How to read RSS validation errors at w3.org?

If your RSS feed has errors, the RSS validator at w3.org will detect the errors and provide information to help you to resolve them as shown in this tutorial:

1. Go to Feed Validation Service at w3.org.

2. Click the "Validate by Direct Input" tab. You see a bigger input box for you to enter the RSS XML directly.

3. Enter the following invalid RSS XML:

<rss version="2.0">
   <channel>
      <title>World News</title>
      <description>This is an example of an RSS feed</description>
      <link>http://www.world-news.com/</link>
      <pubDate>06 Sep 2029 16:20:00 +0000</pubDate>
      <author>John Doe</author>
      <item>
         <title>Breaking News!</title>
         <description>Here is a breaking news that is still on going...</description>
         <link>http://www.world-news.com/news/53f933c5395f</link>
         <guid isPermaLink="false">7bd204c6-1655-4c27-aeee-53f933c5395f</guid>
         <pubDate>Sun, 06 Sep 2029 16:20:00 +0000</pubDate>
      </item>
   </channel>
</rss>

3. Click the "Check" button. You see the validation errors:

Sorry - This feed does not validate.

line 7, column 6: Undefined channel element: author [help]
      <author>John Doe</author>
      ^
line 13, column 49: Incorrect day of week: Sun [help]
         <pubDate>Sun, 06 Sep 2029 16:20:00 +0000</pubDate>
                                                 ^
In addition, interoperability with the widest range of feed readers could be 
improved by implementing the following recommendations.
line 6, column 41: Implausible date: 06 Sep 2029 16:20:00 +0000 [help]
      <pubDate>06 Sep 2029 16:20:00 +0000</pubDate>
                                         ^
line 15, column 3: Missing atom:link with rel="self" [help]
   </channel>
   ^

Click on "[help]" for more information on each error. Then go back to fix them.

The picture below shows you RSS validation errors at w3.org:

⇒Using RSS Tools

⇒⇒RSS FAQ and Tutorials