What are XML Feeds?

Hello members,

I've done searches on google and here as well about XML Feeds. I came across the term RSS formats. I learned that RSS is the format used to enable XML Feeds. After all RSS is XML. The thing I can not grasp is, "What is it".

Here's what I understand so far:

a web site will have a file with the updated information written in XML, RSS. If i wanted a piece of the information, instead of having a link to that information, i would simply ask for it through xml..

Just writting the above made me feel that i still have no clue what im talking about..

Could someone please clearify this.. What are XML Feeds?

Thanks,
Lunatic

I'll take a stab at this. I think there are two parts to an XML feed. First there is the XML data and then there is the presentation of that data. I think you could argue that the feed is just the XML data, but that's not very useful by itself.

To be a 'feed' the XML data needs to be updated periodically. It could be hourly, daily, when new posts arrive, etc. Then that data needs to be prepared for display, typicall with XSL. In the case of RSS the XML data is formatted according to the RSS DTD. Then you can create an XSL template to process RSS formatted data to display however you would like.

Hopefully that answers your question.

Thanks for the explaination. I understand it a little bit more now.

so basically it's an easier, more efficent way to have data updated.

Do you think it's worth learning. Meaning will it be a popular way of doing this on the web?

Thanks

I think it's already popular. Check out http://www.syndic8.com for all kinds of syndicated news feeds and more information. I would correct you on one thing though, an XML feed is not a way to update data, it's really just one way to make that data available.