How it works
A reader checks the feed URL and displays new entries from many publishers in one place. Podcast apps commonly use RSS to receive episode titles, descriptions, dates, and media links.
What people often miss
RSS does not require a social-media algorithm, but the publisher controls what appears in the feed. A feed may contain full content or only summaries.
Why this question comes up
RSS remains core podcast infrastructure even when listeners never see the underlying file.
Key points
- An RSS feed is a regularly updated XML file that lists new articles, podcast episodes, or other items for feed-reading software.
- A reader checks the feed URL and displays new entries from many publishers in one place. Podcast apps commonly use RSS to receive episode titles, descriptions, dates, and media links.
- RSS does not require a social-media algorithm, but the publisher controls what appears in the feed. A feed may contain full content or only summaries.
Bottom line
An RSS feed is a regularly updated XML file that lists new articles, podcast episodes, or other items for feed-reading software.
Source and verification
This Answer was checked against RSS Advisory Board. Follow the source for the full official explanation and any later updates.