Really Simple Syndication (RSS) Cheat Sheet (version 1.

1: updated 8/21/2007)

Note: All elements listed must be properly closed 
(ex: </image> OR <image />) 
Sample Code (RSS 2.0)
   
Required Channel Elements  Required Elements   ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐     iTunes Elements  ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐      (all other elements are considered optional but some best practice) 
channel = main containing element (starts   
channel)  <?xml version="1.0"?>
title = name of the channel  <rss version="2.0">
link = URL to parent site  <rss version="2.0" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/">
description = description of channel  <rss xmlns:itunes="http://www.itunes.com/dtds/podcast-1.0.dtd" version="2.0">
<channel>
  <title>Super Cool News</title>
Optional Channel Elements  <link>http://supercoolnews.com</link>
language = language the channel written in  <description>Some really super cool news to read.</description>
copyright = copyright notice of content in  <language>en-us</language>
<copyright>Copyright 2007, Super Cool News</copyright>
channel 
<managingEditor>[email protected]</managingEditor>
managingEditor = email of channel content 
<webMaster>[email protected]</webMaster>
editor  <pubDate>Tue, 26 Jun 2007 04:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
webMaster = email of channel technical contact  <lastBuildDate>Tue, 26 Jun 2003 04:00:00 GMT</lastBuildDate>
pubDate = publication date of channel  <category>Geek &amp; Nerd News</category>
lastBuildDate = date channel content changed  <generator>SCN Content Management System v1.0</generator>
category = categories the channel belongs to  <docs>http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss</docs>
generator = program used to create feed  <cloud domain="radio.xmlstoragesystem.com" port="80" path="/RPC2"
docs = URL to RSS specification (see below)  registerProcedure="xmlStorageSystem.rssPleaseNotify" protocol="xml-rpc"/>
cloud = web service of rssCloud interface  <ttl>60</ttl>
ttl = # of minutes before reaching  <image>
image = GIF, JPEG, PNG to display in channel (i.e.  <url>http://supercoolnews.com/rss_image.jpg</url>
logo)  <title>Super Cool News</title>
<link>http://supercoolnews.com</link>
rating = PICS rating of channel 
<description>Visit the Super Cool News Web site</description>
textInput = input box to display with channel 
<width>144</width>
skipHours = when aggregators can’t read channel  <height>400</height>
skipDays = same as skipHours, but in days  </image>
  <rating>[use the PICS rating generator link (left) to fill]</rating>
<textInput>
Basic Item Elements  <title>Submit</title>
item = main containing element (starts item)  <description>search here</description>
title = title of the item  <name>search</name>
link = URL of the item  <link>http://supercoolnews.com/search.php</link>
description = item summary  </textInput>
<skipHours>
  <hour>14</hour>
Other Item Elements  </skipHours>
author = email of the item author  <skipDays>
category = categories for the item  <day>Tuesday</day>
comments = URL of comments page related to  </skipDays>
item  <itunes:subtitle>A show about really cool news</itunes:subtitle>
<itunes:summary>Super Cool News is about super cool news. Each week we dive into any subject known to man and
enclosure = media object attached to item 
talk about it as much as we can. Look for our Podcast in the iTunes Music Store.</itunes:summary>
guid = unique string identifying item  <itunes:author>John Doe</itunes:author>
pubDate = publication date of item  <itunes:owner>
source = RSS channel that the item came from  <itunes:name>John Doe</itunes:name>
  <itunes:email>[email protected]</itunes:email>
RSS Notes:  </itunes:owner>
 The <width> sub‐element of <image> has a  <itunes:image href="http://supercoolnews.com/podcasts/images/news_artwork.jpg" />
maximum value of 144 (default is 88).   <itunes:category text="Technology">
<itunes:category text="Gadgets"/>
 
</itunes:category>
The <height> sub‐element of <image> has a  <itunes:category text="TV &amp; Film"/>
maximum value of 400 (default is 31).  <itunes:explicit>No</itunes:explicit>
  <item>
To get the PICS rating for the <rating> sub‐ <title>The RSS People Save the World!</title>
element, visit: PICS rating generator (SafeSurf):  <link>http://supercoolnews.com/newsstory1</link>
http://www.safesurf.com/classify/  <description>Finally the computer geeks of the world can be proud that their fellow RSS geeks have saved
  the world.</description>
To use the <content:encoded> sub‐element, you  <content:encoded><![CDATA[My <b>full content</b> here.]]></content:encoded>
need to use the "purl.org" <rss> namespace tag  <author>[email protected] (John Doe)</author>
instead of the default <rss> one.  <category url="http://supercoolnews.com/taxonomy">RSS Related</category>
  <comments>http://supercoolnews.com/2007/08/17.php#comments</comments>
If you're using iTunes tags, you will need to use  <enclosure url="http://supercoolnews.com/mp3s/episode1.mp3" length="12216320" type="audio/mpeg" />
<guid isPermaLink="true">http://supercoolnews.com/2007/08/17.php#rss1</guid>
the <rss xmlns:itunes> namespace tag instead of 
<pubDate>Tue, 19 Jun 2003 09:39:21 GMT</pubDate>
the other <rss> ones. Unfortunately, if you were  <source url="http://supercoolnews.com/links2.xml">Super Cool News</source>
using the "purl.org" namespace then you won't  <itunes:author>John Doe</itunes:author>
be able to use the <content:encoded> tag with  <itunes:subtitle>A short piece on RSS geeks of the world.</itunes:subtitle>
the iTunes namespace.  <itunes:summary>This week we talk about RSS geeks, how they do their jobs, and how they harness their code-
  monkey knowledge to save the world for traditional news.</itunes:summary>
Additional RSS Information:  <itunes:duration>7:04</itunes:duration>
• RSS 2.0 Specification  <itunes:keywords>rss, geek, technology</itunes:keywords>
</item>
• iTunes Podcast Technical Specifications  </channel>
• FeedBurner (RSS on steroids)  </rss>

Manually Add a Feed to an RSS  Add a Feed with Firefox 2x Add a Feed with Internet Explorer 7 (IE 7)

Application or Start Page  • Click the RSS link or icon ( , ) on the Web page or on the right‐side of  • Click the RSS link or icon ( , ) in the browser and 
• Right‐click the RSS link or icon ( , )   the address bar.   choose the feed you want to add. 
on the Web page and click “copy link  • Click the “Subscribe Now” button at the top.  • Click “Subscribe to this feed” link at top. 
location” or “copy shortcut” option.  • Select a bookmark folder to save your feed into (optional) and/or click the “OK”  • Select a folder to save your feed into (optional) and/or 
• You can also click the RSS link or icon  button.  click “Subscribe” button in the pop up box. 
( , ) on the Web page and copy the     
URL from the address bar.  Viewing your Feeds in Firefox 2x  Viewing Your Feeds in IE 7 
• In your application or start page paste the  • Click “Bookmarks” at the top of your browser.  • Click   icon on the top left of your browser. 
URL into your “add feed” option (or other  • Select the folder in which you saved the feed. 
similar name for adding RSS feed URLs).  • You may find it in the “Bookmarks Toolbar Folder” in your toolbar at the top or  • Click the   button. 
in a different bookmark location if you chose to put it there.  • Click the feed you want to view.