Bluesky lets you create custom feeds that filter posts by specific keywords, users, or languages. The official Bluesky app does not include a built-in feed builder. SkyFeed is a free third-party tool that fills this gap. This article explains what SkyFeed is, how to set it up, and how to publish your first custom feed.
Key Takeaways: Building a Bluesky Feed With SkyFeed
- SkyFeed.social website: The only tool you need to create, test, and publish a custom feed without coding.
- AT Protocol query language: SkyFeed uses simple conditions like contains, equals, and is not to define what posts appear.
- Publish button in SkyFeed: One click saves the feed to your Bluesky account and makes it visible in your feeds list.
What SkyFeed Is and How It Works With Bluesky
SkyFeed is a web application that talks to the AT Protocol, the open network Bluesky runs on. Instead of writing code to create a feed algorithm, you use a visual editor. You set conditions such as keywords in post text, specific authors, or language filters. SkyFeed then generates the feed and publishes it to your Bluesky account. No programming knowledge is required.
Before you start, you need a Bluesky account. You also need to log in to SkyFeed with your Bluesky credentials. SkyFeed does not store your password. It uses the OAuth-like authentication flow built into the AT Protocol. The tool is completely free and runs in any modern browser.
Steps to Create a Custom Feed With SkyFeed
- Go to SkyFeed.social and sign in
Open your browser and navigate to SkyFeed.social. Click the Sign In button. A Bluesky authorization page appears. Enter your Bluesky handle and app password. If you do not have an app password, generate one in Bluesky Settings > Privacy and Security > App Passwords. SkyFeed will ask for permission to manage your feeds. Click Confirm. - Click Create New Feed
After signing in, you land on the SkyFeed dashboard. Click the Create New Feed button. A blank feed editor opens. - Name your feed and add a description
In the Feed Name field, type a descriptive name such as Tech News or Local Events. In the Description field, write one sentence explaining what the feed shows. This description appears in the Bluesky feed list. - Set the feed rules using conditions
Scroll to the Rules section. Each rule is a condition. Click Add Condition. Choose a field from the dropdown: Post Text, Author Handle, Language, or Hashtag. For example, to create a feed about photography, set Post Text contains photography. You can add multiple conditions. Rules are combined with AND logic meaning all conditions must be true for a post to appear. To use OR logic, create separate rule groups. - Test the feed with the preview panel
On the right side of the editor, you see a Preview panel. It shows the most recent posts that match your rules. Scroll through the results. If you see irrelevant posts, adjust your conditions. Add more specific keywords or exclude certain words. To exclude, set a condition such as Post Text does not contain politics. - Publish the feed to your Bluesky account
When the preview looks correct, click the Publish button at the top of the page. SkyFeed saves the feed and sends it to your Bluesky account. A confirmation message appears. Open the Bluesky app. Go to your feeds list by tapping the hashtag icon on the bottom bar. Your new feed appears in the My Feeds section.
Common Mistakes and Limitations
Feed Shows No Posts After Publishing
This usually happens when the conditions are too restrictive. For example, combining multiple keyword conditions with AND logic reduces results. Remove one condition at a time and test the preview again. Also check that the Language field is set correctly. If you set Language to English, posts without a language tag are excluded.
Feed Name or Description Does Not Update
SkyFeed caches feed metadata for a short period. If you edit the name or description after publishing, click Publish again. The changes appear in Bluesky within a few minutes. If they do not, sign out of Bluesky and sign back in.
SkyFeed Does Not Support Replies or Reposts Filtering
SkyFeed can filter by post type such as posts only, replies only, or reposts only. This option is in the Advanced Settings section of the feed editor. If you do not see it, scroll to the bottom of the Rules area and expand Advanced Settings. Select Posts Only to hide replies and reposts.
SkyFeed vs Bluesky Built-in Feeds
| Item | SkyFeed | Bluesky Built-in Feeds |
|---|---|---|
| Creation method | Visual rule editor with conditions | Not available; only pre-made feeds from developers |
| Customization | Keyword, author, language, post type, date range | None; feeds are fixed algorithms |
| Publishing | One click to publish to your account | Feeds are created and hosted by third parties |
| Cost | Free | Free to use |
| Coding required | No | Yes, to create a new feed |
Conclusion
You can now create a Bluesky custom feed using SkyFeed without writing any code. The visual rule editor lets you filter posts by keywords, authors, languages, and post types. After publishing, the feed appears in your Bluesky feeds list immediately. For advanced use, try adding multiple rule groups with OR logic to combine different topics. Check the preview panel often to avoid empty feeds caused by overly strict conditions.