- doc/Protocol.txt
- NICK
- NICK <nick>
+ NICK <nickname>
+ NICK <nickname> [<hops>]
+ NICK <nickname> <hops> <username> <host> <servertoken> <usermodes> <realname>
.
- Change your nickname to <nick>.
+ Set or change the <nickname> of a client (first form) and register
+ remote clients (second and third form; servers only).
+
+ References:
+ - RFC 1459, 4.1.2 "Nick message" (old client and server protocol)
+ - RFC 2812, 3.1.2 "Nick message" (client protocol)
+ - RFC 2813, 4.1.3 "Nick" (server protocol)
- PASS
+ PASS <password>
PASS <password> <version> <flags> [<options>]
.
- Set a connection <password>. This command must be sent before the
- NICK/USER registration combination.
+ Set a connection <password>. This command must be the first command
+ sent to the server, even before the NICK/USER or SERVER commands.
.
- See doc/Protocol.txt for more info.
+ The first form is used by user sessions or (old) RFC 1459 servers,
+ the second form is used by RFC 2812 or IRC+ compliant servers and
+ enables the server to indicate its version and supported protocol
+ features.
+
+ References:
+ - RFC 1459, 4.1.1 "Password message" (old client and server protocol)
+ - RFC 2812, 3.1.1 "Password message" (client protocol)
+ - RFC 2813, 4.1.1 "Password message" (server protocol)
+ - doc/Protocol.txt
- PING
- PING <server1> [<server2>]
+ PING <token> [<target>]
.
- Tests the presence of a connection. A PING message results in a PONG
- reply. If <server2> is specified, the message gets passed on to it.
+ Tests the presence of a connection to a client or server.
+ .
+ If no <target> has been given, the local server is used. User clients
+ can only use other servers as <target>, no user clients.
+ .
+ A PING message results in a PONG reply containing the <token>, which
+ can be arbitrary text.
+
+ Please note:
+ The RFCs state that the <token> parameter is used to specify the
+ origin of the PING command when forwared in the network, but this
+ is not the case: the sender is specified using the prefix as usual,
+ and the parameter is used to identify the PONG reply in practice.
+
+ References:
+ - RFC 2812, 3.7.2 "Ping message"
- PONG
- PONG <server1> [<server2>]
+ PONG <target> [<token>]
.
- This command is a reply to the PING command and works in much the
- same way.
+ Reply to a "PING" command, indicate that the connection is alive.
+ .
+ The <token> is the arbitrary text received in the "PING" command and
+ can be used to identify the correct PONG sent as answer.
+ .
+ When the "PONG" command is received from a user session, the <target>
+ parameter is ignored; otherwise the PONG is forwarded to this client.
+
+ References:
+ - RFC 2812, 3.7.3 "Pong message"
- QUIT
QUIT [<quit-message>]
.
- End IRC session and disconnect from the server.
+ Terminate a user session.
+ .
+ When received from a user, the server acknowledges this by sending
+ an "ERROR" message back to the client and terminates the connection.
.
- If a <quit-message> has been given, it is displayed to all the
- channels that you are a member of when leaving.
+ When a <quit-message> has been given, it is sent to all the channels
+ that the client is a member of when leaving.
+
+ References:
+ - RFC 2812, 3.1.7 "Quit"
+ - RFC 2813, 4.1.5 "Quit"
- USER
- USER <user> <modes> <realname>
+ USER <username> <hostname> <unused> <realname>
+ .
+ Register (and authenticate) a new user session with a short <username>
+ and a human-readable <realname>.
.
- This command is used at the beginning of a connection to specify the
- <user>name, hostname, <realname> and initial user <modes> of the
- connecting client.
+ The parameter <hostname> is only used when received by an other server
+ and ignored otherwise; and the parameter <unused> is always ignored.
+ But both parameters are required on each invocation by the protocol
+ and can be set to arbitrary characters/text when not used.
.
- <realname> may contain spaces, and thus must be prefixed with a colon.
+ If <username> contains an "@" character, the full <username> is used
+ for authentication, but only the first part up to this character is
+ set as "user name" for this session.
+
+ References:
+ - RFC 2812, 3.1.3 "User message"
- WEBIRC
- See doc/Protocol.txt
+ WEBIRC <password> <username> <hostname> <ip-address>
+ .
+ Allow Web-to-IRC gateway software (for example) to set the correct
+ user name and host name of users instead of their own.
+ .
+ It must be the very first command sent to the server, even before
+ USER and NICK commands!
+ .
+ The <password> must be set in the server configuration file to prevent
+ unauthorized clients to fake their identity; it is an arbitrary string.
+
+ References:
+ - doc/Protocol.txt, II.4: "Update webchat/proxy client information"
General Commands
See doc/Modes.txt for more information.
- NOTICE
- NOTICE <target> <notice>
+ NOTICE <target>[,<target>[,...]] <message>
.
- Send <notice> to <target> (nick or channel).
+ Send a <message> to a given <target>, which can be a user or a
+ channel, but DON'T report any error.
.
- This command works similarly to PRIVMSG, except automatic replies must
- never be sent in reply to NOTICE messages.
+ The "NOTICE" command exactly behaves like the "PRIVMSG" command, but
+ doesn't report any errors it encounters (like an unknown <target>).
+ Please see the help text of the "PRIVMSG" command for a detailed
+ description of the parameters!
+
+ References:
+ - RFC 2812, 2.3.1 "Message format in Augmented BNF"
+ - RFC 2812, 3.3 "Sending messages"
+ - RFC 2812, 3.3.2 "Notice"
- PRIVMSG
- PRIVMSG <target> <message>
+ PRIVMSG <target>[,<target>[,...]] <message>
+ .
+ Send a <message> to a given <target>, which can be a user or a
+ channel, and report all errors.
+ .
+ The <target> must follow one of these syntax variants:
+ .
+ - <nickname>
+ - <channel>
+ - <user>[%<host>]@<server>
+ - <user>%<host>
+ - <nickname>!<user>@<host>
.
- Send <message> to <target> (nick or channel).
+ If the <target> is a user, a private message is sent directly to this
+ user; if it resolves to a channel name, a public message is sent
+ to all the members of that channel.
.
- Common IRC clients use MSG as PRIVMSG alias.
- (Some clients use "QUERY <nick> [<message>]" to open a private chat.)
+ In addition, IRC Ops can use these two forms to specify the <target>:
+ .
+ - #<hostmask>
+ - #<servermask>
+ .
+ The <mask> can contain the wildcard characters "*" and "?", but must
+ contain at least one dot (".") and no wildcard after the last one.
+ Then, the <message> is sent to all users matching this <mask>.
+ .
+ All warnings and errors are reported back to the initiator using
+ numeric status codes, which is the only difference to the "NOTICE"
+ command, which doesn't report back any errors or warnings at all.
+ .
+ Please note that clients often use "MSG" as an alias to PRIVMSG, and
+ a command "QUERY <nick> [<message>]" to initiate private chats. Both
+ are command extensions of the client and never sent to the server.
+ References:
+ - RFC 2812, 2.3.1 "Message format in Augmented BNF"
+ - RFC 2812, 3.3 "Sending messages"
+ - RFC 2812, 3.3.1 "Private messages"
Status and Informational Commands
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
.
<target> can be a server name, the nickname of a client connected to
a specific server, or a mask matching a server name in the network.
- The server of the current connecion is used when <target> is omitted.
+ The server of the current connection is used when <target> is omitted.
References:
- RFC 2812, 3.4.9 "Admin command"
.
<target> can be a server name, the nickname of a client connected to
a specific server, or a mask matching a server name in the network.
- The server of the current connecion is used when <target> is omitted.
+ The server of the current connection is used when <target> is omitted.
References:
- RFC 2812, 3.4.10 "Info command"
ISON <nickname> [<nickname> [...]]
.
Query online status of a list of nicknames. The server replies with
- a list only containing nicknes actually connected to a server in
+ a list only containing nicknames actually connected to a server in
the network. If no nicknames of the given list are online, an empty
list is returned to the client requesting the information.
.
<target> can be a server name, the nickname of a client connected to
a specific server, or a mask matching a server name in the network.
- The server of the current connecion is used when <target> is omitted.
+ The server of the current connection is used when <target> is omitted.
Please note that ngIRCd ignores the <mask> parameter entirely: it
is not possible to get information for a part of the network only.
.
<target> can be a server name, the nickname of a client connected to
a specific server, or a mask matching a server name in the network.
- The server of the current connecion is used when <target> is omitted.
+ The server of the current connection is used when <target> is omitted.
References:
- RFC 2812, 3.4.1 "Motd message"
.
<target> can be a server name, the nickname of a client connected to
a specific server, or a mask matching a server name in the network.
- The server of the current connecion is used when <target> is omitted.
+ The server of the current connection is used when <target> is omitted.
References:
- RFC 2812, 3.2.5 "Names message"
.
<target> can be a server name, the nickname of a client connected to
a specific server, or a mask matching a server name in the network.
- The server of the current connecion is used when <target> is omitted.
+ The server of the current connection is used when <target> is omitted.
References:
- RFC 2812, 3.4.4 "Stats message"
.
<target> can be a server name, the nickname of a client connected to
a specific server, or a mask matching a server name in the network.
- The server of the current connecion is used when <target> is omitted.
+ The server of the current connection is used when <target> is omitted.
References
- RFC 2812, 3.4.6 "Time message"
USERHOST <nickname> [<nickname> [...]]
.
Show flags and the hostmasks (<user>@<host>) of the <nickname>s,
- seperated by spaces. The following flags are used:
+ separated by spaces. The following flags are used:
.
- "-" The client is "away" (the mode "+a" is set on this client).
- "+" Client seems to be available, at least it isn't marked "away".
.
<target> can be a server name, the nickname of a client connected to
a specific server, or a mask matching a server name in the network.
- The server of the current connecion is used when <target> is omitted.
+ The server of the current connection is used when <target> is omitted.
.
Please note: in normal operation, the version number ends in a dot
(".", for example "ngIRCd-20.1."). If it ends in ".1" (for example
- RFC 2812, 3.4.3 "Version message"
- WHO
- WHO [<target> ["o"]]
+ WHO [<mask> ["o"]]
.
- Returns a list of users who match <target> (nick, hostmask or channel).
+ Show a list of users who match the <mask>, or all visible users when
+ the <mask> has been omitted. (Special case: the <mask> "0" is
+ equivalent to "*")
.
If the flag "o" is given, the server will only return information about
IRC Operators.
+ References:
+ - RFC 2812, 3.6.1 "Who query"
+
- WHOIS
- WHOIS [<server>] <nicknames>
+ WHOIS [<target>] <mask>[,<mask>[,...]]
.
- Returns information about the comma-separated list of <nicknames>.
+ Query information about users matching the <mask> parameter(s) as seen
+ by the server <target>; up to 3 <masks> are supported.
.
- If <server> is given, the command is forwarded to it for processing.
+ <target> can be a server name, the nickname of a client connected to a
+ specific server, or a mask matching a server name in the network. The
+ server of the current connection is used when <target> is omitted.
+
+ References:
+ - RFC 2812, 3.6.2 "Whois query"
- WHOWAS
- WHOWAS <nickname> [<count> [<server>]]
+ WHOWAS <nickname>[,<nickname>[,...]] [<count> [<target>]]
.
- Used to return information about <nicknames> that are no longer in use
- (due to client disconnection, or nickname changes).
+ Query information about nicknames no longer in use in the network,
+ either because of nickname changes or disconnects. The history is
+ searched backwards, returning the most recent entry first. If there
+ are multiple entries, up to <count> entries will be shown (or all of
+ them, if no <count> has been given).
.
- If given, the server will return information from the last <count> times
- the nickname has been used.
- If <server> is given, the command is forwarded to it for processing.
+ <target> can be a server name, the nickname of a client connected to a
+ specific server, or a mask matching a server name in the network. The
+ server of the current connection is used when <target> is omitted.
+
+ References:
+ - RFC 2812, 3.6.3 "Whowas"
Channel Commands
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- INVITE
- INVITE <nick> <channel>
+ INVITE <nickname> <channel>
.
- Invites <nick> to <channel>.
- <channel> does not have to exist, but if it does, only members of the
- channel are allowed to invite other clients.
+ Invite <nickname> to join channel <channel>.
.
- If the <channel> mode "+i" is set, only <channel> operators may invite
- other clients.
+ <channel> does not have to exist, but if it does, only members of the
+ channel are allowed to invite other users. If the channel mode "+i"
+ is set, only channel "half-ops" (and above) may invite other clients,
+ and if channel mode "+V" is set, nobody can invite other users.
+
+ References:
+ - RFC 2812, 3.2.7 "Invite message"
- JOIN
JOIN <channels> [<channel-keys>]
If the channel(s) do not exist, then they will be created.
- KICK
- KICK <channel> <nick> [<kick-message>]
+ KICK <channel>[,<channel>[,...]] <nickname>[,<nickname>[,...]] [<reason>]
.
- Remove <nick> from <channel>, optional with a <kick-message>.
+ Remove users(s) with <nickname>(s) from <channel>(s).
.
- Only <channel> operators are able to KICK.
+ There must be either exactly one <channel> parameter and multiple
+ <nickname> parameters, or as many <channel> parameters as there are
+ <nickname> parameters. The <reason> is shown to the users being
+ kicked, and the nickname of the current user is used when <reason>
+ is omitted.
+
+ References:
+ - RFC 2812, 3.2.8 "Kick command"
- LIST
LIST [<channels> [<server>]]
To list the G-Lines, type "STATS g".
- KILL
- KILL <nick> <reason>
+ KILL <nickname> <reason>
.
- Forcibly removes <nick> from the IRC network with a <reason>.
+ Forcibly remove all users with a given <nickname> from the IRC
+ network and display the given <reason> to them.
+ .
+ This command is used internally between servers, too, for example
+ to disconnect duplicate <nickname>'s after a "net split".
+
+ References:
+ - RFC 2812, 3.7.1 "Kill message"
- KLINE
KLINE <nick!user@hostmask> <seconds> :<reason>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- SERVICE
+ SERVICE <name> <reserved1> <distribution> <type> <reserved2> <info>
+ SERVICE <name> <servertoken> <distribution> {<type>|+<modes>} <hops> <info>
+ .
+ Register a new service in the network.
+ .
+ The first form is used by directly linked services and isn't supported
+ by ngIRCd at the moment. The second form announces services connected
+ to remote "pseudo-servers" ("services hubs").
+ .
+ The <distribution> and <type> parameters are ignored by ngIRCd.
+
+ References:
+ - RFC 2812, 3.1.6 "Service message"
+ - RFC 2813, 4.1.4 "Service message"
- SERVLIST
+ SERVLIST [<mask> [<type>]]
+ .
+ List all IRC services currently registered in the network.
+ .
+ The optional <mask> and <type> parameters can be used to limit the
+ listing to services matching the <mask> and that are of type <type>.
+ .
+ Please note that ngIRCd doesn't use any service types at the moment
+ and therefore all services are of type "0".
+
+ References:
+ - RFC 2812, 3.5.1 "Servlist message"
- SQUERY
+ SQUERY <target>[,<target>[,...]] <message>
+ .
+ Send a <message> to a given <target> IRC service, and report all
+ errors.
+ .
+ The "SQUERY" command exactly behaves like the "PRIVMSG" command, but
+ enforces that the <target> of the <message> is an IRC service.
+ Please see the help text of the "PRIVMSG" command for a detailed
+ description of the parameters!
+ .
+ If a user wants to interact with IRC services, he should use "SQUERY"
+ instead of "PRIVMSG" or "NOTICE": only "SQUERY makes sure that no
+ regular user, which uses the nickname of an IRC service, receives
+ the command in error, for example during a "net split"!
+
+ References:
+ - RFC 2812, 2.3.1 "Message format in Augmented BNF"
+ - RFC 2812, 3.3 "Sending messages"
+ - RFC 2812, 3.3.2 "Notice"
- SVSNICK
+ SVSNICK <oldnick> <newnick>
+ .
+ Forcefully change foreign user nicknames. This command is allowed
+ for servers only.
+ .
+ The "SVSNICK" command is forwarded to the server to which the user
+ with nickname <oldnick> is connected to, which in turn generates a
+ regular "NICK" command that then is sent to the client, so no special
+ support in the client software is required.
+
+ References:
+ - ngIRCd GIT commit e3f300d3231f
Server Protocol Commands
- ERROR
ERROR [<message> [<> [...]]]
.
- Return an error message to the server. The first parameter, if given,
- will be logged by the server, all further parameters are silently
- ignored.
+ Inform a client or a server about an error condition. The first
+ parameter, if given, is logged by the server receiving the message,
+ all other parameters are silently ignored.
.
- This command is silently ignored on non-server and non-service links.
+ This command is silently ignored on non-server and non-service links
+ and shouldn't be used by regular IRC clients.
+ .
+ The ERROR message is also sent before terminating a regular client
+ connection.
+
+ References:
+ - RFC 2812, 3.7.4 "Error message"
- METADATA
METADATA <target> <key> <value>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- SUMMON
+ SUMMON <user> [<target> [<channel>]]
+ .
+ This command was intended to call people into IRC who are directly
+ connected to the terminal console of the IRC server -- but is
+ deprecated today. Therefore ngIRCd doesn't really implement this
+ command and always returns an error message, regardless of the
+ parameters given.
+
+ References:
+ - RFC 2812, 4.5 "Summon message"
- USERS
+ USERS [<target>]
+ .
+ This command was intended to list users directly logged in into the
+ console of the IRC server -- but is deprecated today. Therefore ngIRCd
+ doesn't really implement this command and always returns an error
+ message, regardless of the parameters given.
+
+ References:
+ - RFC 2812, 4.6 "Users"
- GET