This article is written like a manual or guide. (June 2024) |
This is a list of all Internet Relay Chat commands from RFC 1459, RFC 2812, and extensions added to major IRC daemons. Most IRC clients require commands to be preceded by a slash ("/
"). Some commands are actually sent to IRC bots; these are treated by the IRC protocol as ordinary messages, not as /
-commands.
Conventions used here: Angle brackets ("<" and ">") are used here to indicate a placeholder for some value, and are not a literal part of a command. Square brackets ("[" and "]") are used to indicate that a value is optional.
User commands edit
ADMIN edit
Syntax:
ADMIN [
]
Instructs the server to return information about the administrators of the server specified by
AWAY edit
Syntax:
AWAY [
]
Provides the server with a message to automatically send in reply to a PRIVMSG directed at the user, but not to a channel they are on.[2]
If
CNOTICE edit
Syntax:
CNOTICE
:
Sends a channel NOTICE message to
Normally an IRC server will limit the number of different targets a client can send messages to within a certain time frame to prevent spammers or bots from mass-messaging users on the network, however this command can be used by channel operators to bypass that limit in their channel. For example, it is often used by help operators that may be communicating with a large number of users in a help channel at one time.
This command is not formally defined in an RFC, but is in use by some IRC networks. Support is indicated in a RPL_ISUPPORT reply (numeric 005) with the CNOTICE keyword
CPRIVMSG edit
Syntax:
CPRIVMSG
:
Sends a private message to
Normally an IRC server will limit the number of different targets a client can send messages to within a certain time frame to prevent spammers or bots from mass-messaging users on the network, however this command can be used by channel operators to bypass that limit in their channel. For example, it is often used by help operators that may be communicating with a large number of users in a help channel at one time.
This command is not formally defined in an RFC, but is in use by some IRC networks. Support is indicated in a RPL_ISUPPORT reply (numeric 005) with the CPRIVMSG keyword
CONNECT edit
Syntax:
CONNECT
(RFC 1459)[ [ ]] CONNECT
(RFC 2812)[ ]
Instructs the server
DIE edit
Syntax:
DIE
Instructs the server to shut down.[5] This command may only be issued by IRC server operators. Defined in RFC 2812.
ENCAP edit
Syntax:
:
This command is for use by servers to encapsulate commands so that they will propagate across hub servers not yet updated to support them, and indicates the subcommand and its parameters should be passed unaltered to the destination, where it will be unencapsulated and parsed. This facilitates implementation of new features without a need to restart all servers before they are usable across the network.[6]
ERROR edit
Syntax:
ERROR
This command is for use by servers to report errors to other servers. It is also used before terminating client connections.[7] Defined in RFC 1459.
HELP edit
Syntax:
HELP
Requests the server to display the help file. This command is not formally defined in an RFC, but is in use by most[which?] major IRC daemons.
INFO edit
Syntax:
INFO [
]
Returns information about the
INVITE edit
Syntax:
INVITE
Invites i
is set, only channel operators may invite other clients. Defined in RFC 1459.
ISON edit
Syntax:
ISON
Queries the server to see if the clients in the space-separated list
JOIN edit
Syntax:
JOIN
[ ]
Makes the client join the channels in the comma-separated list
KICK edit
Syntax:
KICK
:[ ]
Forcibly removes
KILL edit
Syntax:
KILL
Forcibly removes
KNOCK edit
Syntax:
KNOCK
[ ]
Sends a NOTICE to an invitation-only
LINKS edit
Syntax:
LINKS [
[ ]]
Lists all server links matching
LIST edit
Syntax:
LIST [
[ ]]
Lists all channels on the server.[15] If the comma-separated list
LUSERS edit
Syntax:
LUSERS [
[ ]]
Returns statistics about the size of the network.[16] If called with no arguments, the statistics will reflect the entire network. If
MODE edit
Syntax:
MODE
(user) MODE
[ ]
The MODE command is dual-purpose. It can be used to set both user and channel modes.[17] Defined in RFC 1459.
MOTD edit
Syntax:
MOTD [
]
Returns the message of the day on
NAMES edit
Syntax:
NAMES [
(RFC 1459)] NAMES [
(RFC 2812)[ ]]
Returns a list of who is on the comma-separated list of
The response contains all nicknames in the channel prefixed with the highest channel status prefix of that user, for example like this (with @ being the highest status prefix)
:irc.server.net 353 Phyre = #SomeChannel :@WiZ
If a client wants to receive all the channel status prefixes of a user and not only their current highest one, the IRCv3 multi-prefix extension can be enabled (@ is the channel operator prefix, and + the lower voice status prefix):[21]
:irc.server.net 353 Phyre = #SomeChannel :@+WiZ
See also NAMESX below for an alternate, older approach to achieve the same effect. However, by today most clients and servers support the new IRCv3 standard.[22]
NICK edit
Syntax:
NICK
(RFC 1459)[ ] NICK
(RFC 2812)
Allows a client to change their IRC nickname. Hopcount is for use between servers to specify how far away a nickname is from its home server.[23][24] Defined in RFC 1459; the optional
NOTICE edit
Syntax:
NOTICE
This command works similarly to PRIVMSG, except automatic replies must never be sent in reply to NOTICE messages.[25] Defined in RFC 1459.
OPER edit
Syntax:
OPER
Authenticates a user as an IRC operator on that server/network.[26] Defined in RFC 1459.
PART edit
Syntax:
PART
[ ]
Causes a user to leave the channels in the comma-separated list
PASS edit
Syntax:
PASS
Sets a connection password.[28] This command must be sent before the NICK/USER registration combination. Defined in RFC 1459.
PING edit
Syntax:
PING
[ ]
Tests the presence of a connection.[29] A PING message results in a PONG reply. If
PONG edit
Syntax:
PONG
[ ]
This command is a reply to the PING command and works in much the same way.[30] Defined in RFC 1459.
PRIVMSG edit
Syntax:
PRIVMSG
:
Sends
QUIT edit
Syntax:
QUIT [
]
Disconnects the user from the server.[32] Defined in RFC 1459.
QUOTE edit
Syntax:
QUOTE
Sends a command string to the server as-is, i.e. without parsing it in the client application. [33] [34]
REHASH edit
Syntax:
REHASH
Causes the server to re-read and re-process its configuration file(s).[35] This command can only be sent by IRC operators. Defined in RFC 1459.
RULES edit
Syntax:
RULES
Requests the server rules. This command is not formally defined in an RFC, but is used by most[which?] major IRC daemons.
SERVER edit
Syntax:
SERVER
The server message is used to tell a server that the other end of a new connection is a server.[36] This message is also used to pass server data over the whole network.
Defined in RFC 1459.
SERVICE edit
Syntax:
SERVLIST edit
SQUERY edit
Syntax:
SQUERY
Identical to PRIVMSG except the recipient must be a service.[37] Defined in RFC 2812.
SQUIT edit
Syntax:
SQUIT
Causes
SETNAME edit
Syntax:
SETNAME
Allows a client to change the "real name" specified when registering a connection.
This command is not formally defined by an RFC, but is in use by some IRC daemons. Support is indicated in a RPL_ISUPPORT reply (numeric 005) with the SETNAME keyword
SILENCE edit
Syntax:
SILENCE [+/-
]
Adds or removes a host mask to a server-side ignore list that prevents matching users from sending the client messages. More than one mask may be specified in a space-separated list, each item prefixed with a "+" or "-" to designate whether it is being added or removed. Sending the command with no parameters returns the entries in the client's ignore list.
This command is not formally defined in an RFC, but is supported by most[which?] major IRC daemons. Support is indicated in a RPL_ISUPPORT reply (numeric 005) with the SILENCE keyword and the maximum number of entries a client may have in its ignore list. For example:
:irc.server.net 005 WiZ WALLCHOPS WATCH=128 SILENCE=15 MODES=12 CHANTYPES=#
STATS edit
Syntax:
STATS
[ ]
Returns statistics about the current server, or
SUMMON edit
Syntax:
SUMMON
(RFC 1459)[ ] SUMMON
(RFC 2812)[ [ ]]
Gives users who are on the same host as
TIME edit
Syntax:
TIME [
]
Returns the local time on the current server, or
TOPIC edit
Syntax:
TOPIC
[ ]
Allows the client to query or set the channel topic on
TRACE edit
Syntax:
TRACE [
]
Trace a path across the IRC network to a specific server or client, in a similar method to traceroute.[44] Defined in RFC 1459.
USER edit
Syntax:
USER
(RFC 1459)USER
(RFC 2812)
This command is used at the beginning of a connection to specify the username, hostname, real name and initial user modes of the connecting client.[45][46]
USERHOST edit
Syntax:
USERHOST
[ ...]
Returns a list of information about the nicknames specified.[47] Defined in RFC 1459.
USERIP edit
Syntax:
USERIP
Requests the direct IP address of the user with the specified nickname. This command is often used to obtain the IP of an abusive user to more effectively perform a ban. It is unclear what, if any, privileges are required to execute this command on a server.
This command is not formally defined by an RFC, but is in use by some IRC daemons. Support is indicated in a RPL_ISUPPORT reply (numeric 005) with the USERIP keyword.
USERS edit
Syntax:
USERS [
]
Returns a list of users and information about those users in a format similar to the UNIX commands who, rusers and finger.[48] Defined in RFC 1459.
VERSION edit
Syntax:
VERSION [
]
Returns the version of
WALLOPS edit
Syntax:
WALLOPS
Sends
WATCH edit
Syntax:
WATCH [+/-
]
Adds or removes a user to a client's server-side friends list. More than one nickname may be specified in a space-separated list, each item prefixed with a "+" or "-" to designate whether it is being added or removed. Sending the command with no parameters returns the entries in the client's friends list.
This command is not formally defined in an RFC, but is supported by most[which?] major IRC daemons. Support is indicated in a RPL_ISUPPORT reply (numeric 005) with the WATCH keyword and the maximum number of entries a client may have in its friends list. For example:
:irc.server.net 005 WiZ WALLCHOPS WATCH=128 SILENCE=15 MODES=12 CHANTYPES=#
WHO edit
Syntax:
WHO [
["o"]]
Returns a list of users who match
WHOIS edit
Syntax:
WHOIS [
]
Returns information about the comma-separated list of nicknames masks
WHOWAS edit
Syntax:
WHOWAS
[ [ ]]
Used to return information about a nickname that is no longer in use (due to client disconnection, or nickname changes).[54] If given, the server will return information from the last
Defined in RFC 1459.
See also edit
References edit
- ^ Admin command. p. 31. sec. 4.3.7. doi:10.17487/RFC1459. RFC 1459.
- ^ Away. pp. 38 – 39. sec. 5.1. doi:10.17487/RFC1459. RFC 1459.
- ^ Connect message. pp. 29 – 30. sec. 4.3.5. doi:10.17487/RFC1459. RFC 1459.
- ^ Connect message. pp. 28 – 29. sec. 3.4.7. doi:10.17487/RFC2812. RFC 2812.
- ^ Die message. p. 39. sec. 4.3. doi:10.17487/RFC2812. RFC 2812.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 5 June 2013. Retrieved 6 December 2012.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ Error. p. 38. sec. 4.6.4. doi:10.17487/RFC1459. RFC 1459.
- ^ Info command. pp. 31 – 32. sec. 4.3.8. doi:10.17487/RFC1459. RFC 1459.
- ^ Invite message. p. 25. sec. 4.2.7. doi:10.17487/RFC1459. RFC 1459.
- ^ Ison message. p. 42. sec. 5.8. doi:10.17487/RFC1459. RFC 1459.
- ^ Join message. pp. 19 – 20. sec. 4.2.1. doi:10.17487/RFC1459. RFC 1459.
- ^ Kick command. pp. 25 – 26. sec. 4.2.8. doi:10.17487/RFC1459. RFC 1459.
- ^ Kill message. p. 36. sec. 4.6.1. doi:10.17487/RFC1459. RFC 1459.
- ^ Links message. pp. 28 – 29. sec. 4.3.3. doi:10.17487/RFC1459. RFC 1459.
- ^ List message. pp. 24 – 25. sec. 4.2.6. doi:10.17487/RFC1459. RFC 1459.
- ^ Lusers message. pp. 25 – 26. sec. 3.4.2. doi:10.17487/RFC2812. RFC 2812.
- ^ Mode message. pp. 21 – 23. sec. 4.2.3. doi:10.17487/RFC1459. RFC 1459.
- ^ Motd message. p. 25. sec. 3.4.1. doi:10.17487/RFC2812. RFC 2812.
- ^ Names message. p. 24. sec. 4.2.5. doi:10.17487/RFC1459. RFC 1459.
- ^ Names message. pp. 20 – 21. sec. 3.2.5. doi:10.17487/RFC2812. RFC 2812.
- ^ Andrew Northall. "IRCv3 – Welcome". atheme.org. ircv3.net. Archived from the original on 9 January 2015. Retrieved 21 February 2016.
- ^ Andrew Northall. "IRCv3 – Welcome". atheme.org. Archived from the original on 17 February 2015. Retrieved 21 February 2016.
- ^ Nick message. pp. 14 – 15. sec. 4.1.2. doi:10.17487/RFC1459. RFC 1459.
- ^ Nick message. pp. 10 – 11. sec. 3.1.2. doi:10.17487/RFC2812. RFC 2812.
- ^ Notice. p. 33. sec. 4.4.2. doi:10.17487/RFC1459. RFC 1459.
- ^ Oper. p. 17. sec. 4.1.5. doi:10.17487/RFC1459. RFC 1459.
- ^ Part message. pp. 20 – 21. sec. 4.2.2. doi:10.17487/RFC1459. RFC 1459.
- ^ Password message. p. 14. sec. 4.1.1. doi:10.17487/RFC1459. RFC 1459.
- ^ Ping message. p. 37. sec. 4.6.2. doi:10.17487/RFC1459. RFC 1459.
- ^ Pong message. pp. 37 – 38. sec. 4.6.3. doi:10.17487/RFC1459. RFC 1459.
- ^ Private messages. pp. 32 – 33. sec. 4.4.1. doi:10.17487/RFC1459. RFC 1459.
- ^ Quit. pp. 17 – 18. sec. 4.1.6. doi:10.17487/RFC1459. RFC 1459.
- ^ Irssi developers. "quote - Irssi help page".
- ^
/quote
is cited in the mIRC documentation ([1]) as an equivalent of mIRC's/raw
command, but which is supported in the other IRC clients. - ^ Rehash message. p. 39. sec. 5.2. doi:10.17487/RFC1459. RFC 1459.
- ^ Server message. pp. 16 – 17. sec. 4.1.4. doi:10.17487/RFC1459. RFC 1459.
- ^ Squery. p. 32. sec. 3.5.2. doi:10.17487/RFC2812. RFC 2812.
- ^ Server quit message. pp. 18 – 19. sec. 4.1.7. doi:10.17487/RFC1459. RFC 1459.
- ^ Stats message. pp. 27 – 28. sec. 4.3.2. doi:10.17487/RFC1459. RFC 1459.
- ^ Summon message. p. 40. sec. 5.4. doi:10.17487/RFC1459. RFC 1459.
- ^ Summon message. p. 40. sec. 4.5. doi:10.17487/RFC2812. RFC 2812.
- ^ Time message. p. 29. sec. 4.3.4. doi:10.17487/RFC1459. RFC 1459.
- ^ Topic message. pp. 23 – 24. sec. 4.2.4. doi:10.17487/RFC1459. RFC 1459.
- ^ Trace message. pp. 30 – 31. sec. 4.3.6. doi:10.17487/RFC1459. RFC 1459.
- ^ User message. pp. 15 – 16. sec. 4.1.3. doi:10.17487/RFC1459. RFC 1459.
- ^ User message. p. 11. sec. 3.1.3. doi:10.17487/RFC2812. RFC 2812.
- ^ Userhost message. p. 42. sec. 5.7. doi:10.17487/RFC1459. RFC 1459.
- ^ Users. pp. 40 – 41. sec. 5.5. doi:10.17487/RFC1459. RFC 1459.
- ^ Version message. pp. 26 – 27. sec. 4.3.1. doi:10.17487/RFC1459. RFC 1459.
- ^ Operwall message. p. 41. sec. 5.6. doi:10.17487/RFC1459. RFC 1459.
- ^ Operwall message. pp. 41 – 42. sec. 4.7. doi:10.17487/RFC2812. RFC 2812.
- ^ Who query. pp. 33 – 34. sec. 4.5.1. doi:10.17487/RFC1459. RFC 1459.
- ^ Whois query. pp. 34 – 35. sec. 4.5.2. doi:10.17487/RFC1459. RFC 1459.
- ^ Whowas. p. 35. sec. 4.5.3. doi:10.17487/RFC1459. RFC 1459.
- ^ Whowas. p. 34. sec. 3.6.3. doi:10.17487/RFC2812. RFC 2812.
Bibliography edit
- Oikarinen, Jarkko; Reed, Darren (May 1993). Internet Relay Chat Protocol. IETF. doi:10.17487/RFC1459. RFC 1459. Retrieved 30 October 2009.
- Kalt, Christophe (April 2000). Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol. IETF. doi:10.17487/RFC2812. RFC 2812. Retrieved 30 October 2009.
Further reading edit
- Reed, Darren (May 1992). A Discussion on Computer Network Conferencing. IETF. doi:10.17487/RFC1324. RFC 1324. Retrieved 30 October 2009.
- Kalt, Christophe (April 2000). Internet Relay Chat: Architecture. IETF. doi:10.17487/RFC2810. RFC 2810. Retrieved 30 October 2009.
- Kalt, Christophe (April 2000). Internet Relay Chat: Channel Management. IETF. doi:10.17487/RFC2811. RFC 2811. Retrieved 30 October 2009.
- Kalt, Christophe (April 2000). Internet Relay Chat: Server Protocol. IETF. doi:10.17487/RFC2813. RFC 2813. Retrieved 30 October 2009.