Jan07
13
OPML For Dummies
Just when you thought you understood what RSS was, a new geeky collection of letters pops up. OPML is all the rage (apparently), I’m going to do my best to explain it to you.
To be honest, OPML (Outline Processor Markup Language) is nothing new, but is increasingly becoming a useful thing to understand.
First things first. OPML is a file format - so an OPML will end in .opml. Pretty easy to understand that. In layman’s terms, the most popular use for OPML is to exchange lists (collections) of RSS feeds between users (or more specifically between user’s RSS readers).
Let me give you a practical example. If you visit http://www.bloglines.com/public/MikeStopforth, you’ll see a nice list of all the RSS feeds I subscribe to, and therefore read, on a daily basis using my feed reader of choice Bloglines. Right down at the bottom of the list you’ll see a link that says Export Subscriptions. By clicking on that link and following the instructions, you’d be able to download a very small .opml file that you can then use to import all of my RSS subscriptions into a reader of choice (provided there’s anything in there you like). Doesn’t have to be Bloglines, could be any reader that supports OPML. So it can be a really useful mechanism for discovering new reading lists and sharing lists with friends.
There is an OPML standard being developed, in much the same way that we had a standard RSS logo (that cool-looking orange job) which was adopted as the mainstream indicator of an RSS presence.
The OPML logo is similar but blue (at least for now) - you can check it out in my sidebar.
Hope that helps you out, if you’re still stumped re: RSS or need some help post your questions in the comments section, I’d love to help.
Hi Mike,
Thought I’d jump in with a few notes.
Although helpful in recognizing an OPML file, the file extension .opml isn’t obligatory. When a service or tool capable of processing an OPML file, such as an RSS reader, imports an OPML file, it’s the XML elements inside the file that determine if and how the file is processed.
Blog rolls are just one way of using of OPML. I’ve seen people build multi-leveled help files with it and there are many other applications.
It’s wonderful to notice that you endorse the OPML icon from http://www.opmlicons.com
How would it sound to you if your OPML file were auto-discoverable just like your RSS feed?
And have you considered offering your OPML file using an OPML browser such as Grazr?
I hope you appreciate the ideas.