Browse articles tagged with #reference, ordered by publication date where new
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DCC explained: IRC's peer-to-peer file transfersDCC lets two IRC users connect directly for chat and file transfer, with the server only brokering the handshake. How it works, why it fights with NAT, and the safety rules that never expired.
How to register a nickname on IRC (NickServ and SASL)Registering your IRC nickname takes one minute, protects your identity, and unlocks channels that require it. This guide covers NickServ registration and setting up SASL so you never have to log in manually again.
How to run your own IRC server in 2026A private IRC server for your community is a one-evening project in 2026. Choosing between Ergo, InspIRCd, UnrealIRCd and solanum, what hardware you need (almost none), and the decisions to make before launch.
IRC bots: from eggdrop to your first ten lines of PythonBots are half of IRC's culture: loggers, games, ops helpers, bridges. The classic bot software, the etiquette rules that now have teeth, and a minimal Python bot to start from.
IRC channel modes explained+t, +n, +m, +i, +k, +b — channel modes are IRC's entire moderation toolkit compressed into single letters. What each one does, how lists and parameters work, and which modes vary by network.
IRC commands cheat sheetA practical reference of IRC commands — joining channels, private messages, NickServ and ChanServ, channel operator commands, and the modes you will actually encounter. Works in any client.
IRC glossary: every term you'll run intoOp, voice, k-line, CTCP, ghost, cloak, services — IRC has three decades of jargon. An alphabetical glossary of the terms you will actually encounter.
IRC user modes explainedChannel modes get all the attention, but users have modes too: invisibility, cloaking, TLS markers, wallops. What the common user modes do and which ones are worth setting.
What is a netsplit?Half the channel just quit at the same instant — congratulations, you have witnessed a netsplit. What netsplits are, why they happen, and why a wave of simultaneous quits is nothing to worry about.
What is an IRC bouncer? ZNC, soju and the alternativesPlain IRC forgets everything the moment you disconnect. A bouncer is the classic fix: a small server that stays online for you, records history, and lets all your devices share one connection. Here is how it works and which one to pick.
What is IRCv3? The quiet modernization of IRCIRC's protocol froze in the 1990s — officially. Unofficially, the IRCv3 working group has spent the last decade retrofitting modern chat features: message history, reactions-ready tags, better auth. What IRCv3 is and what it changes.