Group Collaboration

  • Always read the channel topic, all of the links contained in it, and follow its directions.

  • Lurk in a channel for a while before speaking. This will allow you to get a sense of the channel culture and mores.

  • Mentioning someone in a conversation will highlight/ping them. If you do this too often without good reason, you may bug the person you’re pinging.

  • IRC is both real-time and asynchronous. Many people remain logged in even if they are away from their computer. Therefore, if you ask a question or ping someone, please be patient for a response. It may take them several hours (or longer) to come back online.

  • It’s bad form to dump large amounts of text (such as logs or error messages) into the channel. Instead, use a pastebin, a gist, or some other method of linking to your long text.

  • If you have a question, simply ask it. There’s no need to ask for permission to ask.

  • Sending a private message to someone without first asking for their permission is creepy.

  • It can be tempting to put a @ or another prefix before someone’s name when pinging them (as for other chat systems), but this shouldn’t be done on IRC.

  • Pinging someone without saying something after their name is called a "naked ping." These can really bug people, so use them sparingly (if at all).

  • Use complete sentences and fully spell out words rather than use txt-speak.

  • ALL CAPS IS CONSIDERED SHOUTING. PLEASE KEEP IT TO A MINIMUM.

  • If you are going away but staying connected to the channel, use the /away command rather than changing your nick to reflect that you’re away.

  • IRC supports colored text. It irritates most people. Please don’t use it.


Thanks to Xero for this cheetsheet.

  • /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.

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.

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.

  • /kick #channel nickname [reason]

    • temporarily remove user from channel /mode nickname +/-attributes [data]

    • Setting people’s modes (for current channel only)

  • +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 +).

  • /mode #channel +b hosts

    • Hosts take the following form: nickname!userid@hostname

  • Use /whois, /whowas or /who to find the information necessary for a ban.

  • * is a wildcard and can replace nickname, userid, parts of nickname or userid, hostname or a segment of a hostname.

##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.

  • /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.

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

  • 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 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]

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.