VSS XML Specification
Version 1.1
Release Date: 01 January 2026
Status: Official Open Standard
Author: Rouzee Gino (Belgium)
1. Abstract
The VSS XML Specification defines a structured, verifiable semantic declaration protocol for websites participating in the VSS ecosystem.
The protocol establishes:
- Domain identity declaration
- Cornerstone content structure
- Semantic compliance requirements
- Verification eligibility conditions
The objective of VSS XML is to provide a transparent, deterministic alternative to opaque algorithmic classification by enabling explicit semantic publication.
2. Scope
This specification applies to:
- Websites seeking inclusion in VSSRank
- Websites eligible for VSearch indexing
- Websites evaluated through Verified Semantic Signal Netwerk
- The specification does not define ranking algorithms, visitor weighting mechanisms, or internal scoring models.
3. File Location Requirements
The file MUST be accessible at:
Requirements:
- MUST be hosted at the root domain
- MUST use HTTPS
- MUST NOT use redirects (301/302 disallowed)
- MUST be self-hosted
- Failure to comply results in immediate validation rejection.
4. Encoding
The document MUST declare UTF-8 encoding:
5. Namespace
Root element MUST declare namespace:
Future versions MAY introduce updated schema URIs.
6. Document Structure
The root element MUST contain:
All elements are mandatory unless explicitly stated otherwise.
7. Element Definitions
7.1 <site>
Defines domain identity.
| Field | Requirement | Format |
|---|---|---|
<domain> |
REQUIRED | domain.tld |
<owner> |
OPTIONAL | string |
<language> |
REQUIRED | ISO 639-1 |
<country> |
REQUIRED | ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 |
Language-country pairing MUST be logically consistent.
7.2 <cornerstone>
Defines 1–10 cornerstone pages.
Constraints:
- Minimum: 1
- Maximum: 10
- Each URL MUST use HTTPS
- URLs MUST be reachable
- Each page entry MUST include:
| Field | Requirement | Length Constraint |
|---|---|---|
<url> |
REQUIRED | — |
<title> |
REQUIRED | 60–80 characters |
<description> |
REQUIRED | 160–180 characters |
Titles and descriptions outside permitted ranges result in validation failure.
7.3 <semantic>
Reserved for structured semantic classification.
This element MAY include category declarations and taxonomy identifiers.
7.4 <vow>
The vow is mandatory and MUST contain the following unmodified text:
The content is original and free from scraping.
Cornerstone pages are handcrafted and semantically pure.
The vss.xml serves as a codex of order.
Modification invalidates the file.
8. Validation Rules
8.1 Hard Failures (Immediate Rejection)
- Invalid XML syntax
- Missing mandatory elements
- More than 10 cornerstone pages
- Title or description outside length constraints
- Unreachable URLs
- Missing vow
- Incorrect file location
- HTTP instead of HTTPS
8.2 Soft Failures (Score Reduction)
- Repetitive semantic structures
- Borderline longtail clarity
- Low semantic density
- Weak structural cohesion
- Soft failures MAY affect Blue Dot eligibility.
9. Blue Dot Eligibility Criteria
Blue Dot status MAY be granted if:
- Zero hard failures
- No structural violations
- Full compliance with length constraints
- Semantic coherence validated
- No scraping indicators detected
Blue Dot status is subject to periodic review.
10. Headers
Recommended HTTP headers:
11. Versioning Policy
Future updates to the VSS XML Specification MUST:
- Increment version number
- Maintain backward compatibility when possible
- Publish changelog documentation
12. Historical Declaration
The first publicly declared VSS XML file was published on 27 November 2025.
This event marks the operational beginning of the VSS protocol.