---
title: "Reading RSS with Standard Tools"
slug: "rss"
lang: en
created: 2026-06-10
updated: 2026-08-06
description: "A short standalone note about inspecting RSS feeds."
license: CC-BY-SA-4.0
---

RSS is an XML format for following updates without depending on a platform-specific timeline. A feed is just another URL, so it can be fetched, archived, and processed with ordinary tools.

## Fetch a feed

Use `curl` to save the response before inspecting it:

```sh
curl -o feed.xml https://example.org/rss.xml
```

## Check the document

An XML-aware tool can verify that the response is well formed:

```sh
xmllint --noout feed.xml
```

## Keep the source URL

Store the feed URL alongside any local automation. The URL is the durable identifier; a reader application is replaceable.