IRC (Internet Relay Chat) is a protocol that facilitates communication in the form of text. It is designed for group communication in discussion forums, called channels, but also allows one-on-one communication via private messages.
When you connect to an IRC network, you're connecting to a server that's part of that network. This server relays messages to and from other users connected to the same network.
The basic unit of communication on IRC is a message, which is a single line of text. Messages can be sent to a specific user (private message), to a group of users in a channel (public message), or to the server as a command.
Here are some key terms to understand:
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Server: A server is a machine that hosts an IRC network. It handles routing messages between users.
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Client: An IRC client is the software you use to connect to an IRC server. Examples include mIRC, HexChat, Irssi, and many more.
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Channel: Channels are the "rooms" where users chat with each other. Each channel starts with a
#and is case insensitive. -
Nick: Your nickname (or "nick") is your username on the IRC network. It's how people will identify you.
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Operator: Operators (or "ops") are users with special privileges in a channel or on a server. They can kick or ban users, change channel settings, and more.
To start using IRC, you'll need an IRC client. Once you've installed your client, you'll need to choose a server to connect to. Many public servers exist for various topics and communities.
When you connect to a server, you'll typically want to join a channel. You can use the /join <#channel> command to do this. For example, /join #chat will join you to the "#chat" channel.
Keep in mind, each IRC server hosts its own set of channels, so #chat on one server isn't the same as #chat on another.
From there, you can start chatting! Remember, you can always use the /help command to get more information about commands you can use in your IRC client.
<word> = Necessary.
[word] = Optional.
/join <#channel>- Joins the Channel specified.
/part [#channel]- Parts the Channel specified.
/cycle [#channel]- Performs Part, Join on the channel specified.
/nick <nick>- Changes your current nick to the new nick specified.
/me <message>- Prints the action specified after your nick.
/msg nick <message>- Sends said message to user specified.
/query nick [message]- Sends said message to user specified, whilst opening window with that nick.
/whois <nick>- Shows information about the user specified.
/whowas <nick>- Shows information about a user who is no longer connected.
/list [subject]- Lists channels, and if subject is specified, shows based on that.
/away [message]- Sets an away message. If no message is specified, you will no longer be marked as away.
/topic <#channel> [new topic]- If a new topic is specified, it changes the topic of the channel. Without a new topic, it will show the current topic.
/invite <nick> <#channel>- Invites the specified user to the channel.
/kick <#channel> <nick> [reason]- Kicks the specified user from the channel. You can optionally include a reason.
/ban <#channel> <nick>- Bans the specified user from the channel.
/unban <#channel> <nick>- Removes the ban for the specified user from the channel.
/ignore <nick>- Ignores the specified user. Their messages will not appear in your client.
/unignore <nick>- Stops ignoring the specified user.
/names <#channel>- Shows all the nicks in the specified channel.
/notice <nick or #channel> <message>- Sends a notice to specified user or channel.
/quote <raw command>- Sends a raw command directly to the IRC server.
/ctcp <nick> [message]- Client-to-Client Protocol (CTCP) command, used to send special types of information or requests to another client.
/mode <#channel or nick> [+/- mode]- Changes user or channel modes.
/server <servername>- Connects to the specified server.
/disconnect- Disconnects from the current IRC server.
/help [command]- If a command is specified, shows help for that command. Without a command, it will show general help.