Description
Overview
This RSS feed aggregation workflow automates the process of fetching and filtering new content from multiple sources every 10 minutes. This automation workflow processes batches of RSS URLs, identifies fresh items, and routes notifications to segmented Telegram channels based on content classification.
Designed for IT professionals and content curators, it addresses the challenge of monitoring diverse RSS feeds while eliminating duplicate alerts. The workflow initiates with a Cron trigger set to execute every 10 minutes, ensuring timely ingestion of feed updates.
Key Benefits
- Automates RSS feed polling on a fixed schedule to capture updates every ten minutes.
- Implements batch processing to handle multiple RSS URLs sequentially, optimizing resource use.
- Filters out previously processed RSS items using date-based IDs, ensuring only new content is delivered.
- Classifies feed items into categories (Microsoft 365, security, general IT) for targeted notification dispatch.
- Delivers real-time alerts to dedicated Telegram channels using separate API credentials per category.
Product Overview
This orchestration pipeline begins with a Cron node configured to trigger every 10 minutes, initiating the feed aggregation process. The workflow uses a Function node to provide a static list of five RSS feed URLs relevant to IT, hardware, security, and Microsoft 365 topics. These URLs are segmented by a SplitInBatches node, processing one feed URL per batch to manage load and sequencing.
The RSS Feed Read node consumes each URL, retrieving all items from the feed. To avoid duplicate processing, a Function node compares the current batch’s items against a stored list of previously seen item dates (using the isoDate field as the unique identifier). Only new items pass through for further processing. Conditional If nodes then classify these items: links containing “techcommunity.microsoft.com” route to Microsoft 365 notifications, while items with titles matching a regex pattern of security-related keywords route to a security Telegram channel. Remaining items are sent to a general IT Telegram channel.
Notifications are dispatched via Telegram nodes configured with distinct credentials for each category. The workflow does not persist any data externally beyond the internal static data mechanism, ensuring transient state management. Error handling follows n8n’s default automatic retries without custom backoff or idempotency logic.
Features and Outcomes
Core Automation
This no-code integration ingests RSS feed URLs in batches, evaluates new content by comparing item timestamps, and routes items based on content classification rules. The nodes involved include SplitInBatches, RSS Feed Read, and conditional If nodes for deterministic branching.
- Single-pass evaluation of RSS items filtered by unique isoDate identifiers.
- Sequential batch processing prevents concurrency conflicts during feed reads.
- Content-based routing using regex filters for security topics and URL substring matching for Microsoft 365.
Integrations and Intake
The orchestration pipeline integrates with Telegram’s messaging API using configured API credentials for each notification channel. It accepts RSS feeds as input in XML format, parsed internally by the RSS Feed Read node. The workflow expects a JSON array of RSS URLs from the initial Function node.
- Telegram API credentials via OAuth-like token stored securely in n8n.
- RSS feeds ingested as XML, converted to structured JSON items by the RSS Feed Read node.
- Static list of RSS feed URLs configured in initial Function node for controlled intake.
Outputs and Consumption
Outputs consist of Telegram messages sent asynchronously to preconfigured chat channels. Each message includes the RSS item title and link, formatted as plain text. The workflow returns no synchronous response but executes as a background process triggered by the Cron schedule.
- Telegram messages containing RSS titles and URLs for direct user consumption.
- Asynchronous dispatch ensures decoupled notification delivery from feed ingestion.
- Output fields: title and link extracted from RSS JSON objects, used verbatim in messages.
Workflow — End-to-End Execution
Step 1: Trigger
The workflow initiates via a Cron node configured to trigger every 10 minutes. This deterministic schedule ensures periodic polling of RSS feeds without manual intervention or external triggering.
Step 2: Processing
After trigger, a Function node outputs a static array of RSS feed URLs. The SplitInBatches node then divides these URLs into individual batches of size one for sequential processing. Each batch passes its URL into the RSS Feed Read node, which fetches and parses all RSS items from the given feed.
Step 3: Analysis
A Function node compares the isoDate field of current RSS items against stored isoDate values from prior runs, filtering out duplicates. An If node then evaluates the link field for Microsoft 365-related strings. A subsequent If node applies a regex pattern on the title field to detect security-related keywords, routing content accordingly.
Step 4: Delivery
Filtered and classified RSS items are dispatched asynchronously as Telegram messages to three distinct channels using separate Telegram API credentials. Each message comprises the title and link of the RSS item, formatted as plain text. The final step completes without synchronous response output.
Use Cases
Scenario 1
An IT monitoring team needs to stay updated on Microsoft 365 announcements. This automation workflow fetches relevant RSS feeds every 10 minutes, filters new items, and routes Microsoft 365-specific updates directly to their dedicated Telegram channel, ensuring timely and filtered notifications without manual checking.
Scenario 2
A cybersecurity team requires alerts on potential vulnerabilities and threats from multiple security RSS feeds. The workflow’s regex-based classification identifies security-related headlines and forwards these as Telegram messages to their security channel, enabling focused monitoring of relevant incidents.
Scenario 3
An IT department wishes to aggregate general hardware and IT news without redundancy. The workflow filters out previously seen RSS items and routes uncategorized content to a general IT Telegram group, streamlining news dissemination and reducing noise from repetitive information.
How to use
To deploy this RSS feed aggregation workflow in n8n, import the workflow JSON and configure the Telegram API credentials with valid bot tokens and chat IDs for each target channel. No additional environment variables are required beyond standard n8n setup. The batch size and RSS feed URLs can be adjusted within the corresponding Function and SplitInBatches nodes to accommodate different feed sources or volumes.
Once activated, the workflow runs autonomously every 10 minutes, polling the configured RSS feeds, filtering new items, and sending categorized Telegram messages. Expected results include timely, deduplicated notifications segmented by content type without manual intervention.
Comparison — Manual Process vs. Automation Workflow
| Attribute | Manual/Alternative | This Workflow |
|---|---|---|
| Steps required | Manually checking multiple RSS feeds and sending notifications. | Fully automated batch processing and routing with minimal manual steps. |
| Consistency | Prone to missed updates and duplicate notifications. | Deterministic filtering by unique isoDate prevents duplicates reliably. |
| Scalability | Limited by human monitoring capacity and manual distribution. | Scales to multiple feeds and channels via batch processing and API integration. |
| Maintenance | High effort to maintain feed lists and notification rules manually. | Centralized configuration in n8n nodes with reusable credentials and rules. |
Technical Specifications
| Environment | n8n workflow automation platform |
|---|---|
| Tools / APIs | RSS Feed Read node, Telegram API (via n8n Telegram node) |
| Execution Model | Scheduled Cron trigger every 10 minutes, asynchronous message delivery |
| Input Formats | RSS XML feeds parsed into JSON objects |
| Output Formats | Plain text Telegram messages with title and link fields |
| Data Handling | Transient state via n8n global static data for deduplication |
| Known Constraints | Relies on availability of external RSS feeds and Telegram API endpoints |
| Credentials | Telegram API tokens configured per channel |
Implementation Requirements
- Valid Telegram API credentials for each target notification channel.
- Network access from n8n instance to external RSS feed URLs and Telegram API.
- Correct configuration of RSS feed URLs in the initial Function node.
Configuration & Validation
- Verify Cron node triggers at the configured interval (every 10 minutes).
- Confirm the list of RSS feed URLs is accurate and accessible from the n8n environment.
- Test Telegram nodes with correct chat IDs and API keys by sending sample messages.
Data Provenance
- Trigger: Cron node scheduled every 10 minutes initiates the workflow.
- Nodes: Function nodes provide feed URLs and filter new RSS items by isoDate.
- Output: Telegram nodes send messages containing RSS item titles and links to designated channels.
FAQ
How is the RSS feed aggregation automation workflow triggered?
The workflow uses a Cron node configured to trigger every 10 minutes, initiating periodic polling of RSS feeds automatically.
Which tools or models does the orchestration pipeline use?
The workflow uses native n8n nodes including RSS Feed Read for parsing feeds, Function nodes for filtering new items, and If nodes applying regex and string matching for content classification.
What does the response look like for client consumption?
Outputs are asynchronous Telegram messages containing the RSS item’s title and link, sent to specific Telegram channels without direct synchronous workflow responses.
Is any data persisted by the workflow?
Data persistence is limited to n8n’s global static data storage to track previously processed RSS item isoDate values temporarily; no external or permanent storage is used.
How are errors handled in this integration flow?
Error handling relies on n8n’s default retry mechanisms; no custom retry or backoff strategies are implemented within the workflow nodes.
Conclusion
This RSS feed aggregation automation workflow delivers a reliable, scheduled mechanism for fetching, deduplicating, and categorizing RSS content from multiple sources. By routing updates to dedicated Telegram channels, it provides segmented, timely notifications tailored for IT, security, and Microsoft 365 audiences. The workflow’s deterministic filtering using isoDate identifiers minimizes duplicate alerts. A known constraint is its dependence on the continuous availability of external RSS feeds and Telegram API services, which may affect data freshness. Overall, the workflow supports efficient content monitoring with minimal manual maintenance.
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