Go back to AustraliaShoppingOnline RSS main page

What is RSS?
Really Simple Syndication (RSS) is a lightweight XML format designed for sharing headlines and other Web content. Think of it as a distributable "What's New" for your site. Originated by UserLand in 1997 and subsequently used by Netscape to fill channels for Netcenter, RSS has evolved into a popular means of sharing content between sites (including the BBC, CNET, CNN, Disney, Forbes, Motley Fool, Wired, Red Herring, Salon, Slashdot, ZDNet, and more). RSS solves myriad problems webmasters commonly face, such as increasing traffic, and gathering and distributing news. RSS can also be the basis for additional content distribution services.

Format Versions and Modules
There are a number of different versions of the RSS format in use today, but the main choices are RSS 1.0 and RSS 2.0. Each version has its benefits and drawbacks; RSS 2.0 is known for its simplicity, while RSS 1.0 is more extensible and fully specified. Both formats are XML-based and have the same basic structure.

There’s one more choice; Atom is an effort in the IETF (an Internet standards body) to come up with a well-documented, standard syndication format. Although it has a different name, it has the same basic functions as RSS, and many people use the term “RSS” to refer to RSS or Atom syndication.

This section presents a quick overview of each; for more information, see their specifications and supporting materials.