Coder's Guild Mailing List

Re: IRC

Posted by Weasel on 1999-03-20

>anyone know where i can get details of the IRC standard? (with a veiw to
>writing a client)


For Internet standars it is general a good idea to have a look at the RFC,
i.e. the Request For Comments. Those documents descibe all the standards
you'll (n)ever want to know about.

RFC 1459 deals with the IRC:
downloaded from http://cs-pub.bu.edu/pub/irc/support/rfc1459.txt
----start quote----
Abstract
The IRC protocol was developed over the last 4 years since it was first
implemented as a means for users on a BBS to chat amongst themselves.  Now
it supports a world-wide network of servers and clients, and is stringing to
cope with growth. Over the past 2 years, the average number of users
connected to the main IRC network has grown by a factor of 10. The IRC
protocol is a text-based protocol, with the simplest client being any socket
program capable of connecting to the server.
.........
----end quote----

You can find this RFC on several places. If you search for "RFC Request for
Comments IRC Internet Relay Chat" on altavista you'll get at least 5 places.

I got all the FRC together with SuSE 5.3 so if you have a linux
distribution, you'll perhaps have them too (don't know about redhad but
debian has them too). If not, don't worry, you can get them on the web or on
several other cds.