RSS API Blog

The Ultimate RSS Feed Glossary

· 4 min read

The most important terms related to RSS, ATOM and JSON Feeds - explained.

Mockup of a NASA Rss News-Feed with Images

RSS - Stands for Really Simple Syndication (originally for Rich Site Summary). It's a web feed format that allows users to receive updates from websites and blogs in a standardized format.

ATOM - A web feed format similar to RSS, but with additional features and capabilities.

XML - Stands for Extensible Markup Language. It's a markup language used to create web feeds, including RSS and ATOM feeds.

JSON - Stands for JavaScript Object Notation. It's a lightweight format for storing and transferring data which is very widely used, including in JSON feeds.

JSONFeed - A JSON-based format for syndicating content, similar to RSS and ATOM feeds. JSONFeed is designed to be easier for developers to work with, and allows for the inclusion of richer media types and metadata.

Web Feed - A data format like RSS, ATOM or JSON used to publish frequently updated content, such as news headlines, blog posts, or podcasts.

Webhook - A method of receiving real-time updates from a service via a user-defined HTTP callback. Services like RSS API allow you to receive Webhooks for new items in a Web Feed.

RSS aggregator - A tool or software that collects and organizes RSS feeds from multiple sources, making it easier for users to keep up with their favorite websites and blogs.

RSS reader - A software application or web service that allows users to subscribe to and read RSS feeds on their devices. Sometimes also known as Newsreader.

Podcast - A digital audio or video file that's typically part of a series and can be subscribed to via RSS.

FeedBurner - A popular web feed management tool that was founded in 2004 and acquired by Google in 2007.

Feed URL - The web address of an RSS feed, which users can use to subscribe to and access the feed's content.

Channel - A section of an RSS feed that contains metadata about the feed, such as its title, description, and publication date.

Feed item - An individual piece of content within an RSS feed, such as a news article or blog post.

Feed enclosure - A way to include multimedia content, such as images, within an RSS feed


About RSS API
RSS API allows you to easily parse and subscribe to RSS Feeds via an easy-to-use API. Learn more on .