We welcome feedback, suggestions, and contributions! If you have ideas, bug reports, or want to help improve RSS Quick, please visit our GitHub Issues page.
- Suggest features or improvements
- Report bugs or accessibility issues
- Ask questions or get help
Your input helps make RSS Quick better for everyone!
A fast, accessible RSS reader built with WPF for efficient headline browsing. Features a clean 2-panel interface optimized for screen readers and keyboard navigation.
You can download the latest version of RSS Quick in two ways:
- GitHub Releases:
- Visit the Releases page for official packages.
- Direct Download:
- Download from OneDrive: RSS Quick Packages
- win-x64: For most Intel/AMD Windows computers
- win-arm64: For ARM-based Windows devices (Surface Pro X, etc)
- Download the ZIP file for your computer's architecture.
- Unzip the contents to any folder (e.g., your Desktop or Documents).
- Run
RSSQuick.exeinside the unzipped folder.- If you do not have the .NET 8.0 Runtime installed, Windows will prompt you to download it automatically.
- No installation is required—just unzip and run!
- Run the application (
RSSQuick.exeordotnet run)
- By default, RSS Quick will automatically load any file named
rss.opmlin the same directory where the program is launched. - A default
rss.opmlfile is included for you to try out right away.
- Import feeds: Activate "Import OPML File" button
- Browse feeds: Use arrow keys to navigate, Enter to load headlines
- Read articles: Tab to headlines, browse with arrows, Alt+B to open in browser
- 2-Panel Layout: Feeds list → Headlines list → External browser
- No Persistent Storage: Always fetches fresh content, no cache management
- OPML Import: Load comprehensive feed collections instantly
- Lightweight: No database overhead or complex configuration
- Title Cleaning: Automatically removes problematic characters that cause braille display issues
- External Browser: Articles open in your preferred browser with full accessibility
- Feed Organization: Hierarchical categories with clear navigation structure
- Import OPML File button (top)
- RSS Feeds tree (left panel)
- Headlines list (right panel)
- Open in Browser button
- Arrow Keys: Navigate items within current panel
- Enter: Activate selected item (load feed or open article)
- Tab/Shift+Tab: Move between panels
- Alt+B: Open selected headline in browser
- Arrow Keys: Navigate between feeds and categories
- Enter: Load headlines for selected feed
- Expand/Collapse: Standard TreeView navigation
- Arrow Keys: Browse through headlines
- Enter: Open article in external browser
- Alt+B: Alternative to Enter for opening articles
The status bar provides contextual information that screen readers can access:
- Loading: "Loading feed: BBC News..."
- Loaded: "Loaded 45 articles from BBC News"
- Navigation: "BBC News - 12 of 45" (current position)
- Focus Changes: "Feed Tree - Reuters selected"
RSS Quick supports standard OPML files with hierarchical organization:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<opml version="2.0">
<head>
<title>My RSS Feeds</title>
</head>
<body>
<outline text="News" title="News">
<outline text="BBC News" title="BBC News"
type="rss" xmlUrl="http://feeds.bbci.co.uk/news/rss.xml"/>
<outline text="Reuters" title="Reuters"
type="rss" xmlUrl="http://feeds.reuters.com/reuters/topNews"/>
</outline>
<outline text="Technology" title="Technology">
<outline text="Ars Technica" title="Ars Technica"
type="rss" xmlUrl="http://feeds.arstechnica.com/arstechnica/index"/>
</outline>
</body>
</opml>The application includes RSS.opml with curated feeds across categories:
- Global News: NYT, Guardian, Reuters, AP News
- Technology: General tech news, development, AI/ML
- Science: General science, space, medical research
- Culture: Arts, books, entertainment
- Sports: General sports, leagues (NFL, NBA, MLB, etc.)
- Accessibility: Focused accessibility and inclusive design news
- Clean Announcements: Headlines without clutter or excessive whitespace
- Contextual Information: Feed name and position counters in status bar
- Logical Focus Flow: Predictable Tab navigation between interface elements
- Live Regions: Status updates announced automatically
- Platform: Windows 10/11 (WPF requirement)
- Runtime: .NET 8.0 or later
- Network: Internet connection for RSS feed fetching
- Browser: Default web browser for article viewing
# Quick test
run.cmd
# Or manual
dotnet run- Most common: Double-click
build-simple.cmd - Multi-platform: Double-click
build-multi-small.cmd - Zero-setup: Double-click
distribute.cmd
- Windows 10/11 (WPF requirement)
- .NET 8.0 SDK (for development)
- Internet connection (to restore packages)
- Windows 10/11
- .NET 8.0 Runtime (for small distributions)
- Nothing additional (for self-contained distributions)
Get .NET 8.0: https://dotnet.microsoft.com/download/dotnet/8.0
All build scripts work from File Explorer (double-click) or command line:
run.cmd- Quick development testingbuild.cmd- Advanced development optionsbuild-simple.cmd- Standard distribution (recommended)build-multi-small.cmd- Multi-platform small distributiondistribute.cmd- Self-contained distributiondistribute-small.cmd- Single-platform small distribution
See HOW-TO-BUILD.md for detailed instructions.
Application won't start
- Ensure Windows 10/11 compatibility
- Install .NET 8.0 SDK if building from source
OPML import fails
- Verify file is valid XML format
- Check that RSS feed URLs are accessible
- Ensure file contains
type="rss"attributes
Headlines don't load
- Verify internet connection
- Try different feed (some may be temporarily unavailable)
- Check that you pressed Enter on feed, not just selected it
Navigation feels unresponsive
- Use Tab/Shift+Tab to move between panels
- Use arrow keys within each panel
- Remember that feed selection doesn't auto-load headlines
Screen reader not announcing properly
- Check status bar for current context
- Use Insert+Page Down (NVDA/JAWS) to read status bar
- Verify focus is in expected panel
Tab navigation issues
- Use standard Tab/Shift+Tab for panel navigation
- Arrow keys for navigation within panels
- Avoid custom keyboard shortcuts that might interfere
MIT License - See LICENSE file for details.
Issues and pull requests welcome. Focus areas:
- Additional RSS feed sources
- Accessibility improvements
- Performance optimizations
- Cross-platform compatibility
RSS Quick v1.0 - Built for accessibility, optimized for efficiency
- Windows 10/11 (WPF is Windows-specific)
- .NET 8.0 SDK or later
- Download from: https://dotnet.microsoft.com/download/dotnet/8.0
- Choose "SDK" not just "Runtime"
Open Command Prompt or PowerShell and check:
dotnet --versionShould show version 8.0.x or higher.
The project includes convenient batch files for easy building:
Just launch to build and run:
run.cmd- Builds in Release mode for optimal performance
- Runs the application immediately after building
- Shows clear error messages if build fails
- Perfect for quick testing
Multiple build modes and options:
# Default: Debug build and run
build.cmd
# Release build and run
build.cmd release
# Create standalone executable (no .NET required)
build.cmd publish
# Clean all build artifacts
build.cmd clean
# Show all available options
build.cmd helpKey Features:
- ✅ Standalone Executable:
build.cmd publishcreatesRSSQuick.exethat runs without .NET installed - ✅ Error Handling: Stops on build failures with clear messages
- ✅ Multiple Configurations: Debug for development, Release for distribution
- ✅ Easy Cleanup:
build.cmd cleanremoves all build files - ✅ User-Friendly: Progress messages and help documentation
Standalone Distribution:
build.cmd publishCreates: bin\Release\net8.0-windows\win-x64\publish\RSSQuick.exe
- Copy this exe anywhere and run without installing .NET
- Perfect for distributing to end users
- Self-contained with all dependencies included
- Open Terminal/Command Prompt
- Navigate to the project folder:
cd path\to\RSSReaderWPF
- Build the application:
dotnet build
- Run the application:
dotnet run
- Open
RSSReaderWPF.csprojin Visual Studio 2022 - Build → Build Solution (Ctrl+Shift+B)
- Run → Start Without Debugging (Ctrl+F5)
- Open the RSSReaderWPF folder in VS Code
- Terminal → New Terminal
- Run:
dotnet build dotnet run
| Method | Best For | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
run.cmd |
Quick testing | One-click, Release mode, error handling | Windows only |
build.cmd |
Development | Multiple options, standalone exe, cleanup | Windows only |
| Manual dotnet | Cross-platform | Works everywhere, direct control | More typing |
| Visual Studio | Full IDE | Debugging, IntelliSense, project management | Requires VS install |
| VS Code | Lightweight | Fast, extensions, integrated terminal | Less IDE features |
For End Users:
build.cmd publish→ Creates standalone executable- Copy
RSSQuick.exe+ distribute - No .NET installation required for end users
For Developers:
- Share source code +
run.cmdfor easy building - Use
build.cmd cleanbefore committing to remove build artifacts build.cmd debugfor development,build.cmd releasefor testing
If you need manual control beyond the batch files:
# Manual standalone executable creation
dotnet publish -c Release -r win-x64 --self-contained true
# For 32-bit Windows
dotnet publish -c Release -r win-x86 --self-contained true
# Clean manually
dotnet clean
# Restore packages
dotnet restoreOutput Location: bin\Release\net8.0-windows\win-x64\publish\
"SDK not found":
- Install .NET 8.0 SDK from Microsoft
- Restart terminal/IDE after installation
"Package restore failed":
dotnet restore
dotnet build"SDK not found":
- Install .NET 8.0 SDK from Microsoft
- Restart terminal/IDE after installation
"Package restore failed":
dotnet restore
dotnet buildRSSReaderWPF/
├── MainWindow.xaml # UI layout
├── MainWindow.xaml.cs # Main logic and event handling
├── Models/
│ ├── Feed.cs # Feed data model
│ ├── FeedItem.cs # News item model
│ └── MainViewModel.cs # MVVM view model
├── Converters/
│ └── Converters.cs # UI value converters
└── RSSReaderWPF.csproj # Project configuration
- .NET 8.0 WPF: UI framework
- System.ServiceModel.Syndication: RSS/Atom parsing
- System.Text.Json: JSON handling
- System.Xml: OPML parsing
# Quick build and run
run.cmd
# Development workflow
build.cmd debug # Debug build and run
build.cmd release # Release build and run
build.cmd clean # Clean build artifacts
# Distribution
build.cmd publish # Create standalone executable
build.cmd help # Show all options
# Manual commands (if needed)
dotnet build # Build only
dotnet run # Run only
dotnet clean # Clean only
dotnet restore # Restore packagesFile Structure:
run.cmd→ Simple one-click build and runbuild.cmd→ Advanced build options with helpMainWindow.xaml→ UI layoutMainWindow.xaml.cs→ Main application logicModels/→ Data models and MVVM classes
This project is for experimentation and learning purposes.
For end users: The application is designed to be simple - just run the executable and import your OPML file.
For developers: Check .NET installation with dotnet --version, then dotnet build and dotnet run.