OpenSearch standard

The OpenSearch page compares and contrasts the various meanings of the term 'OpenSearch'. This page goes into some detail on the "standard" aka syndication format that arose in the timeframe of RSS circa 2005.

Browser extensions / Web Apps

• wp:OpenSearch is a standard for building search plugins, and exposing search services. It is how Firefox is able to hook up with Wikipedia to offer suggestions as you type in the Wikipedia search toolbar within Firefox. It is also how this site tells the browser that it offers a search toolbar plugin.

1. Visit this site http://wiki.freephile.com/wiki/
2. Notice that the icon in the Firefox search toolbar turns bluish
3. Click the little icon to reveal that there is a plugin available that will 'Add Freephile Wiki (En)'

OpenSearch Implementation example

OpenSearch is implemented in the MediaWiki system.

Viewing source on a wiki page, you will see the following element:

<xml>
<link rel="search" type="application/opensearchdescription+xml" href="/wiki/opensearch_desc.php" title="{{SITENAME}} (English)" />
</xml>

That script (/wiki/opensearch_desc.php) generates xml output that the browser can interpret.

Really Simple Syndication = a syntax for sharing data across the web.