RSS file extension

File extension rss is commonly used for Really Simple Syndication format.

The rss file is stored in an XML (eXtensible Markup Language) format modified to share headlines, annotations, samples of an article etc. through RSS service. RSS means Really Simple Syndication (also known as Rich Site Summary).

The rss XML files can be read in a software called "feed reader" or "RSS aggregator". Popular web browsers, like Internet Explorer, Chrome etc. contain a simple form of RSS aggregator. To subscribe a feed you need to click on an icon in browser that identifies RSS feed of an website.

The initials "RSS" are used to refer to the following formats:

• Really Simple Syndication (RSS 2.0)
• RDF Site Summary (RSS 1.0 and RSS 0.90)
• Rich Site Summary (RSS 0.91)

RSS formats are specified using XML, a generic specification for the creation of data formats.

RSS Syntax

RSS XML text file contains static information about web site (title, links, language) as well as dynamic information about new articles and new content. All information are start and end with tags (a set of HTML-like tags).

Each story is defined by an ITEM tag, which contains a headline TITLE, URL, and DESCRIPTION. Here's an example:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<rss version="2.0">
<channel>
  <title>File-Extensions.org Articles</title>
  <link>https://www.file-extensions.org/rss/articles</link>
  <description>RSS channel description....</description>
  <language>en-us</language>
   <item>
     <title>Feedly: Google Reader alternative</title>
     <link>http://www.example.com/article1.html</link>
     <description>
       Google announced that it will discontinue and remove Google Reader RSS aggregator from its free services - with the date of final stop being set to 1st July 2013...
     </description>
   </item>
   
   <item>
     <title>Disable lock screen in Windows 8</title>
     <link>http://www.example.com/article2.html</link>
     <description>
        Whilst the lock screen in Windows 8......
     </description>
   </item>
   ...
  

RSS channel can contain up to 15 items and also can be easily parsed by server-side scripting languages (PHP, Perl etc.).

The valid RSS XML file can be registered in various web RSS aggregators. After the RSS file on your web is updated, all RSS aggreators, where you have your RSS feed subscribed, automatically actualize information for users.

MIME types:
application/rss+xml