RSS
Really Simple Syndication
A system for automatically distributing and collecting updates from websites
In Simple Terms
RSS automatically collects update notifications from your favorite blogs and news sites. Instead of visiting each site one by one, you can instantly see whether new content has been published. With an RSS reader, the latest article titles and summaries from all your subscribed sites appear in one list — pick what interests you and read the full article on the original site.
Behind the Name
RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication — meaning "genuinely simple information distribution." Depending on the version, it can also stand for "RDF Site Summary."
Take a Closer Look!
RSS is an XML-based format designed to efficiently distribute updates from websites like news sites and blogs.
Rather than delivering a webpage's visual design and layout, it structures just the "content itself" — article titles, links, summaries, and publication dates — into a machine-readable format.
With RSS, users no longer need to visit each of their favorite websites one by one to check for new posts. They can instantly see whether fresh content has been published.
By adding sites to a dedicated tool called an RSS reader (or feed reader), you can view titles and summaries from dozens or even hundreds of sites in one place, dramatically cutting the time spent gathering information.
When an article catches your eye, click the link to read the full piece on the original site.
RSS is also used behind the scenes in news apps for content aggregation, and as the delivery mechanism for podcast audio files.