How do RSS Feeds work?

What is RSS?

RSS, or Rich Site Summary (sometimes also known as 'Really Simple Syndication', is an easy way to have the latest news and features on Beliefnet delivered directly to you.

An RSS reader, also called a news aggregator, makes it easy for you to keep tabs on what's new on many web sites—without having to surf through them all—by pulling in the most recent, most interesting features and articles created by your favorite web sites, weblogs, and online newsletters.

Some RSS readers are software applications that can be downloaded (like Pluck). Others are offered by web sites that you can log into (like Bloglines or Yahoo!). All of them allow you to subscribe to various RSS feeds. Each offers different options, so there is a lot of freedom associated with RSS. Find a reader that works best for you.

What's XML?

XML is the format in which RSS files are transmitted. Wherever you see the XML icon, (and more sites are offering them every day) that's a site that offers RSS feeds of some of its content

How Do I Do It?

Here are the easy steps to get you started:

1. Open your RSS Reader. If you don't have one already, you can get one for free. Bloglines or Yahoo! are web-based; Pluck has software that you can download.
   
   
   
2. Select the RSS Feeds that you want to receive from the orange box to the right.
   
   
3. Receive the latest summaries from Beliefnet through your RSS Reader, and then click through to the full story of interest on Beliefnet.com. In this early stage of Beliefnet's RSS effort, we'll update our feeds once a day. Over time we may update more often, or add additional feeds.

More information