A curated list of awesome IRC resources.
A list of tools, software & other resources related to the Internet Relay Chat (IRC) protocol.
IRC (Internet Relay Chat) is an open source protocol that can be used for multi-user text based communication through channels.
A simple IRC web client. ([source](https://git.sr.ht/~emersion/gamja)) `Web`
Friendly IRC client built in Vala and GTK, designed for elementary OS. ([source](https://github.com/avojak/iridium)) `Linux`
Open source, multiple-document interface GUI client with a rich plugin framework supporting 40+ events; plugins created directly inside the app. ([source](https://github.com/nutjob-laboratories/merk)) `Windows` `macOS` `Linux` `Python`
One of the most popular IRC clients for Windows, with a built-in scripting language. `Windows`
Modern WebSocket IRC client with Discord-like UI. ([source](https://github.com/ObsidianIRC/ObsidianIRC)) `Linux` `Windows` `macOS` `Android` `iOS` `Web`
Precursor to HexChat, multi-platform graphical IRC client. `Windows` `Linux`
One of the oldest IRC clients, initially released in 1989. `Linux` `macOS`
Terminal-based client popular on Unix-like systems. ([screenshots](https://bitchx.sourceforge.net/category/screenshots.html)) `Linux` `macOS` `Windows`
An IRC client for mobile devices, from the creator of soju. `Android` `Linux`
You use these to connect to IRC.
Textual - Very customizable, ZNC integration, iCloud sync ($4.99). (source) macOS
LimeChat - One window for multiple servers, keyboard shortcuts, fast & stable. (source) macOS iOS
HexChat - Based on XChat, easy to use, spell check & multiple languages. (source) Windows macOS Linux
Kiwi IRC - Powerful modern IRC messenger for the web. (source, demo) Web
CIRC - Uses the chrome.sockets APIs to connect directly to IRC servers without needing a proxy. (source) Chrome
Quassel - Distributed (clients can attach to and detach from a central core that stays permanently online. (source) Linux macOS Windows
Circe - For use in Emacs, sane defaults. Emacs
Smuxi - User-friendly, based on GNOME / GTK+. (source) Linux Windows macOS
KvIRC - Free, portable, based on Qt GUI toolkit. (source) Linux macOS Windows
Konversation - User-friendly client built on the KDE Platform. (source) Linux
sic - Simple IRC client - a terminal client in less than 250 lines of C. Linux macOS
irssi - Terminal client, multi-protocol friendly for module authors, GPLv2. Linux macOS Cygwin BSD
Revolution IRC - Feature-full, actively maintained Android IRC client. Android
AdiIRC - Never has a client offered such granular settings for every aspect of the IRC experience. (features, screenshots) Windows WINE
IRC for Android™ - Android/Chrome OS client for power users, with ZNC built-ins, notification logic, reliable DCC, keybinds for hardware keyboards, etc. Android ChromeOSMore? Clients that include bouncers are found below.
Useful for disconnecting and reconnecting without losing the chat session.
IRCCloud - Group chat for teams, friends, and communities. stay connected, chat from anywhere, and never miss a message (+client) (£0-£3.50/month).
Objective-CJavamacOS Objective-CA user-friendly IRC bouncer. `Go`
A simple webhook to receive SMS messages on IRC. `Go`
Multi-user, permanent IRC bouncer with encryption support. `Linux`
Convos - Always online web IRC client. (source) Perl JavaScript Web
ZNC - Most popular. many different plugins. (source) C++
BIP IRC Proxy - Always online, lightweight and secure Open Source IRC proxying with backlogging. (source) C
TheLounge - Responsive, self-hosted & support for multiple users. (source, demo) JavaScript Node.js Web
WeeChat - A fast, light and extensible chat client. (source) Linux macOSServer will allow clients to connect, join channels, change topics; basic stuff.
Modular, stable, written from scratch. ([source](https://github.com/inspircd/inspircd))
Very simple and limited.
Portable and lightweight for small or private networks. ([source](https://github.com/ngircd/ngircd))
Modern server that's portable and designed around specifications (bleeding-edge IRCv3 support). ([source](https://github.com/ergochat/ergo))
Modular, advanced IRCd serving thousands of networks since 1999. ([source](https://github.com/unrealircd/unrealircd))
IRC server without netsplits. ([source](https://github.com/robustirc/robustirc/))
Used for running your own IRC server or network.
Designed for large networks with high scalability requirements. ([source](https://github.com/atheme/atheme))
Designed for flexibility and ease of use. ([source](https://github.com/anope/anope))
Used to provide user accounts and bots like NickServ/ChanServ to your network.
Oldest IRC bot still in active development. Feature rich, uses Tcl scripting. ([source](https://github.com/eggheads/eggdrop)) `C`
Tonnes of ready made features, tutorial, fully documented. ([source](https://github.com/sopel-irc/sopel)) `Python`
Robust, user friendly, developer friendly. `Python`
Main goals are simplicity and power. `Python`
User-friendly and powerful. `Clojure`
`Brainfuck`
Compiles and runs C++ code snippets. `C++`
Simple, fast, expandable. `Python`
Large default plugin set, Cinch-based. `Ruby`
Pluggable chat bot supporting multiple protocols. `Python`
Extendable chat/channel/server-managenent service-providing bot. Using the [Cinch Framework](https://github.com/cinchrb/cinch). `Ruby`
Modular, event-driven bot featuring a REST API, individual user settings and much more. ([bitbot.dev](https://bitbot.dev)) `Python`
Python Twisted IRC bot with a focus on ease of plugin development. `Python`
Python Twisted IRC bot with a focus on ease of plugin development. ([source](https://github.com/pyhoneybot/honeybot)) `Python`
An archiving tool with an IRC interface integrated with various archiving services.
New generation LLM-powered bot with lua scripting support. `Go`
Collection of self-hostable IRC bots: AI chat assistant, real-time weather, privacy-focused search, YouTube metadata, and AI-powered trivia. ([source](https://github.com/MansionNET)) `Python`
IRC users which provide services for humans, e.g. integrations or information.
PythonOff-the-Record (OTR) messaging plugin for irssi. `C`
Off-the-Record (OTR) messaging plugin for WeeChat. `Python`
Blowfish encryption in ECB/CBC modes with Diffie-Hellman key exchange for irssi. `C`
Plugins and tools for encrypting IRC messages.
Event-based, stateful, lacking documentation. `Go`
The IRC adapter for hubot. `JavaScript`
Event-based. `Go`
Plugin system, simple api, arbitrary input stream, debug support. `JavaScript`
Event based IRC Library with a straightforward API (updated fork of [PircBot](https://www.jibble.org/pircbot.php)). `Java`
`Perl6` based extendable IRC client framework.
Flexible IRC bot customizable with JavaScript. `C++`.
Helpful to write bots or integrate IRC with applications.
JavaScriptDiscord ↔ IRC. `JavaScript`
Discord ↔ IRC (with puppets) `Python`
Discord ↔ IRC. `Kotlin`
Slack ↔ IRC. `JavaScript`
Slack ↔ IRC. `Go`
XMPP, Jabber, Google Talk, MSN Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger, AIM, ICQ, Twitter API, HipChat ↔ IRC. `C`
Telegram ↔ IRC. `JavaScript`
Tox ↔ IRC. `C`
Skype (webclient API) ↔ IRC. `Javascript`
IRC ↔ Mattermost ↔ Discord ↔ XMPP ↔ Gitter ↔ Slack ↔ Discord ↔ Telegram ↔ etc. `Go`
Bouncer-style Matrix IRC bridge `Python`
Gateway and bridge Matrix ↔ IRC `Javascript`
Matterbridge ↔ IRC, Slack ↔ IRC, Mastodon ↔ IRC. `Go`
Sends messages back and forth.
IRC channels.
Searches 318 different networks.
Network mostly focused on free and open source projects, run by former freenode staff.
Privacy-focused community network running UnrealIRCd with Anope services; open to all, no tracking, no ads. (`irc.inthemansion.com:6697`, webchat at `webirc.inthemansion.com`)
Community of redditors and subreddits. ([rules](https://snoonet.org/rules/))
Community for free and open source software communities.
Privacy endorsing community serving as a safe and open space for the discussion of various topics.
A collection of IRC servers is known as a network.
Drew DeVault's Blog.
Pingdom.
Alex Williams (TechCrunch).
Articles and blog posts about IRC.
A vast amount of reasonably up-to-date information.
How-to's, documentation and books.
A group of IRC software authors working to enhance, improve, maintain and standardize the IRC protocol. ([source](https://github.com/ircv3/ircv3.github.io))
An attempt to write an update to the original IRC protocol. documentation ([source](https://github.com/ircdocs/modern-irc))
Lists of numerics, modes, ISUPPORT tokens and other protocol details. ([source](https://github.com/ircdocs/irc-defs))
Collection of misc IRC protocol documentation.
Statistics around the server software in use on networks today. ([source](https://github.com/ircdocs/irc-stats))
A CC0 set of test suites, to ensure IRC message parsers are consistent.
Information and resources about the IRC protocol itself.
Fast and efficient program to create statistics out of various types of chat logs. `PHP` `Web`
Convert images to halfblock ANSI or IRC, with a bunch of post-processing filters. `Rust`
Items that belong on the list but defy classification.
The best ways to use this list are:
This list also uses tags to help when searching the contents:
Python, Java, C++, Go, JavaScript, Ruby, C etc.Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, Chrome etc.By Craig Davison and contributors.