What does RSS mean?
A simple explanation of what RSS means, how it works, and why it still matters today.
By Felix | 2025-07-18
What does RSS mean?
RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication. It’s a protocol that lets you subscribe to updates from your favorite websites, so you don’t have to check each one manually. Instead, your RSS reader does the work for you, collecting new articles, blog posts, or podcast episodes in one place.
How does it work?
Websites publish a file that lists their latest content in a computer-readable format. Your RSS reader checks these feeds regularly and shows you what’s new. Most feeds include the title, summary, publishing date, and a link to the full article.
Why use RSS?
- Stay up to date with all your favorite sources, without missing anything.
- No algorithms, you decide what you follow.
- No ads or tracking.
- Follow news, blogs, podcasts, YouTube, and more.
Is RSS still relevant?
Absolutely. Even though social media and algorithms have taken over much of the web, RSS is still the best way to follow what you care about. Most major sites still offer RSS feeds, and there are plenty of modern readers to choose from.
Try it out
If you’ve never used RSS before, give it a try! You might be surprised how much easier it is to keep up with the things you care about.