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WordPress creates RSS and Atom feeds automatically. On a site using normal permalinks, start with /feed—for example, https://example.com/feed. You can also request a specific format such as ?feed=rss2 or the Atom endpoint commonly found at /feed/atom.
For most changes, use the the_content_feed filter in a plugin or child theme. Use feed actions when you need new XML fields or namespaces, and replace the feed template only when you need control over the entire document. Do not edit WordPress core files: updates will overwrite them.
What a WordPress RSS feed is
WordPress describes an RSS feed as “a machine-readable version of the content of a blog or a website.” A feed is an XML document intended for feed readers, news aggregators, podcast applications, search tools, and other software. It is not a second web page designed primarily for human reading.
When a visitor or application requests a feed URL, WordPress selects a feed handler, loads a feed template, queries the appropriate posts or comments, and prints XML. The result normally contains channel-level information—such as the site title and update details—followed by one element for each item.
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WordPress supports several feed families automatically. RSS 2.0 is the usual default for post feeds, but older RSS formats, RDF, Atom, and comment feeds remain available for compatibility.
| Feed family | Typical URL form | WordPress content type | Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| RSS 2.0 | /feed or ?feed=rss2 |
application/rss+xml |
General-purpose post distribution and the most common integration target. |
| RSS 0.92 | ?feed=rss |
application/rss+xml |
Legacy readers that still expect the older RSS structure. |
| RSS 1.0 (RDF) | ?feed=rdf |
application/rdf+xml |
RDF-based consumers and older compatibility scenarios. |
| Atom | /feed/atom or ?feed=atom |
application/atom+xml |
An alternative syndication format with a different XML vocabulary. |
| Comments | Comment-feed routes generated by WordPress | RSS or Atom, depending on the endpoint | Following comments for a site or an individual discussion. |
The exact route can vary with permalink settings, multisite configuration, or a plugin that changes feed handling. Test the URL on the current site rather than assuming that every installation uses the same path.
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Start with the standard permalink route
- Open the site’s home address and append
/feed, such ashttps://example.com/feed. - If you are checking a particular archive, try that archive’s feed route with
/feedappended where the site’s permalink structure supports it. - Confirm that the response is XML and that the browser or feed reader identifies it as an RSS feed.
WordPress’s documented template tags include rdf_url, rss_url, rss2_url, atom_url, and comments_rss2_url. Themes can use these functions when they need to print a feed link instead of hard-coding a URL.
Use query-string forms when routing requires them
WordPress also accepts query-style requests such as ?feed=rss2, ?feed=rss, ?feed=rdf, and ?feed=atom. These forms are useful for diagnosing permalink or rewrite problems because they ask WordPress for a feed directly through its query variables.
Check the feed advertised by the page
Many themes add an autodiscovery link in the page head. A feed reader can use that link to find the preferred endpoint. If a site has several feed formats, the advertised URL is normally the one the site owner intends applications to consume.
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How WordPress generates feed output
Feed handlers and templates
Core routes the request to a feed handler such as RSS 2.0, RSS 0.92, RDF, or Atom. The corresponding template then prints the XML. Core template names include feed-rss2.php, feed-rss.php, feed-rdf.php, and feed-atom.php; comment feeds have their own templates and handlers.
The RSS 2.0 template has separate extension points for the document header, XML namespaces, each item, and update metadata. This separation is why a small filter or action is usually safer than copying an entire template.
Content and metadata flow
For each post, WordPress prepares feed content and applies the the_content_feed filter. The function that obtains feed content supports the rss2, atom, rss, and rdf feed types. A plugin can therefore alter the content consistently without replacing the complete XML document.
Actions run at defined points in the output. rss_head fires at the end of a feed header, rss2_ns adds RSS 2.0 namespace declarations, rss2_head runs at the end of the RSS 2.0 header, and rss2_item runs at the end of each RSS 2.0 item. Related actions include atom_entry and do_feed_{$feed}.
Choose the right customization method
| Approach | Best for | Scope | Maintenance and risk |
|---|---|---|---|
the_content_feed filter |
Adding or changing post content, excerpts, attribution, or an introductory element. | Content inside existing items. | Usually the smallest change; keep it in a plugin or child-theme-compatible code. |
| Feed actions | Adding item metadata, header data, or XML namespace declarations. | Specific points in RSS or Atom output. | Requires valid XML and correct escaping; test each format you support. |
| Custom feed template | Changing the document structure or producing a post-type-specific XML layout. | The complete feed document. | More control, but more code to maintain when WordPress changes. |
| Redirect rules | Moving a feed from an old platform or URL to a WordPress feed. | Request routing, not feed content. | Preserves subscribers only when the redirect is permanent and correctly tested. |
| RSS block | Showing another site’s feed inside WordPress content. | Editor-facing display, not your own outbound feed. | Depends on the remote feed remaining reachable and valid. |
Change post content with the_content_feed
Use the filter when the requirement is “put this content in every feed item.” A plugin is preferable for a site-wide rule because the change survives theme replacement. A child theme is appropriate when the behavior is inseparable from that theme.
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<?php
add_filter( 'the_content_feed', function ( $content, $feed_type ) {
$notice = '<p>Read the complete article on our website.</p>';
return $content . $notice;
}, 10, 2 );The callback receives the prepared content and the feed type. If your code should run only for RSS 2.0, check $feed_type before changing the output. Keep the returned value valid for the surrounding XML: HTML should be well formed, and values inserted into attributes or text should be escaped for their context.
Adding a featured image to feed content
One practical use is placing a post’s featured image before its feed content. The image must use an absolute URL so a feed reader can request it outside your site’s page context.
<?php
add_filter( 'the_content_feed', function ( $content ) {
$image_url = get_the_post_thumbnail_url( get_the_ID(), 'large' );
if ( ! $image_url ) {
return $content;
}
$image = sprintf(
'<p><img src="%s" alt="%s" /></p>',
esc_url( $image_url ),
esc_attr( get_the_title() )
);
return $image . $content;
} );This places an <img> element in the item’s content; it does not create a media-specific XML element understood by every client. Some readers remove HTML, proxy images, or display only excerpts, so the same feed can look different across applications.
Add XML fields with feed actions
Adding item-level data
Use rss2_item when each RSS 2.0 item needs an additional element. For example, a plugin could print a value from post metadata after the standard item fields.
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<?php
add_action( 'rss2_item', function () {
$value = get_post_meta( get_the_ID(), 'example_value', true );
if ( $value === '' ) {
return;
}
echo '<example:value>' . esc_html( $value ) . '</example:value>';
} );An element in a namespace must have that namespace declared in the feed header. Adding an arbitrary prefixed element without a matching declaration produces invalid or unusable XML.
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Declaring a namespace
Use rss2_ns to add a namespace declaration to RSS 2.0 output, and then emit elements using that namespace from rss2_item or another appropriate action. Namespace URIs and element names must match the specification expected by the consuming application.
Do not print debug text, PHP warnings, notices, or a byte-order mark before the XML declaration. Even a single stray character can make a feed parser report “XML declaration allowed only at the start of the document” or a similar error.
Replace the feed template only for structural changes
A custom template is justified when filters and actions cannot express the required document: for example, a completely different XML structure, a dedicated handler, or a specialized post-type feed. WordPress’s feed actions can be removed and replaced with a callback that loads a custom feed-rss2 template or a post-type-specific template part.
Keep that code in a plugin or a child-theme-compatible location. Never modify wp-includes or the active parent theme’s core files. Core updates replace edited files, while a parent-theme update can erase template changes.
When writing a custom template, preserve the requirements that feed clients depend on:
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- Output a complete, well-formed XML document.
- Declare every namespace used by an element or attribute.
- Escape text, URLs, and attribute values for XML.
- Use stable globally unique identifiers and correctly formatted dates.
- Return the MIME type appropriate to the format.
- Test an empty result, non-ASCII characters, quotes, ampersands, and unusually long titles.
Feed content types and MIME types
WordPress maps RSS and RSS2 to application/rss+xml, Atom to application/atom+xml, and RDF to application/rdf+xml. The feed_content_type filter can change the selected content type, but changing it casually can reduce interoperability. A feed that contains RSS XML while being labeled as another format may be rejected by readers or validators.
| Format | Expected MIME type | Implementation check |
|---|---|---|
| RSS 2.0 or RSS 0.92 | application/rss+xml |
Verify the document uses RSS elements and the server sends the same type. |
| Atom | application/atom+xml |
Verify Atom elements, identifiers, and date fields. |
| RDF | application/rdf+xml |
Verify RDF structure and declared namespaces. |
Redirect an old feed URL
If subscribers still request a feed on another platform, redirect that old address to the WordPress RSS 2.0 endpoint. A typical Apache rule is:
RewriteRule ^old-feed/?$ /?feed=rss2 [R=301,L]Replace old-feed with the real legacy path and place the rule where your hosting configuration permits it. A permanent redirect tells clients that the feed has moved. Test both the old and new URLs, confirm that the redirect does not loop, and check that any caching layer has not stored the previous response.
Display another site’s feed with the RSS block
WordPress includes an RSS block for showing an external feed in a post or page.
- Open the block editor and select the RSS block from the inserter.
- Enter the complete URL of the external RSS or Atom feed.
- Choose whether to show the item title, author, date, and excerpt.
- Select the list or grid layout controls available in the block.
- Publish or update the page, then view it while logged out to verify the public result.
The block displays what the remote feed provides; it cannot manufacture a missing author, image, or full-text field. If the remote server blocks requests, returns malformed XML, requires authentication, or changes its URL, the block may show an error or stale results. Use a feed you are authorized to display and review its licensing terms before republishing excerpts.
Full content, excerpts, and featured images
Why a reader sees only an excerpt
Feed output can contain either the full post content or an excerpt, depending on the site’s reading settings and the values supplied by the feed template. A feed customization cannot force a third-party reader to show more than it chooses to display. Check the feed itself first: if the complete content is present in the XML, the reader is applying its own display policy.
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Why a featured image is missing
A featured image is not automatically guaranteed to appear as an image in every feed client. Adding an image to the_content_feed places it in the content field, but clients may strip HTML or ignore images. If an integration requires a dedicated XML media element, implement the element and its namespace with feed actions or a custom template, then test the exact consumer.
Troubleshoot common feed problems
/feed returns a 404
- Try the query form
?feed=rss2to distinguish a rewrite problem from a feed-generation problem. - In the WordPress administration area, visit Settings > Permalinks and save the existing settings to refresh rewrite rules.
- Temporarily review redirect, caching, security, and feed-management plugins for conflicting rules.
- Check whether the site is multisite or uses a nonstandard front-page configuration.
The feed is invalid XML
- Open the raw response and look for text before the XML declaration.
- Inspect recently added actions and filters for unescaped ampersands, quotes, or angle brackets.
- Check PHP logs for warnings or notices printed during feed generation.
- Remove the newest customization temporarily; if the feed becomes valid, fix that callback before restoring it.
Changes do not appear
- Clear WordPress page-cache, object-cache, reverse-proxy, and CDN entries for the feed URL.
- Refresh the feed reader; many readers intentionally cache feeds between requests.
- Confirm that the code is active on the request path and that the callback priority has not been superseded by another plugin.
An external RSS block is empty
- Open the remote feed directly and confirm it returns XML rather than an HTML error page.
- Check that the URL uses the correct protocol and has not moved.
- Test with a different known-valid feed to determine whether the problem is local or remote.
Testing checklist before publishing a customization
- Test RSS 2.0 at
/feedand, when relevant, the query endpoint?feed=rss2. - Test Atom and any RDF or legacy RSS route your audience uses.
- Inspect the raw response for valid XML, the expected root element, declared namespaces, and the correct MIME type.
- Check posts with no featured image, special characters, empty metadata, long titles, and non-Latin text.
- Test a feed reader or integration that represents the real consuming application.
- Verify that caches, redirects, and authentication rules do not change the response unexpectedly.
- Document the code location and the formats it intentionally supports so a future maintainer can update it safely.
Practical decision guide
- Only alter post text: use
the_content_feed. - Add a field to every RSS 2.0 item: use
rss2_item, plusrss2_nsif a namespace is required. - Add header-level metadata: use
rss_headorrss2_head. - Support Atom as well: add the corresponding Atom action and test the Atom document separately.
- Change the whole XML schema: install a custom feed handler or template outside core.
- Move an old subscriber URL: issue a permanent redirect to the WordPress feed.
- Show another publisher’s updates on a page: use the RSS block and enter that publisher’s feed URL.
WordPress’s built-in feeds are useful precisely because the routing, templates, hooks, and content types already exist. Keep a change as narrow as the requirement allows, preserve valid XML and the expected MIME type, and test every feed format and consumer that matters to your site.
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