What Is Data Feed?

Do you know how sometimes you want to be able to eat whatever you want? You don't want to worry about whether it's suitable for you or if it's going to upset your stomach. You like it. That's what data feeds are like. Data feeds are like a buffet line. You can determine what you want and take as much helpings as possible. It's up to you—you can change your mind on a whim without feeling guilty about it (unless it makes your stomach hurt). It's also like how pet food companies put out these little samples of cat treats for people to try. You can explore the different flavors and see which ones your cat likes best! If you've ever been to an airport, you've probably seen people in front of those monitors telling you about flights—that's like a data feed. It's just information on demand. An automatic or on-demand data feed delivers data streams from a server to a client. The client application usually understands a predefined file format that contains timely information that may be useful. There are two kinds of data feeds the type that gets you through the day and makes you feel like a boss. The first is a simple file with information structured according to the application's specifications. It's arranged in tables, columns, rows, or tags—your garden-variety data feed. The files can be in any format, but XML and CSV are standard because of their structure, and some even support plain text files because of their simplicity. They're easy for even non-technical individuals to create on their own! The second kind of data feed is more like a buffet. It's one big file filled with all sorts of different information—and it's not just information that's structured according to specifications either; this data is also arranged so it can be easily read by humans or machines (or both). This means there are no boundaries on what kind of information could be included in this file; there will be tables, columns and rows (or tags), but also plain text, images… whatever seems appropriate!