#IRC Reference
Not intended as a guide for newbies, more like a "cheat sheet" for the somewhat experienced IRC user, especially one who wields some power over a channel.
##The Basics
/join #channel- Joins the specified channel.
/part #channel- Leaves the specified channel.
/quit [message]- Disconnects from current server with optional leaving message.
/server hostname- Connects to the specified server.
/list- Lists all channels on the current network.
/links- Lists all servers on the current network. May be disabled "for security reasons".
/nick nickname- Changes your nick.
/names #channel- Shows the nicks of all users on #channel.
/msg nickname message- Sends a private message to a user.
/query nickname message- Sends a private message to a user and opens a private chat window.
/me action- Prints "yourname action"
/notice nickname message- Sends a notice to the specified user. Like a /msg, but usually makes a sound.
/whois nickname- Shows information about the specified user. This action is not visible to the specified user.
/whowas nickname- Shows information about a user who has quit.
/dns nickname- Attempts to resolve the IP address of the specified user. Doesn't work on all networks, doesn't work all the time.
/ping nickname- Pings the specified user. This action is visible to the specified user.
##Nick Management (NickServ)
All nickserv commands begin with /ns or /msg NickServ. Depending on your client, /ns may not work.
/ns register password [email]- Registers your current nick with NickServ with the chosen password and binds it to an e-mail address (optional).
/ns identify password- Identifies your nick to NickServ using the password you set. If you have a nick that's been registered, and you don't i
/ns recover nickname password- Kills (forcibly disconnects) someone who has your registered nick.
/ns ghost nickname password- Terminates a "ghost" IRC session that's using your nickname.
/ns set password yournewpassword- Changes your password. NOTE: Under no circumstances should you change your nick to the letter O followed by 8 digit
##Channel modes
set a mode with: /mode #channel +/-attribute [data]
+n- Disallows external messages.
+t- Only op/hops can set the topic.
+p- Sets the channel as invisible in /list.
+s- Sets the channel as invisible in /list and /whois.
+i- Sets the channel as closed unless the person was invited.
+k [pass]- Sets a password for the channel which users must enter to join.
+l [number]- Sets a limit on the number of users who are allowed in the channel at the same time.
+m- Prevents users who are not opped/hopped/voiced from talking.
+R- Sets the channel so only registered nicks are allowed in.
+M- Sets the channel so only registered nicks are allowed to talk.
+S- Strips formatting from messages, rendering them as plaintext.
+c- Blocks messages containing color codes.
+i- A user must be invited to join the channel.
+N- No nick changes permitted in the channel.
##ChanServ commands
All ChanServ commands begin with /cs or /chanserv or /msg ChanServ. Depending on your client, /cs or /chanserv may not work.
/cs identify #channel <password>- Identifies you as the channel's founder and gives you founder-level privileges.
/cs set #channel mlock modes- Locks the channel's modes. Just + unlocks all.
/cs set #channel secureops [on|off]- Keeps everyone except aops, sops, and the founder from becoming ops.
/cs set #channel keeptopic [on|off]- Maintains the topic even if everyone leaves.
/cs set #channel enforce [on|off]- Restores op/halfop/voice if a person with op/halfop/voice gets de-opped/halfopped/voiced.
/cs set #channel leaveops [on|off]- Whether or not to allow the first person who join the channel to get ops.
/cs register #channel password description- Registers the current channel to you with ChanServ and sets its password and description.
/cs drop #channel [dropcode]- Un-registers the current channel to you with ChanServ.
/cs set #channel founder [nickname]- Sets the current channel's founder.
/cs set #channel password [newpass]- Changes the current channel's password to newpass.
/cs set #channel desc [description]- Changes the current channel's description.
/cs set #channel url [address]- Associates a URL with the channel.
/cs set #channel [email@address]- Associates an email address with the channel.
#Other stuff
##Kicking people
/kick #channel nickname [reason]- temporarily remove user from channel
/mode nickname +/-attributes [data] - Setting people's modes (for current channel only)
- temporarily remove user from channel
##User modes
+q- User is owner of the current channel (prefix ~ on UnrealIRCd, usually @ elsewhere)
+a- User is an admin (SOP) on the current channel (prefix & on UnrealIRCd, usually @ elsewhere).
+o- User is an operator (AOP) on the current channel (prefix @).
+h- User is a half-op on the current channel (prefix %).
+v- User has voice on the current channel (prefix +).
##Banning people
/mode #channel +b hosts- Hosts take the following form:
nickname!userid@hostname
- Hosts take the following form:
- Use
/whois,/whowasor/whoto find the information necessary for a ban. *is a wildcard and can replacenickname,userid, parts of nickname oruserid,hostnameor a segment of ahostname.
##Examples:
joe!*@*- Will prevent anyone with the nick joe from joining.
*myg0t*!*- Will prevent anyone whose nick contains myg0t from joining.
mark!*elc@*- Will prevent anyone with the nick mark and the userid elc from joining.
*!*@c-123-24-76-213.ga.isp.net- Will prevent anyone with the host c-123-24-76-213.ga.isp.net from joining.
*!*@*- Bans everyone. Don't do that.
##Access lists
/cs access #channel add [nickname] [level]- Adds nickname to the channel's access list at the specified level.
/cs access channel del [nickname]- Removes nickname from the channel's access list.
/cs access #channel list- Displays the channel's access list.
/cs access #channel count- Displays how many entries are in the channel's access list.
##Access levels
These may vary from network to network. For example, some networks do not go by tens and use 3, 4, 5, 10, etc.
Founder- Full access to ChanServ functions, automatic opping upon entering channel.
100+- Makes the person an SOP, automatic opping upon entering channel.
50- Makes the parson an AOP, automatic opping upon entering channel.
40- Automatic half-opping.
30- Automatic voicing.
0- No special privileges.
-1- May not be opped.
-100- May not join the channel.
Any nick not on the access list has an access level of 0.
#AOPs and SOPs
##AOPs
- Are automatically ops and can give themselves ops.
- Can give/take op/halfop/voice to/from other channel members.
- Can unban themselves.
- Receive memos sent to the whole channel.
- Can invite themselves to the channel.
##SOPs
- Can do everything AOPs can.
- Can give and take AOP privileges.
- Receive memos sent to the channel's SOPs.
- Can add (but not remove) AKICKs.
##Viewing and setting privileges
- Viewing AOP and SOP lists
/cs aop #channel list/cs sop #channel list
- adding a AOP or SOP
/cs [AOP|SOP] channel [ADD|DEL|LIST|CLEAR] [nick | entry-list]
##AKICKs
People on the AKICK list are automatically kicked and banned when they enter the channel. Bans made as a result of AKICK must be removed manually.
/cs akick #channel add host [reason]- Adds host to #channel's AKICK list [for reason].
/cs akick #channel del host- Removes host from the AKICK list.
/cs akick #channel list/cs akick #channel view- Displays the AKICK list.
it's possible to color your text in irc. in most clients you can use control c then foreground,background (background is optional). examples: red text ^c4. black text on a blue background ^c1,2. here's a full list of the color codes:
| Number | Name |
|---|---|
| 00 | white |
| 01 | black |
| 02 | blue (navy) |
| 03 | green |
| 04 | red |
| 05 | brown (maroon) |
| 06 | purple |
| 07 | orange (olive) |
| 08 | yellow |
| 09 | light green (lime) |
| 10 | teal (a green/blue cyan) |
| 11 | light cyan (cyan / aqua) |
| 12 | light blue (royal) |
| 13 | pink (light purple / fuchsia) |
| 14 | grey |
| 15 | light grey (silver) |