– RSS feeds are presented to users using software called news aggregators.
– Users can subscribe to feeds by entering a feed’s URI into the reader or clicking on the browser’s feed icon.
– News aggregators regularly check users’ feeds for new information and can automatically download it if enabled.
– RSS feeds are used by websites to distribute frequently updated information, such as blog entries, news headlines, and podcasts.
– RSS feeds eliminate the need for manual checking of multiple websites, providing a convenient way to stay updated.
Variants and Modules
– RDF (or RSS 1.*) branch includes RSS 0.90, RSS 1.0, and RSS 1.1.
– RSS 2.* branch includes RSS 0.91, RSS 0.92 through 0.94, and RSS 2.0.1.
– Both branches have backward compatibility.
– RSS 2.* is widely used for podcasting.
– HTML markup compatibility issues exist.
– RSS modules extend the basic XML schema.
– Modules use XML namespaces to define concepts and relationships.
– Examples of RSS 2.0 modules include Media RSS (MRSS) 2.0 and OpenSearch RSS 2.0.
Interoperability and RSS to Email
– Some news aggregators have file size limitations for RSS files.
– RSS is used for distributing podcasts.
– Some BitTorrent clients support RSS for automatic content download.
– Services deliver RSS to email inboxes.
– Services deliver email to RSS readers.
– Thunderbird email client supports RSS natively.
– Gmane allows subscribing to feeds via NNTP.
RSS compared with Atom and Modern Applications
– RSS and Atom are widely supported and compatible with feed readers.
– Atom has advantages in licensing, MIME type, XML namespace, URI support, and RELAX NG support.
– Some major sites have reduced or removed RSS support.
– RSS support has been removed in certain browsers, but Google Podcasts uses RSS.
– Firefox removed support for the built-in feed reader in 2018.
– Google Podcasts reached 100 million installs on Android.
– RSS has seen a revival and is gaining popularity again.
– Google Reader is still defunct, but Chrome on Android now allows users to follow RSS feeds.
– Popular RSS readers include The Bat!, Inoreader, LinkedIn Pulse, Magnolia, My Yahoo!, News360, NewsBlur, Newsknowledge, Netvibes, Pageflakes, Planet, and Rojo.com.
RSS (RDF Site Summary or Really Simple Syndication) is a web feed that allows users and applications to access updates to websites in a standardized, computer-readable format. Subscribing to RSS feeds can allow a user to keep track of many different websites in a single news aggregator, which constantly monitor sites for new content, removing the need for the user to manually check them. News aggregators (or "RSS readers") can be built into a browser, installed on a desktop computer, or installed on a mobile device.
 | |
| Filename extension |
.rss, .xml |
|---|---|
| Internet media type | application/rss+xml (registration not finished) |
| Developed by | RSS Advisory Board |
| Initial release | RSS 0.90 (Netscape), March 15, 1999 |
| Latest release | RSS 2.0 (version 2.0.11) March 30, 2009 |
| Type of format | Web syndication |
| Container for | Updates of a website and its related metadata (web feed) |
| Extended from | XML |
| Open format? | Yes |
| Website | rssboard |
Websites usually use RSS feeds to publish frequently updated information, such as blog entries, news headlines, episodes of audio and video series, or for distributing podcasts. An RSS document (called "feed", "web feed", or "channel") includes full or summarized text, and metadata, like publishing date and author's name. RSS formats are specified using a generic XML file.
Although RSS formats have evolved from as early as March 1999, it was between 2005 and 2006 when RSS gained widespread use, and the ("") icon was decided upon by several major web browsers. RSS feed data is presented to users using software called a news aggregator and the passing of content is called web syndication. Users subscribe to feeds either by entering a feed's URI into the reader or by clicking on the browser's feed icon. The RSS reader checks the user's feeds regularly for new information and can automatically download it, if that function is enabled.
