Website Review
What is Tiny Tiny RSS?
Tiny Tiny RSS is a free, open-source, web-based RSS/Atom feed reader and aggregator that you run on your own server. Instead of trusting a hosted service with your reading list, you install it yourself and keep the data under your control. The project is licensed under GNU GPLv3.
Who it suits
- People who follow many feeds and want folder and subfolder organization rather than a single flat list.
- Privacy-conscious readers who prefer self-hosting over a third-party account.
- Users comfortable with Docker, since the documented installation path assumes a system running Docker; running it without Docker may come with limited support.
What it does
- Aggregates and syndicates feeds, with OPML import and export for moving subscriptions in and out.
- Offers keyboard shortcuts, article filtering, deduplication (including perceptual hashing for images), and podcast support.
- Pulls in full article content through readability and site-specific plugins.
- Shares in several ways: exported RSS feeds, plugins for social sites, and sharing by URL, plus sharing arbitrary content through tt-rss.
- Exposes a JSON API and supports plugins and themes.
- Works in a recent Chrome/Chromium or Firefox.
The trade-off to weigh
A hosted reader asks nothing of you beyond signing up; tt-rss asks you to run and maintain a server. In exchange you get control over your data and deep customization. The project uses a continuous development model on its main branch, which it treats as stable, and it strongly recommends staying current with the latest Docker image or commit — so plan for regular updates rather than a set-and-forget install.
Next step
If you already have Docker running, start with the project's Installation Guide, then import an OPML file from your current reader to test whether the folder structure and filtering fit how you actually read. If you don't want to manage updates yourself, a hosted reader is the simpler choice.
How do I install Tiny Tiny RSS on my own server?
Tiny Tiny RSS is self-hosted software, and the project's own installation path assumes you run it with Docker. You need a system running Docker and a modern browser (recent Chrome/Chromium or Firefox) to use the web interface. The project's Installation Guide is the authoritative walkthrough; the page also warns that running tt-rss without Docker may mean limited support.
Typical self-hosting flow
- Prepare a server or VPS with Docker installed.
- Follow the official Installation Guide to pull and start the tt-rss container(s).
- Open the web interface in your browser and complete the initial setup (database connection, administrator account).
- Add feeds, organize them into folders, and import an existing OPML file if you're migrating from another reader.
Things to decide before you start
- Update model: tt-rss uses a continuous development model on the
mainbranch, which the project treats as stable. It strongly recommends staying current, so plan to update the Docker image or commit regularly rather than installing once and forgetting it. - Docker vs. non-Docker: Docker is the supported route. If you avoid Docker, expect to handle dependencies yourself and accept that support may be limited.
- Data ownership: Because it's self-hosted, you control your own data and privacy instead of relying on a third-party service — that's the main reason to choose it over a hosted reader.
What you get once it's running
- Feed organization with folders and subfolders
- OPML import/export
- Keyboard shortcuts
- Plugins and themes, including full-article embedding via readability and site-specific plugins
- Deduplication, including perceptual hashing for images
- Podcast support, flexible article filtering, and a JSON API
A practical next step
If you're comparing options, a hosted reader gets you running in minutes with no server maintenance, while tt-rss trades that convenience for control. If you already have a Docker host, start with the official Installation Guide and a single test feed before importing your full OPML. If you don't, decide whether maintaining a server and keeping tt-rss current fits your routine. For questions, the project points to its GitHub discussions; for bugs or feature requests, its issue tracker. Related reading on the hosted alternative is at Feedly.
What features does Tiny Tiny RSS offer compared to other RSS readers?
Tiny Tiny RSS (tt-rss) competes less on polish than on control: it is a self-hosted, open-source RSS/Atom aggregator (GNU GPLv3) that you run yourself, so your reading data stays on your own server rather than a vendor's. Its feature set is broad and aimed at heavy feed users who want to shape their own workflow.
H3 Where it tends to stand apart
- Self-hosting and privacy by design. The project's stated purpose is to let you control your own data instead of relying on third-party services, which is the main reason people pick it over a hosted reader.
- Flexible organization. Feeds can be grouped into folders and subfolders, with OPML import/export for moving your subscriptions in and out.
- Aggregation and syndication. Beyond reading, it supports feed aggregation and syndication, and can export RSS feeds so you can re-publish or re-share curated content.
- Article handling. Full article content can be embedded via readability and site-specific plugins, and deduplication is supported, including perceptual hashing for images.
- Filtering and automation. Flexible article filtering lets you sort, hide or highlight items by rules — useful when you follow high-volume feeds.
- Extensibility. Plugins and themes, multiple sharing routes (exported feeds, social-site plugins, sharing by URL, sharing arbitrary content through tt-rss), keyboard shortcuts, podcast support and a JSON API.
H3 How that compares in practice
| Need | tt-rss approach | Typical hosted reader |
|---|---|---|
| Data ownership | You host it; data stays on your server | Vendor holds your data |
| Setup effort | Docker-based install; non-Docker support may be limited | Sign up and go |
| Customization | Plugins, themes, filters, API | Usually limited to built-in options |
| Maintenance | Continuous development on main; you're expected to stay current |
Handled for you |
The trade-off is clear: you gain control, filtering depth and extensibility, but you take on running and updating a server. tt-rss uses a continuous development model on its main branch, and the project strongly recommends staying current with the latest Docker image or commit — so "set and forget" is not the intended posture.
H3 A concrete scenario If you follow 200+ feeds, want to strip duplicate and syndicated items automatically, embed full text from paywalled or truncated sites, and keep your reading history private, tt-rss is built for exactly that. If you just want a clean reading app on your phone with zero maintenance, a hosted service will suit you better.
Next step: check the project's Installation Guide and confirm you have a modern browser and a system running Docker, since that is the supported path. For questions, the project points to its GitHub discussions; if you're weighing alternatives, Miniflux and FreshRSS are other self-hosted readers worth comparing on the same criteria.
Can I import my existing feeds and folders from another RSS reader into Tiny Tiny RSS?
Yes. Tiny Tiny RSS supports OPML import and export, and OPML is the standard file format most RSS readers use to move subscriptions and folder structures between apps. The page lists "OPML import/export" directly under its features, alongside folder and subfolder organization for feeds.
In practice, that means the usual migration path works: export an OPML file from your current reader, then import it into tt-rss. Because tt-rss organizes feeds by folders and subfolders, folder groupings in a well-formed OPML file generally map onto that structure rather than arriving as a flat list.
H3 Practical notes before you migrate
- Check your current reader's export location first. Most bury "Export subscriptions" or "Export OPML" in account or settings menus.
- Export everything, not just a selection, if you want folder hierarchy preserved.
- Import into tt-rss, then spot-check a few folders and feeds. Feed URLs change or die over time, so a handful of failures is normal after any migration.
- If you also rely on read/unread state or starred articles, expect that OPML carries subscriptions and folders, not your reading history. Those typically do not transfer.
H3 Who this suits
This matters most if you are moving off a hosted reader and want to keep a curated, folder-heavy subscription list. Self-hosting tt-rss means you control the data, but you also own the maintenance, and the project recommends running it via Docker and staying on recent images or commits.
Next step: export your OPML file now, before canceling or abandoning your current reader, and keep the file as a backup even if the import goes smoothly. If you want to compare options first, Tiny Tiny RSS documents its own installation requirements, while GitHub hosts its discussions and issue tracker for migration questions.
How does Tiny Tiny RSS protect my privacy and keep my data secure?
Tiny Tiny RSS protects privacy mainly by being self-hosted: you run the reader on your own server or Docker host, so feed subscriptions, read states and saved articles stay in your database rather than on a third-party service. The project is free software under GNU GPLv3, so the code can be inspected and modified. It also lists features such as a JSON API, plugins and OPML import/export, which matter for controlling how data enters and leaves the system.
What self-hosting actually changes
- Data location: Your articles, folders and reading history live on infrastructure you control. That removes the default arrangement where a commercial reader stores your behavior on its servers.
- Access control: Because it is a web application, you are responsible for how it is exposed. Running it only on a private network or behind a VPN reduces the attack surface compared with a public login page.
- Accountability: Open source means security-relevant code can be reviewed, but it also means no vendor is patching your instance for you.
Practical setup for a privacy-minded reader
- Run tt-rss via Docker as the page's installation section describes, and keep the host patched.
- Put it behind HTTPS if it is reachable from outside your home network, and avoid exposing the database directly.
- Use the OPML import/export feature to move subscriptions in and out, so you are not locked into one host.
- Treat plugins and sharing options as data exits: enabling a social-sharing plugin or public sharing URL sends content beyond your server.
- Back up the database; self-hosting shifts both privacy and durability responsibility to you.
Where the trade-off sits
| Concern | Self-hosted tt-rss | Typical hosted reader |
|---|---|---|
| Who holds your reading data | You | The provider |
| Who applies updates | You | The provider |
| Uptime and backups | Your responsibility | Provider's responsibility |
| Code auditability | Source is available | Usually not |
If you want privacy without server maintenance, a hosted service may be the more realistic choice; tt-rss suits people who are comfortable running Docker and keeping an instance current. The project notes a continuous development model based on the main branch, so staying on a recent image or commit is part of keeping the installation sound. For setup questions, the project points to its GitHub discussions and installation guide via GitHub.
What are the system requirements for running Tiny Tiny RSS?
Tiny Tiny RSS is a self-hosted web application, so "system requirements" means both the browser you read it in and the server you run it on. According to the project's own installation notes, the two things you need are a modern web browser and a system running Docker.
Reader side (client)
- A recent version of Chrome/Chromium or Firefox. The interface is web-based, so there is no desktop or mobile app requirement stated on the page.
Server side (host)
- Docker is the documented requirement. The project points to its Installation Guide for detailed instructions.
- Running tt-rss without Docker is possible, but the page warns that support may be limited in that case.
A requirement that is easy to overlook: staying current
tt-rss uses a continuous development model based on the main branch, which the project treats as stable. It strongly recommends remaining current, meaning you run either the most recent Docker image(s) or the latest commit on main. In practice this is an operational requirement rather than a one-time setup step: if you self-host, plan for periodic updates instead of installing once and forgetting it.
Practical scenario If you want a private feed reader for a handful of feeds, a small always-on machine or VPS with Docker installed is the typical starting point, plus a current Chrome or Firefox on whatever device you read from. If you would rather not maintain Docker images and updates yourself, a hosted RSS service removes that burden but also removes the data-control advantage that motivates self-hosting.
Next step Read the project's Installation Guide (linked from Tiny Tiny RSS) and check the Docker-based instructions before committing to a host. If Docker is not an option in your environment, confirm what "limited support" means for your setup before relying on it.
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