VSS XML Specification

VSS XML Specification 1.0

Version: 1.0
Release Date: 01 January 2026
Author: Rouzee Gino (Belgium)
Status: Official Standard

1. Introduction

The VSS XML Standard defines the semantic identity, cornerstone structure, and purity declaration of a website within the VSS ecosystem: VSSRank, VSearch, and SEMSCAN.

It is designed as a transparent, open, and human-readable alternative to algorithmic ambiguity.
VSS XML is a codified semantic contract, ensuring that cornerstone content is original, structured, and aligned with longtail clarity.

Historical note

The first vss.xml file in history was authored by Rouzee Gino (Belgium) and published on 27 November 2025.
This event is officially recognized as the foundational moment of the VSS protocol and the birth of the semantic internet.

2. File Location

The vss.xml must always exist at:

https://example.com/vss.xml

Redirects (301/302) are not permitted.
Self-hosting is mandatory.

3. Encoding

VSS XML requires UTF-8:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

4. Root Structure

The file must contain the following top-level format:

<vss xmlns="https://vssrank.com/schema/v1">
<site>…</site>
<cornerstone>…</cornerstone>
<semantic>…</semantic>
<vow>…</vow>
</vss>

5. Element Definitions

5.1 <site>

Defines identity of the domain.

Field Required Format Notes
<domain> Yes domain.tld Exact host domain
<owner> Optional string Entity or person
<language> Yes ISO 639-1 Primary content language
<country> Yes ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 Country of operation

5.2 <cornerstone>

Contains 1–10 cornerstone pages.

Each page:

Field Required Length Rule
<url> Yes — Must use HTTPS
<title> Yes 60–80 chars >80 = invalid, <60 = invalid
<description> Yes 160–180 chars >180 / <160 = invalid

5.3<vow>

A mandatory purity declaration.
Text must remain unchanged:

The content is original and free from scraping.
Cornerstone pages are handcrafted and semantically pure.
The vss.xml serves as a codex of order.

6. Parsing & Validation Rules

Hard Failures (reject file completely):

  • wrong language–country pairing

  • missing vow

  • any title/description outside allowed length

  • unreachable cornerstone URLs

  • more than 10 pages

  • missing <site> or <cornerstone>

  • invalid XML syntax

Soft Failures (lower longtail score):

  • borderline descriptions

  • low semantic density

  • repeated terms

Blue Dot eligibility:

  • 0 errors

  • full structural compliance

  • semantic consistency

  • longtail purity

7. Required Headers

Content-Type: application/xml
Cache-Control: no-cache

8. Minimal Valid Example

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<vss xmlns="https://vssrank.com/schema/v1">
…
</vss>