Keep Up with Your Component Libraries: Introducing shadcn-rss

If you're like me, you probably have a handful of favorite component libraries you rely on—shadcn/ui, Radix, maybe a few others. The problem? These libraries are constantly evolving. New components drop, existing ones get updates, and before you know it, you've missed a useful new dialog primitive or a critical accessibility fix. Manually checking multiple GitHub repos or documentation sites is a chore.

What if you could get a simple, consolidated feed of all these changes, delivered like a newsletter or an RSS stream you can check on your own terms? That's exactly the itch shadcn-rss scratches.

What It Does

Shadcn-rss is a straightforward tool that scrapes public component registries (starting with the popular shadcn/ui) and turns the latest component additions and updates into a clean, parseable RSS feed. Instead of scattered release notes or commit history, you get a single, chronological stream of what's new in the world of pre-built UI components.

Why It's Cool

The clever part is in its simplicity and focus. It's not trying to be a full-blown monitoring service with a dashboard. It's a single-purpose utility that solves a specific, common pain point for front-end developers.

• It's Just RSS: RSS might feel old-school, but that's the beauty. You can plug this feed into any RSS reader (like Feedly, Inoreader, or even a Slack channel via an RSS bot). The information comes to you, on your schedule.
• Saves Cognitive Load: You don't need to remember to check multiple sources. One quick glance at your aggregated tech feed tells you if something relevant has landed.
• Potential for More: While it currently focuses on shadcn/ui, the concept is extensible. The repository structure suggests it could be adapted to track Radix, Ark UI, or any other registry that follows a similar pattern. It's a neat open-source solution that could grow with the community's needs.

How to Try It

The easiest way to get started is to just grab the RSS feed URL and add it to your reader.

1. Grab the Feed: The main feed for shadcn/ui components is available at: https://shadcn-rss.vercel.app/api/rss

2. Add to Your Reader: Open your preferred RSS reader, click "Add Feed" or "Subscribe," and paste the URL above.

That's it. You'll start seeing entries like "New component: textarea" or "Updated component: alert-dialog" with a direct link to the documentation.

If you're interested in how it works or want to contribute (maybe to add another registry), check out the source code on GitHub: https://github.com/kapishdima/shadcn-rss. It's a Next.js API route that handles the scraping and feed generation.

Final Thoughts

As developers, we should automate the boring stuff. Checking for UI updates is boring. Shadcn-rss is a small but thoughtful tool that does exactly that. It probably took someone an afternoon to build, but it solves a real, recurring problem. I've added the feed to my own developer news stack, and it's nice to passively stay in the loop without any extra effort. If you're building with modern component libraries, it's worth a subscribe.

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