Introduction
Request for Comments: 1459 (The IRC protocol)

Network Working Group

J. Oikarinen \ D. Reed

May 1993

Conversion/update by Nemesis][.

Internet Relay Chat Protocol

Status of This Memo

This memo defines an Experimental Protocol for the Internet community.  Discussion and suggestions for improvement are requested. Please refer to the current edition of the "IAB Official Protocol Standards" for the standardization state and status of this protocol. Distribution of this memo is unlimited.

Table of Contents

1.  INTRODUCTION

1.1  Servers

1.2  Clients

1.2.1 Operator

1.3 Channels

1.3.1  Channel Operators

2. THE IRC SPECIFICATION

2.1 Overview

2.2 Character codes

2.3 Messages

2.3.1  Message format in 'pseudo' BNF

2.4 Numeric replies

3. IRC Concepts

3.1 One-to-one communication

3.2 One-to-many

3.2.1 To a list

3.2.2 To a group (channel)

3.2.3 To a host/server mask

3.3 One to all

3.3.1 Client to Client

3.3.2 Clients to Server

3.3.3 Server to Server

4. MESSAGE DETAILS

4.1 Connection Registration

4.1.1 Password message

4.1.2 Nickname message

4.1.3 User message

4.1.4 Server message

4.1.5 Operator message

4.1.6 Quit message

4.1.7 Server Quit message

4.2 Channel operations

4.2.1 Join message

4.2.2 Part message

4.2.3 Mode message