RSS & Atom
Syndication feeds and readers.
RSS & Atom is taught here in 3 lessons, running from The RSS 2.0 feed format through to Atom and how readers consume feeds. Each lesson takes one topic, shows the working code, and links onward to the next, so the course can be read straight through in order.
| Track | XML & Web Services |
| Lessons | 3 |
| Level | Beginner |
| Reading time | about 39 minutes |
| Prerequisites | Helpful, but not required: RESTful APIs |
Lessons
- The RSS 2.0 feed formatThe channel and item elements that make a feed, which ones are required, and the date and identifier rules readers enforce.
- Generating a valid feedBuilding feed XML safely from application data, validating it, and advertising it so readers can find it.
- Atom and how readers consume feedsWhere Atom differs from RSS, how feed readers poll with conditional requests, and what that means for your server.
More in XML & Web Services
XML XPath XSLT SOAP RESTful APIs
FAQ
How long does the RSS & Atom course take?
It has 3 lessons, about 39 minutes of reading. Expect roughly twice that if you type out and run every example.
Do I need prior experience for RSS & Atom?
Not strictly. It helps to have read RESTful APIs first, because some lessons build on it, but every lesson explains its own assumptions.
What should I read after RSS & Atom?
This is the last course in XML & Web Services right now. Browse the other tracks from the courses index to go sideways.
Last refreshed 2026-09-18.