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+
+Network Working Group C. Kalt
+Request for Comments: 2812 April 2000
+Updates: 1459
+Category: Informational
+
+
+ Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol
+
+Status of this Memo
+
+ This memo provides information for the Internet community. It does
+ not specify an Internet standard of any kind. Distribution of this
+ memo is unlimited.
+
+Copyright Notice
+
+ Copyright (C) The Internet Society (2000). All Rights Reserved.
+
+IESG NOTE:
+
+ The IRC protocol itself enables several possibilities of transferring
+ data between clients, and just like with other transfer mechanisms
+ like email, the receiver of the data has to be careful about how the
+ data is handled. For more information on security issues with the IRC
+ protocol, see for example http://www.irchelp.org/irchelp/security/.
+
+Abstract
+
+ The IRC (Internet Relay Chat) protocol is for use with text based
+ conferencing; the simplest client being any socket program capable of
+ connecting to the server.
+
+ This document defines the Client Protocol, and assumes that the
+ reader is familiar with the IRC Architecture [IRC-ARCH].
+
+Table of Contents
+
+ 1. Labels ..................................................... 3
+ 1.1 Servers ................................................ 3
+ 1.2 Clients ................................................ 3
+ 1.2.1 Users ............................................. 4
+ 1.2.1.1 Operators .................................... 4
+ 1.2.2 Services .......................................... 4
+ 1.3 Channels ............................................... 4
+ 2. The IRC Client Specification ............................... 5
+ 2.1 Overview ............................................... 5
+ 2.2 Character codes ........................................ 5
+ 2.3 Messages ............................................... 5
+
+
+
+Kalt Informational [Page 1]
+
+RFC 2812 Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol April 2000
+
+
+ 2.3.1 Message format in Augmented BNF ................... 6
+ 2.4 Numeric replies ........................................ 8
+ 2.5 Wildcard expressions ................................... 9
+ 3. Message Details ............................................ 9
+ 3.1 Connection Registration ................................ 10
+ 3.1.1 Password message .................................. 10
+ 3.1.2 Nick message ...................................... 10
+ 3.1.3 User message ...................................... 11
+ 3.1.4 Oper message ...................................... 12
+ 3.1.5 User mode message ................................. 12
+ 3.1.6 Service message ................................... 13
+ 3.1.7 Quit .............................................. 14
+ 3.1.8 Squit ............................................. 15
+ 3.2 Channel operations ..................................... 15
+ 3.2.1 Join message ...................................... 16
+ 3.2.2 Part message ...................................... 17
+ 3.2.3 Channel mode message .............................. 18
+ 3.2.4 Topic message ..................................... 19
+ 3.2.5 Names message ..................................... 20
+ 3.2.6 List message ...................................... 21
+ 3.2.7 Invite message .................................... 21
+ 3.2.8 Kick command ...................................... 22
+ 3.3 Sending messages ....................................... 23
+ 3.3.1 Private messages .................................. 23
+ 3.3.2 Notice ............................................ 24
+ 3.4 Server queries and commands ............................ 25
+ 3.4.1 Motd message ...................................... 25
+ 3.4.2 Lusers message .................................... 25
+ 3.4.3 Version message ................................... 26
+ 3.4.4 Stats message ..................................... 26
+ 3.4.5 Links message ..................................... 27
+ 3.4.6 Time message ...................................... 28
+ 3.4.7 Connect message ................................... 28
+ 3.4.8 Trace message ..................................... 29
+ 3.4.9 Admin command ..................................... 30
+ 3.4.10 Info command ...................................... 31
+ 3.5 Service Query and Commands ............................. 31
+ 3.5.1 Servlist message .................................. 31
+ 3.5.2 Squery ............................................ 32
+ 3.6 User based queries ..................................... 32
+ 3.6.1 Who query ......................................... 32
+ 3.6.2 Whois query ....................................... 33
+ 3.6.3 Whowas ............................................ 34
+ 3.7 Miscellaneous messages ................................. 34
+ 3.7.1 Kill message ...................................... 35
+ 3.7.2 Ping message ...................................... 36
+ 3.7.3 Pong message ...................................... 37
+ 3.7.4 Error ............................................. 37
+
+
+
+Kalt Informational [Page 2]
+
+RFC 2812 Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol April 2000
+
+
+ 4. Optional features .......................................... 38
+ 4.1 Away ................................................... 38
+ 4.2 Rehash message ......................................... 39
+ 4.3 Die message ............................................ 39
+ 4.4 Restart message ........................................ 40
+ 4.5 Summon message ......................................... 40
+ 4.6 Users .................................................. 41
+ 4.7 Operwall message ....................................... 41
+ 4.8 Userhost message ....................................... 42
+ 4.9 Ison message ........................................... 42
+ 5. Replies .................................................... 43
+ 5.1 Command responses ...................................... 43
+ 5.2 Error Replies .......................................... 53
+ 5.3 Reserved numerics ...................................... 59
+ 6. Current implementations .................................... 60
+ 7. Current problems ........................................... 60
+ 7.1 Nicknames .............................................. 60
+ 7.2 Limitation of wildcards ................................ 61
+ 7.3 Security considerations ................................ 61
+ 8. Current support and availability ........................... 61
+ 9. Acknowledgements ........................................... 61
+ 10. References ................................................ 62
+ 11. Author's Address .......................................... 62
+ 12. Full Copyright Statement .................................. 63
+
+1. Labels
+
+ This section defines the identifiers used for the various components
+ of the IRC protocol.
+
+1.1 Servers
+
+ Servers are uniquely identified by their name, which has a maximum
+ length of sixty three (63) characters. See the protocol grammar
+ rules (section 2.3.1) for what may and may not be used in a server
+ name.
+
+1.2 Clients
+
+ For each client all servers MUST have the following information: a
+ netwide unique identifier (whose format depends on the type of
+ client) and the server which introduced the client.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+Kalt Informational [Page 3]
+
+RFC 2812 Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol April 2000
+
+
+1.2.1 Users
+
+ Each user is distinguished from other users by a unique nickname
+ having a maximum length of nine (9) characters. See the protocol
+ grammar rules (section 2.3.1) for what may and may not be used in a
+ nickname.
+
+ While the maximum length is limited to nine characters, clients
+ SHOULD accept longer strings as they may become used in future
+ evolutions of the protocol.
+
+1.2.1.1 Operators
+
+ To allow a reasonable amount of order to be kept within the IRC
+ network, a special class of users (operators) is allowed to perform
+ general maintenance functions on the network. Although the powers
+ granted to an operator can be considered as 'dangerous', they are
+ nonetheless often necessary. Operators SHOULD be able to perform
+ basic network tasks such as disconnecting and reconnecting servers as
+ needed. In recognition of this need, the protocol discussed herein
+ provides for operators only to be able to perform such functions.
+ See sections 3.1.8 (SQUIT) and 3.4.7 (CONNECT).
+
+ A more controversial power of operators is the ability to remove a
+ user from the connected network by 'force', i.e., operators are able
+ to close the connection between any client and server. The
+ justification for this is very delicate since its abuse is both
+ destructive and annoying, and its benefits close to inexistent. For
+ further details on this type of action, see section 3.7.1 (KILL).
+
+1.2.2 Services
+
+ Each service is distinguished from other services by a service name
+ composed of a nickname and a server name. As for users, the nickname
+ has a maximum length of nine (9) characters. See the protocol
+ grammar rules (section 2.3.1) for what may and may not be used in a
+ nickname.
+
+1.3 Channels
+
+ Channels names are strings (beginning with a '&', '#', '+' or '!'
+ character) of length up to fifty (50) characters. Apart from the
+ requirement that the first character is either '&', '#', '+' or '!',
+ the only restriction on a channel name is that it SHALL NOT contain
+ any spaces (' '), a control G (^G or ASCII 7), a comma (','). Space
+ is used as parameter separator and command is used as a list item
+ separator by the protocol). A colon (':') can also be used as a
+ delimiter for the channel mask. Channel names are case insensitive.
+
+
+
+Kalt Informational [Page 4]
+
+RFC 2812 Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol April 2000
+
+
+ See the protocol grammar rules (section 2.3.1) for the exact syntax
+ of a channel name.
+
+ Each prefix characterizes a different channel type. The definition
+ of the channel types is not relevant to the client-server protocol
+ and thus it is beyond the scope of this document. More details can
+ be found in "Internet Relay Chat: Channel Management" [IRC-CHAN].
+
+2. The IRC Client Specification
+
+2.1 Overview
+
+ The protocol as described herein is for use only with client to
+ server connections when the client registers as a user.
+
+2.2 Character codes
+
+ No specific character set is specified. The protocol is based on a
+ set of codes which are composed of eight (8) bits, making up an
+ octet. Each message may be composed of any number of these octets;
+ however, some octet values are used for control codes, which act as
+ message delimiters.
+
+ Regardless of being an 8-bit protocol, the delimiters and keywords
+ are such that protocol is mostly usable from US-ASCII terminal and a
+ telnet connection.
+
+ Because of IRC's Scandinavian origin, the characters {}|^ are
+ considered to be the lower case equivalents of the characters []\~,
+ respectively. This is a critical issue when determining the
+ equivalence of two nicknames or channel names.
+
+2.3 Messages
+
+ Servers and clients send each other messages, which may or may not
+ generate a reply. If the message contains a valid command, as
+ described in later sections, the client should expect a reply as
+ specified but it is not advised to wait forever for the reply; client
+ to server and server to server communication is essentially
+ asynchronous by nature.
+
+ Each IRC message may consist of up to three main parts: the prefix
+ (OPTIONAL), the command, and the command parameters (maximum of
+ fifteen (15)). The prefix, command, and all parameters are separated
+ by one ASCII space character (0x20) each.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+Kalt Informational [Page 5]
+
+RFC 2812 Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol April 2000
+
+
+ The presence of a prefix is indicated with a single leading ASCII
+ colon character (':', 0x3b), which MUST be the first character of the
+ message itself. There MUST be NO gap (whitespace) between the colon
+ and the prefix. The prefix is used by servers to indicate the true
+ origin of the message. If the prefix is missing from the message, it
+ is assumed to have originated from the connection from which it was
+ received from. Clients SHOULD NOT use a prefix when sending a
+ message; if they use one, the only valid prefix is the registered
+ nickname associated with the client.
+
+ The command MUST either be a valid IRC command or a three (3) digit
+ number represented in ASCII text.
+
+ IRC messages are always lines of characters terminated with a CR-LF
+ (Carriage Return - Line Feed) pair, and these messages SHALL NOT
+ exceed 512 characters in length, counting all characters including
+ the trailing CR-LF. Thus, there are 510 characters maximum allowed
+ for the command and its parameters. There is no provision for
+ continuation of message lines. See section 6 for more details about
+ current implementations.
+
+2.3.1 Message format in Augmented BNF
+
+ The protocol messages must be extracted from the contiguous stream of
+ octets. The current solution is to designate two characters, CR and
+ LF, as message separators. Empty messages are silently ignored,
+ which permits use of the sequence CR-LF between messages without
+ extra problems.
+
+ The extracted message is parsed into the components <prefix>,
+ <command> and list of parameters (<params>).
+
+ The Augmented BNF representation for this is:
+
+ message = [ ":" prefix SPACE ] command [ params ] crlf
+ prefix = servername / ( nickname [ [ "!" user ] "@" host ] )
+ command = 1*letter / 3digit
+ params = *14( SPACE middle ) [ SPACE ":" trailing ]
+ =/ 14( SPACE middle ) [ SPACE [ ":" ] trailing ]
+
+ nospcrlfcl = %x01-09 / %x0B-0C / %x0E-1F / %x21-39 / %x3B-FF
+ ; any octet except NUL, CR, LF, " " and ":"
+ middle = nospcrlfcl *( ":" / nospcrlfcl )
+ trailing = *( ":" / " " / nospcrlfcl )
+
+ SPACE = %x20 ; space character
+ crlf = %x0D %x0A ; "carriage return" "linefeed"
+
+
+
+
+Kalt Informational [Page 6]
+
+RFC 2812 Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol April 2000
+
+
+ NOTES:
+ 1) After extracting the parameter list, all parameters are equal
+ whether matched by <middle> or <trailing>. <trailing> is just a
+ syntactic trick to allow SPACE within the parameter.
+
+ 2) The NUL (%x00) character is not special in message framing, and
+ basically could end up inside a parameter, but it would cause
+ extra complexities in normal C string handling. Therefore, NUL
+ is not allowed within messages.
+
+ Most protocol messages specify additional semantics and syntax for
+ the extracted parameter strings dictated by their position in the
+ list. For example, many server commands will assume that the first
+ parameter after the command is the list of targets, which can be
+ described with:
+
+ target = nickname / server
+ msgtarget = msgto *( "," msgto )
+ msgto = channel / ( user [ "%" host ] "@" servername )
+ msgto =/ ( user "%" host ) / targetmask
+ msgto =/ nickname / ( nickname "!" user "@" host )
+ channel = ( "#" / "+" / ( "!" channelid ) / "&" ) chanstring
+ [ ":" chanstring ]
+ servername = hostname
+ host = hostname / hostaddr
+ hostname = shortname *( "." shortname )
+ shortname = ( letter / digit ) *( letter / digit / "-" )
+ *( letter / digit )
+ ; as specified in RFC 1123 [HNAME]
+ hostaddr = ip4addr / ip6addr
+ ip4addr = 1*3digit "." 1*3digit "." 1*3digit "." 1*3digit
+ ip6addr = 1*hexdigit 7( ":" 1*hexdigit )
+ ip6addr =/ "0:0:0:0:0:" ( "0" / "FFFF" ) ":" ip4addr
+ nickname = ( letter / special ) *8( letter / digit / special / "-" )
+ targetmask = ( "$" / "#" ) mask
+ ; see details on allowed masks in section 3.3.1
+ chanstring = %x01-07 / %x08-09 / %x0B-0C / %x0E-1F / %x21-2B
+ chanstring =/ %x2D-39 / %x3B-FF
+ ; any octet except NUL, BELL, CR, LF, " ", "," and ":"
+ channelid = 5( %x41-5A / digit ) ; 5( A-Z / 0-9 )
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+Kalt Informational [Page 7]
+
+RFC 2812 Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol April 2000
+
+
+ Other parameter syntaxes are:
+
+ user = 1*( %x01-09 / %x0B-0C / %x0E-1F / %x21-3F / %x41-FF )
+ ; any octet except NUL, CR, LF, " " and "@"
+ key = 1*23( %x01-05 / %x07-08 / %x0C / %x0E-1F / %x21-7F )
+ ; any 7-bit US_ASCII character,
+ ; except NUL, CR, LF, FF, h/v TABs, and " "
+ letter = %x41-5A / %x61-7A ; A-Z / a-z
+ digit = %x30-39 ; 0-9
+ hexdigit = digit / "A" / "B" / "C" / "D" / "E" / "F"
+ special = %x5B-60 / %x7B-7D
+ ; "[", "]", "\", "`", "_", "^", "{", "|", "}"
+
+ NOTES:
+ 1) The <hostaddr> syntax is given here for the sole purpose of
+ indicating the format to follow for IP addresses. This
+ reflects the fact that the only available implementations of
+ this protocol uses TCP/IP as underlying network protocol but is
+ not meant to prevent other protocols to be used.
+
+ 2) <hostname> has a maximum length of 63 characters. This is a
+ limitation of the protocol as internet hostnames (in
+ particular) can be longer. Such restriction is necessary
+ because IRC messages are limited to 512 characters in length.
+ Clients connecting from a host which name is longer than 63
+ characters are registered using the host (numeric) address
+ instead of the host name.
+
+ 3) Some parameters used in the following sections of this
+ documents are not defined here as there is nothing specific
+ about them besides the name that is used for convenience.
+ These parameters follow the general syntax defined for
+ <params>.
+
+2.4 Numeric replies
+
+ Most of the messages sent to the server generate a reply of some
+ sort. The most common reply is the numeric reply, used for both
+ errors and normal replies. The numeric reply MUST be sent as one
+ message consisting of the sender prefix, the three-digit numeric, and
+ the target of the reply. A numeric reply is not allowed to originate
+ from a client. In all other respects, a numeric reply is just like a
+ normal message, except that the keyword is made up of 3 numeric
+ digits rather than a string of letters. A list of different replies
+ is supplied in section 5 (Replies).
+
+
+
+
+
+
+Kalt Informational [Page 8]
+
+RFC 2812 Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol April 2000
+
+
+2.5 Wildcard expressions
+
+ When wildcards are allowed in a string, it is referred as a "mask".
+
+ For string matching purposes, the protocol allows the use of two
+ special characters: '?' (%x3F) to match one and only one character,
+ and '*' (%x2A) to match any number of any characters. These two
+ characters can be escaped using the character '\' (%x5C).
+
+ The Augmented BNF syntax for this is:
+
+ mask = *( nowild / noesc wildone / noesc wildmany )
+ wildone = %x3F
+ wildmany = %x2A
+ nowild = %x01-29 / %x2B-3E / %x40-FF
+ ; any octet except NUL, "*", "?"
+ noesc = %x01-5B / %x5D-FF
+ ; any octet except NUL and "\"
+ matchone = %x01-FF
+ ; matches wildone
+ matchmany = *matchone
+ ; matches wildmany
+
+ Examples:
+
+ a?c ; Matches any string of 3 characters in length starting
+ with "a" and ending with "c"
+
+ a*c ; Matches any string of at least 2 characters in length
+ starting with "a" and ending with "c"
+
+3. Message Details
+
+ On the following pages there are descriptions of each message
+ recognized by the IRC server and client. All commands described in
+ this section MUST be implemented by any server for this protocol.
+
+ Where the reply ERR_NOSUCHSERVER is returned, it means that the
+ target of the message could not be found. The server MUST NOT send
+ any other replies after this error for that command.
+
+ The server to which a client is connected is required to parse the
+ complete message, and return any appropriate errors.
+
+ If multiple parameters is presented, then each MUST be checked for
+ validity and appropriate responses MUST be sent back to the client.
+ In the case of incorrect messages which use parameter lists with
+ comma as an item separator, a reply MUST be sent for each item.
+
+
+
+Kalt Informational [Page 9]
+
+RFC 2812 Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol April 2000
+
+
+3.1 Connection Registration
+
+ The commands described here are used to register a connection with an
+ IRC server as a user as well as to correctly disconnect.
+
+ A "PASS" command is not required for a client connection to be
+ registered, but it MUST precede the latter of the NICK/USER
+ combination (for a user connection) or the SERVICE command (for a
+ service connection). The RECOMMENDED order for a client to register
+ is as follows:
+
+ 1. Pass message
+ 2. Nick message 2. Service message
+ 3. User message
+
+ Upon success, the client will receive an RPL_WELCOME (for users) or
+ RPL_YOURESERVICE (for services) message indicating that the
+ connection is now registered and known the to the entire IRC network.
+ The reply message MUST contain the full client identifier upon which
+ it was registered.
+
+3.1.1 Password message
+
+ Command: PASS
+ Parameters: <password>
+
+ The PASS command is used to set a 'connection password'. The
+ optional password can and MUST be set before any attempt to register
+ the connection is made. Currently this requires that user send a
+ PASS command before sending the NICK/USER combination.
+
+ Numeric Replies:
+
+ ERR_NEEDMOREPARAMS ERR_ALREADYREGISTRED
+
+ Example:
+
+ PASS secretpasswordhere
+
+3.1.2 Nick message
+
+
+ Command: NICK
+ Parameters: <nickname>
+
+ NICK command is used to give user a nickname or change the existing
+ one.
+
+
+
+
+Kalt Informational [Page 10]
+
+RFC 2812 Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol April 2000
+
+
+ Numeric Replies:
+
+ ERR_NONICKNAMEGIVEN ERR_ERRONEUSNICKNAME
+ ERR_NICKNAMEINUSE ERR_NICKCOLLISION
+ ERR_UNAVAILRESOURCE ERR_RESTRICTED
+
+ Examples:
+
+ NICK Wiz ; Introducing new nick "Wiz" if session is
+ still unregistered, or user changing his
+ nickname to "Wiz"
+
+ :WiZ!jto@tolsun.oulu.fi NICK Kilroy
+ ; Server telling that WiZ changed his
+ nickname to Kilroy.
+
+3.1.3 User message
+
+ Command: USER
+ Parameters: <user> <mode> <unused> <realname>
+
+ The USER command is used at the beginning of connection to specify
+ the username, hostname and realname of a new user.
+
+ The <mode> parameter should be a numeric, and can be used to
+ automatically set user modes when registering with the server. This
+ parameter is a bitmask, with only 2 bits having any signification: if
+ the bit 2 is set, the user mode 'w' will be set and if the bit 3 is
+ set, the user mode 'i' will be set. (See Section 3.1.5 "User
+ Modes").
+
+ The <realname> may contain space characters.
+
+ Numeric Replies:
+
+ ERR_NEEDMOREPARAMS ERR_ALREADYREGISTRED
+
+ Example:
+
+ USER guest 0 * :Ronnie Reagan ; User registering themselves with a
+ username of "guest" and real name
+ "Ronnie Reagan".
+
+ USER guest 8 * :Ronnie Reagan ; User registering themselves with a
+ username of "guest" and real name
+ "Ronnie Reagan", and asking to be set
+ invisible.
+
+
+
+
+Kalt Informational [Page 11]
+
+RFC 2812 Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol April 2000
+
+
+3.1.4 Oper message
+
+ Command: OPER
+ Parameters: <name> <password>
+
+ A normal user uses the OPER command to obtain operator privileges.
+ The combination of <name> and <password> are REQUIRED to gain
+ Operator privileges. Upon success, the user will receive a MODE
+ message (see section 3.1.5) indicating the new user modes.
+
+ Numeric Replies:
+
+ ERR_NEEDMOREPARAMS RPL_YOUREOPER
+ ERR_NOOPERHOST ERR_PASSWDMISMATCH
+
+ Example:
+
+ OPER foo bar ; Attempt to register as an operator
+ using a username of "foo" and "bar"
+ as the password.
+
+3.1.5 User mode message
+
+ Command: MODE
+ Parameters: <nickname>
+ *( ( "+" / "-" ) *( "i" / "w" / "o" / "O" / "r" ) )
+
+ The user MODE's are typically changes which affect either how the
+ client is seen by others or what 'extra' messages the client is sent.
+
+ A user MODE command MUST only be accepted if both the sender of the
+ message and the nickname given as a parameter are both the same. If
+ no other parameter is given, then the server will return the current
+ settings for the nick.
+
+ The available modes are as follows:
+
+ a - user is flagged as away;
+ i - marks a users as invisible;
+ w - user receives wallops;
+ r - restricted user connection;
+ o - operator flag;
+ O - local operator flag;
+ s - marks a user for receipt of server notices.
+
+ Additional modes may be available later on.
+
+
+
+
+
+Kalt Informational [Page 12]
+
+RFC 2812 Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol April 2000
+
+
+ The flag 'a' SHALL NOT be toggled by the user using the MODE command,
+ instead use of the AWAY command is REQUIRED.
+
+ If a user attempts to make themselves an operator using the "+o" or
+ "+O" flag, the attempt SHOULD be ignored as users could bypass the
+ authentication mechanisms of the OPER command. There is no
+ restriction, however, on anyone `deopping' themselves (using "-o" or
+ "-O").
+
+ On the other hand, if a user attempts to make themselves unrestricted
+ using the "-r" flag, the attempt SHOULD be ignored. There is no
+ restriction, however, on anyone `deopping' themselves (using "+r").
+ This flag is typically set by the server upon connection for
+ administrative reasons. While the restrictions imposed are left up
+ to the implementation, it is typical that a restricted user not be
+ allowed to change nicknames, nor make use of the channel operator
+ status on channels.
+
+ The flag 's' is obsolete but MAY still be used.
+
+ Numeric Replies:
+
+ ERR_NEEDMOREPARAMS ERR_USERSDONTMATCH
+ ERR_UMODEUNKNOWNFLAG RPL_UMODEIS
+
+ Examples:
+
+ MODE WiZ -w ; Command by WiZ to turn off
+ reception of WALLOPS messages.
+
+ MODE Angel +i ; Command from Angel to make herself
+ invisible.
+
+ MODE WiZ -o ; WiZ 'deopping' (removing operator
+ status).
+
+3.1.6 Service message
+
+ Command: SERVICE
+ Parameters: <nickname> <reserved> <distribution> <type>
+ <reserved> <info>
+
+ The SERVICE command to register a new service. Command parameters
+ specify the service nickname, distribution, type and info of a new
+ service.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+Kalt Informational [Page 13]
+
+RFC 2812 Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol April 2000
+
+
+ The <distribution> parameter is used to specify the visibility of a
+ service. The service may only be known to servers which have a name
+ matching the distribution. For a matching server to have knowledge
+ of the service, the network path between that server and the server
+ on which the service is connected MUST be composed of servers which
+ names all match the mask.
+
+ The <type> parameter is currently reserved for future usage.
+
+ Numeric Replies:
+
+ ERR_ALREADYREGISTRED ERR_NEEDMOREPARAMS
+ ERR_ERRONEUSNICKNAME
+ RPL_YOURESERVICE RPL_YOURHOST
+ RPL_MYINFO
+
+ Example:
+
+ SERVICE dict * *.fr 0 0 :French Dictionary ; Service registering
+ itself with a name of "dict". This
+ service will only be available on
+ servers which name matches "*.fr".
+
+3.1.7 Quit
+
+ Command: QUIT
+ Parameters: [ <Quit Message> ]
+
+ A client session is terminated with a quit message. The server
+ acknowledges this by sending an ERROR message to the client.
+
+ Numeric Replies:
+
+ None.
+
+ Example:
+
+ QUIT :Gone to have lunch ; Preferred message format.
+
+ :syrk!kalt@millennium.stealth.net QUIT :Gone to have lunch ; User
+ syrk has quit IRC to have lunch.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+Kalt Informational [Page 14]
+
+RFC 2812 Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol April 2000
+
+
+3.1.8 Squit
+
+ Command: SQUIT
+ Parameters: <server> <comment>
+
+ The SQUIT command is available only to operators. It is used to
+ disconnect server links. Also servers can generate SQUIT messages on
+ error conditions. A SQUIT message may also target a remote server
+ connection. In this case, the SQUIT message will simply be sent to
+ the remote server without affecting the servers in between the
+ operator and the remote server.
+
+ The <comment> SHOULD be supplied by all operators who execute a SQUIT
+ for a remote server. The server ordered to disconnect its peer
+ generates a WALLOPS message with <comment> included, so that other
+ users may be aware of the reason of this action.
+
+ Numeric replies:
+
+ ERR_NOPRIVILEGES ERR_NOSUCHSERVER
+ ERR_NEEDMOREPARAMS
+
+ Examples:
+
+ SQUIT tolsun.oulu.fi :Bad Link ? ; Command to uplink of the server
+ tolson.oulu.fi to terminate its
+ connection with comment "Bad Link".
+
+ :Trillian SQUIT cm22.eng.umd.edu :Server out of control ; Command
+ from Trillian from to disconnect
+ "cm22.eng.umd.edu" from the net with
+ comment "Server out of control".
+
+3.2 Channel operations
+
+ This group of messages is concerned with manipulating channels, their
+ properties (channel modes), and their contents (typically users).
+ For this reason, these messages SHALL NOT be made available to
+ services.
+
+ All of these messages are requests which will or will not be granted
+ by the server. The server MUST send a reply informing the user
+ whether the request was granted, denied or generated an error. When
+ the server grants the request, the message is typically sent back
+ (eventually reformatted) to the user with the prefix set to the user
+ itself.
+
+
+
+
+
+Kalt Informational [Page 15]
+
+RFC 2812 Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol April 2000
+
+
+ The rules governing how channels are managed are enforced by the
+ servers. These rules are beyond the scope of this document. More
+ details are found in "Internet Relay Chat: Channel Management" [IRC-
+ CHAN].
+
+3.2.1 Join message
+
+ Command: JOIN
+ Parameters: ( <channel> *( "," <channel> ) [ <key> *( "," <key> ) ] )
+ / "0"
+
+ The JOIN command is used by a user to request to start listening to
+ the specific channel. Servers MUST be able to parse arguments in the
+ form of a list of target, but SHOULD NOT use lists when sending JOIN
+ messages to clients.
+
+ Once a user has joined a channel, he receives information about
+ all commands his server receives affecting the channel. This
+ includes JOIN, MODE, KICK, PART, QUIT and of course PRIVMSG/NOTICE.
+ This allows channel members to keep track of the other channel
+ members, as well as channel modes.
+
+ If a JOIN is successful, the user receives a JOIN message as
+ confirmation and is then sent the channel's topic (using RPL_TOPIC) and
+ the list of users who are on the channel (using RPL_NAMREPLY), which
+ MUST include the user joining.
+
+ Note that this message accepts a special argument ("0"), which is
+ a special request to leave all channels the user is currently a member
+ of. The server will process this message as if the user had sent
+ a PART command (See Section 3.2.2) for each channel he is a member
+ of.
+
+ Numeric Replies:
+
+ ERR_NEEDMOREPARAMS ERR_BANNEDFROMCHAN
+ ERR_INVITEONLYCHAN ERR_BADCHANNELKEY
+ ERR_CHANNELISFULL ERR_BADCHANMASK
+ ERR_NOSUCHCHANNEL ERR_TOOMANYCHANNELS
+ ERR_TOOMANYTARGETS ERR_UNAVAILRESOURCE
+ RPL_TOPIC
+
+ Examples:
+
+ JOIN #foobar ; Command to join channel #foobar.
+
+ JOIN &foo fubar ; Command to join channel &foo using
+ key "fubar".
+
+
+
+Kalt Informational [Page 16]
+
+RFC 2812 Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol April 2000
+
+
+ JOIN #foo,&bar fubar ; Command to join channel #foo using
+ key "fubar" and &bar using no key.
+
+ JOIN #foo,#bar fubar,foobar ; Command to join channel #foo using
+ key "fubar", and channel #bar using
+ key "foobar".
+
+ JOIN #foo,#bar ; Command to join channels #foo and
+ #bar.
+
+ JOIN 0 ; Leave all currently joined
+ channels.
+
+ :WiZ!jto@tolsun.oulu.fi JOIN #Twilight_zone ; JOIN message from WiZ
+ on channel #Twilight_zone
+
+3.2.2 Part message
+
+ Command: PART
+ Parameters: <channel> *( "," <channel> ) [ <Part Message> ]
+
+ The PART command causes the user sending the message to be removed
+ from the list of active members for all given channels listed in the
+ parameter string. If a "Part Message" is given, this will be sent
+ instead of the default message, the nickname. This request is always
+ granted by the server.
+
+ Servers MUST be able to parse arguments in the form of a list of
+ target, but SHOULD NOT use lists when sending PART messages to
+ clients.
+
+ Numeric Replies:
+
+ ERR_NEEDMOREPARAMS ERR_NOSUCHCHANNEL
+ ERR_NOTONCHANNEL
+
+ Examples:
+
+ PART #twilight_zone ; Command to leave channel
+ "#twilight_zone"
+
+ PART #oz-ops,&group5 ; Command to leave both channels
+ "&group5" and "#oz-ops".
+
+ :WiZ!jto@tolsun.oulu.fi PART #playzone :I lost
+ ; User WiZ leaving channel
+ "#playzone" with the message "I
+ lost".
+
+
+
+Kalt Informational [Page 17]
+
+RFC 2812 Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol April 2000
+
+
+3.2.3 Channel mode message
+
+ Command: MODE
+ Parameters: <channel> *( ( "-" / "+" ) *<modes> *<modeparams> )
+
+ The MODE command is provided so that users may query and change the
+ characteristics of a channel. For more details on available modes
+ and their uses, see "Internet Relay Chat: Channel Management" [IRC-
+ CHAN]. Note that there is a maximum limit of three (3) changes per
+ command for modes that take a parameter.
+
+ Numeric Replies:
+
+ ERR_NEEDMOREPARAMS ERR_KEYSET
+ ERR_NOCHANMODES ERR_CHANOPRIVSNEEDED
+ ERR_USERNOTINCHANNEL ERR_UNKNOWNMODE
+ RPL_CHANNELMODEIS
+ RPL_BANLIST RPL_ENDOFBANLIST
+ RPL_EXCEPTLIST RPL_ENDOFEXCEPTLIST
+ RPL_INVITELIST RPL_ENDOFINVITELIST
+ RPL_UNIQOPIS
+
+ The following examples are given to help understanding the syntax of
+ the MODE command, but refer to modes defined in "Internet Relay Chat:
+ Channel Management" [IRC-CHAN].
+
+ Examples:
+
+ MODE #Finnish +imI *!*@*.fi ; Command to make #Finnish channel
+ moderated and 'invite-only' with user
+ with a hostname matching *.fi
+ automatically invited.
+
+ MODE #Finnish +o Kilroy ; Command to give 'chanop' privileges
+ to Kilroy on channel #Finnish.
+
+ MODE #Finnish +v Wiz ; Command to allow WiZ to speak on
+ #Finnish.
+
+ MODE #Fins -s ; Command to remove 'secret' flag
+ from channel #Fins.
+
+ MODE #42 +k oulu ; Command to set the channel key to
+ "oulu".
+
+ MODE #42 -k oulu ; Command to remove the "oulu"
+ channel key on channel "#42".
+
+
+
+
+Kalt Informational [Page 18]
+
+RFC 2812 Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol April 2000
+
+
+ MODE #eu-opers +l 10 ; Command to set the limit for the
+ number of users on channel
+ "#eu-opers" to 10.
+
+ :WiZ!jto@tolsun.oulu.fi MODE #eu-opers -l
+ ; User "WiZ" removing the limit for
+ the number of users on channel "#eu-
+ opers".
+
+ MODE &oulu +b ; Command to list ban masks set for
+ the channel "&oulu".
+
+ MODE &oulu +b *!*@* ; Command to prevent all users from
+ joining.
+
+ MODE &oulu +b *!*@*.edu +e *!*@*.bu.edu
+ ; Command to prevent any user from a
+ hostname matching *.edu from joining,
+ except if matching *.bu.edu
+
+ MODE #bu +be *!*@*.edu *!*@*.bu.edu
+ ; Comment to prevent any user from a
+ hostname matching *.edu from joining,
+ except if matching *.bu.edu
+
+ MODE #meditation e ; Command to list exception masks set
+ for the channel "#meditation".
+
+ MODE #meditation I ; Command to list invitations masks
+ set for the channel "#meditation".
+
+ MODE !12345ircd O ; Command to ask who the channel
+ creator for "!12345ircd" is
+
+3.2.4 Topic message
+
+ Command: TOPIC
+ Parameters: <channel> [ <topic> ]
+
+ The TOPIC command is used to change or view the topic of a channel.
+ The topic for channel <channel> is returned if there is no <topic>
+ given. If the <topic> parameter is present, the topic for that
+ channel will be changed, if this action is allowed for the user
+ requesting it. If the <topic> parameter is an empty string, the
+ topic for that channel will be removed.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+Kalt Informational [Page 19]
+
+RFC 2812 Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol April 2000
+
+
+ Numeric Replies:
+
+ ERR_NEEDMOREPARAMS ERR_NOTONCHANNEL
+ RPL_NOTOPIC RPL_TOPIC
+ ERR_CHANOPRIVSNEEDED ERR_NOCHANMODES
+
+ Examples:
+
+ :WiZ!jto@tolsun.oulu.fi TOPIC #test :New topic ; User Wiz setting the
+ topic.
+
+ TOPIC #test :another topic ; Command to set the topic on #test
+ to "another topic".
+
+ TOPIC #test : ; Command to clear the topic on
+ #test.
+
+ TOPIC #test ; Command to check the topic for
+ #test.
+
+3.2.5 Names message
+
+ Command: NAMES
+ Parameters: [ <channel> *( "," <channel> ) [ <target> ] ]
+
+ By using the NAMES command, a user can list all nicknames that are
+ visible to him. For more details on what is visible and what is not,
+ see "Internet Relay Chat: Channel Management" [IRC-CHAN]. The
+ <channel> parameter specifies which channel(s) to return information
+ about. There is no error reply for bad channel names.
+
+ If no <channel> parameter is given, a list of all channels and their
+ occupants is returned. At the end of this list, a list of users who
+ are visible but either not on any channel or not on a visible channel
+ are listed as being on `channel' "*".
+
+ If the <target> parameter is specified, the request is forwarded to
+ that server which will generate the reply.
+
+ Wildcards are allowed in the <target> parameter.
+
+ Numerics:
+
+ ERR_TOOMANYMATCHES ERR_NOSUCHSERVER
+ RPL_NAMREPLY RPL_ENDOFNAMES
+
+
+
+
+
+
+Kalt Informational [Page 20]
+
+RFC 2812 Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol April 2000
+
+
+ Examples:
+
+ NAMES #twilight_zone,#42 ; Command to list visible users on
+ #twilight_zone and #42
+
+ NAMES ; Command to list all visible
+ channels and users
+
+3.2.6 List message
+
+ Command: LIST
+ Parameters: [ <channel> *( "," <channel> ) [ <target> ] ]
+
+ The list command is used to list channels and their topics. If the
+ <channel> parameter is used, only the status of that channel is
+ displayed.
+
+ If the <target> parameter is specified, the request is forwarded to
+ that server which will generate the reply.
+
+ Wildcards are allowed in the <target> parameter.
+
+ Numeric Replies:
+
+ ERR_TOOMANYMATCHES ERR_NOSUCHSERVER
+ RPL_LIST RPL_LISTEND
+
+ Examples:
+
+ LIST ; Command to list all channels.
+
+ LIST #twilight_zone,#42 ; Command to list channels
+ #twilight_zone and #42
+
+3.2.7 Invite message
+
+ Command: INVITE
+ Parameters: <nickname> <channel>
+
+ The INVITE command is used to invite a user to a channel. The
+ parameter <nickname> is the nickname of the person to be invited to
+ the target channel <channel>. There is no requirement that the
+ channel the target user is being invited to must exist or be a valid
+ channel. However, if the channel exists, only members of the channel
+ are allowed to invite other users. When the channel has invite-only
+ flag set, only channel operators may issue INVITE command.
+
+
+
+
+
+Kalt Informational [Page 21]
+
+RFC 2812 Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol April 2000
+
+
+ Only the user inviting and the user being invited will receive
+ notification of the invitation. Other channel members are not
+ notified. (This is unlike the MODE changes, and is occasionally the
+ source of trouble for users.)
+
+ Numeric Replies:
+
+ ERR_NEEDMOREPARAMS ERR_NOSUCHNICK
+ ERR_NOTONCHANNEL ERR_USERONCHANNEL
+ ERR_CHANOPRIVSNEEDED
+ RPL_INVITING RPL_AWAY
+
+ Examples:
+
+ :Angel!wings@irc.org INVITE Wiz #Dust
+
+ ; Message to WiZ when he has been
+ invited by user Angel to channel
+ #Dust
+
+ INVITE Wiz #Twilight_Zone ; Command to invite WiZ to
+ #Twilight_zone
+
+3.2.8 Kick command
+
+ Command: KICK
+ Parameters: <channel> *( "," <channel> ) <user> *( "," <user> )
+ [<comment>]
+
+ The KICK command can be used to request the forced removal of a user
+ from a channel. It causes the <user> to PART from the <channel> by
+ force. For the message to be syntactically correct, there MUST be
+ either one channel parameter and multiple user parameter, or as many
+ channel parameters as there are user parameters. If a "comment" is
+ given, this will be sent instead of the default message, the nickname
+ of the user issuing the KICK.
+
+ The server MUST NOT send KICK messages with multiple channels or
+ users to clients. This is necessarily to maintain backward
+ compatibility with old client software.
+
+ Numeric Replies:
+
+ ERR_NEEDMOREPARAMS ERR_NOSUCHCHANNEL
+ ERR_BADCHANMASK ERR_CHANOPRIVSNEEDED
+ ERR_USERNOTINCHANNEL ERR_NOTONCHANNEL
+
+
+
+
+
+Kalt Informational [Page 22]
+
+RFC 2812 Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol April 2000
+
+
+ Examples:
+
+ KICK &Melbourne Matthew ; Command to kick Matthew from
+ &Melbourne
+
+ KICK #Finnish John :Speaking English
+ ; Command to kick John from #Finnish
+ using "Speaking English" as the
+ reason (comment).
+
+ :WiZ!jto@tolsun.oulu.fi KICK #Finnish John
+ ; KICK message on channel #Finnish
+ from WiZ to remove John from channel
+
+3.3 Sending messages
+
+ The main purpose of the IRC protocol is to provide a base for clients
+ to communicate with each other. PRIVMSG, NOTICE and SQUERY
+ (described in Section 3.5 on Service Query and Commands) are the only
+ messages available which actually perform delivery of a text message
+ from one client to another - the rest just make it possible and try
+ to ensure it happens in a reliable and structured manner.
+
+3.3.1 Private messages
+
+ Command: PRIVMSG
+ Parameters: <msgtarget> <text to be sent>
+
+ PRIVMSG is used to send private messages between users, as well as to
+ send messages to channels. <msgtarget> is usually the nickname of
+ the recipient of the message, or a channel name.
+
+ The <msgtarget> parameter may also be a host mask (#<mask>) or server
+ mask ($<mask>). In both cases the server will only send the PRIVMSG
+ to those who have a server or host matching the mask. The mask MUST
+ have at least 1 (one) "." in it and no wildcards following the last
+ ".". This requirement exists to prevent people sending messages to
+ "#*" or "$*", which would broadcast to all users. Wildcards are the
+ '*' and '?' characters. This extension to the PRIVMSG command is
+ only available to operators.
+
+ Numeric Replies:
+
+ ERR_NORECIPIENT ERR_NOTEXTTOSEND
+ ERR_CANNOTSENDTOCHAN ERR_NOTOPLEVEL
+ ERR_WILDTOPLEVEL ERR_TOOMANYTARGETS
+ ERR_NOSUCHNICK
+ RPL_AWAY
+
+
+
+Kalt Informational [Page 23]
+
+RFC 2812 Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol April 2000
+
+
+ Examples:
+
+ :Angel!wings@irc.org PRIVMSG Wiz :Are you receiving this message ?
+ ; Message from Angel to Wiz.
+
+ PRIVMSG Angel :yes I'm receiving it !
+ ; Command to send a message to Angel.
+
+ PRIVMSG jto@tolsun.oulu.fi :Hello !
+ ; Command to send a message to a user
+ on server tolsun.oulu.fi with
+ username of "jto".
+
+ PRIVMSG kalt%millennium.stealth.net@irc.stealth.net :Are you a frog?
+ ; Message to a user on server
+ irc.stealth.net with username of
+ "kalt", and connected from the host
+ millennium.stealth.net.
+
+ PRIVMSG kalt%millennium.stealth.net :Do you like cheese?
+ ; Message to a user on the local
+ server with username of "kalt", and
+ connected from the host
+ millennium.stealth.net.
+
+ PRIVMSG Wiz!jto@tolsun.oulu.fi :Hello !
+ ; Message to the user with nickname
+ Wiz who is connected from the host
+ tolsun.oulu.fi and has the username
+ "jto".
+
+ PRIVMSG $*.fi :Server tolsun.oulu.fi rebooting.
+ ; Message to everyone on a server
+ which has a name matching *.fi.
+
+ PRIVMSG #*.edu :NSFNet is undergoing work, expect interruptions
+ ; Message to all users who come from
+ a host which has a name matching
+ *.edu.
+
+3.3.2 Notice
+
+ Command: NOTICE
+ Parameters: <msgtarget> <text>
+
+ The NOTICE command is used similarly to PRIVMSG. The difference
+ between NOTICE and PRIVMSG is that automatic replies MUST NEVER be
+ sent in response to a NOTICE message. This rule applies to servers
+
+
+
+Kalt Informational [Page 24]
+
+RFC 2812 Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol April 2000
+
+
+ too - they MUST NOT send any error reply back to the client on
+ receipt of a notice. The object of this rule is to avoid loops
+ between clients automatically sending something in response to
+ something it received.
+
+ This command is available to services as well as users.
+
+ This is typically used by services, and automatons (clients with
+ either an AI or other interactive program controlling their actions).
+
+ See PRIVMSG for more details on replies and examples.
+
+3.4 Server queries and commands
+
+ The server query group of commands has been designed to return
+ information about any server which is connected to the network.
+
+ In these queries, where a parameter appears as <target>, wildcard
+ masks are usually valid. For each parameter, however, only one query
+ and set of replies is to be generated. In most cases, if a nickname
+ is given, it will mean the server to which the user is connected.
+
+ These messages typically have little value for services, it is
+ therefore RECOMMENDED to forbid services from using them.
+
+3.4.1 Motd message
+
+ Command: MOTD
+ Parameters: [ <target> ]
+
+ The MOTD command is used to get the "Message Of The Day" of the given
+ server, or current server if <target> is omitted.
+
+ Wildcards are allowed in the <target> parameter.
+
+ Numeric Replies:
+ RPL_MOTDSTART RPL_MOTD
+ RPL_ENDOFMOTD ERR_NOMOTD
+
+3.4.2 Lusers message
+
+ Command: LUSERS
+ Parameters: [ <mask> [ <target> ] ]
+
+ The LUSERS command is used to get statistics about the size of the
+ IRC network. If no parameter is given, the reply will be about the
+ whole net. If a <mask> is specified, then the reply will only
+
+
+
+
+Kalt Informational [Page 25]
+
+RFC 2812 Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol April 2000
+
+
+ concern the part of the network formed by the servers matching the
+ mask. Finally, if the <target> parameter is specified, the request
+ is forwarded to that server which will generate the reply.
+
+ Wildcards are allowed in the <target> parameter.
+
+ Numeric Replies:
+
+ RPL_LUSERCLIENT RPL_LUSEROP
+ RPL_LUSERUNKOWN RPL_LUSERCHANNELS
+ RPL_LUSERME ERR_NOSUCHSERVER
+
+3.4.3 Version message
+
+ Command: VERSION
+ Parameters: [ <target> ]
+
+ The VERSION command is used to query the version of the server
+ program. An optional parameter <target> is used to query the version
+ of the server program which a client is not directly connected to.
+
+ Wildcards are allowed in the <target> parameter.
+
+ Numeric Replies:
+
+ ERR_NOSUCHSERVER RPL_VERSION
+
+ Examples:
+
+ VERSION tolsun.oulu.fi ; Command to check the version of
+ server "tolsun.oulu.fi".
+
+3.4.4 Stats message
+
+ Command: STATS
+ Parameters: [ <query> [ <target> ] ]
+
+ The stats command is used to query statistics of certain server. If
+ <query> parameter is omitted, only the end of stats reply is sent
+ back.
+
+ A query may be given for any single letter which is only checked by
+ the destination server and is otherwise passed on by intermediate
+ servers, ignored and unaltered.
+
+ Wildcards are allowed in the <target> parameter.
+
+
+
+
+
+Kalt Informational [Page 26]
+
+RFC 2812 Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol April 2000
+
+
+ Except for the ones below, the list of valid queries is
+ implementation dependent. The standard queries below SHOULD be
+ supported by the server:
+
+ l - returns a list of the server's connections, showing how
+ long each connection has been established and the
+ traffic over that connection in Kbytes and messages for
+ each direction;
+ m - returns the usage count for each of commands supported
+ by the server; commands for which the usage count is
+ zero MAY be omitted;
+ o - returns a list of configured privileged users,
+ operators;
+ u - returns a string showing how long the server has been
+ up.
+
+ It is also RECOMMENDED that client and server access configuration be
+ published this way.
+
+ Numeric Replies:
+
+ ERR_NOSUCHSERVER
+ RPL_STATSLINKINFO RPL_STATSUPTIME
+ RPL_STATSCOMMANDS RPL_STATSOLINE
+ RPL_ENDOFSTATS
+
+ Examples:
+
+ STATS m ; Command to check the command usage
+ for the server you are connected to
+
+3.4.5 Links message
+
+ Command: LINKS
+ Parameters: [ [ <remote server> ] <server mask> ]
+
+ With LINKS, a user can list all servernames, which are known by the
+ server answering the query. The returned list of servers MUST match
+ the mask, or if no mask is given, the full list is returned.
+
+ If <remote server> is given in addition to <server mask>, the LINKS
+ command is forwarded to the first server found that matches that name
+ (if any), and that server is then required to answer the query.
+
+ Numeric Replies:
+
+ ERR_NOSUCHSERVER
+ RPL_LINKS RPL_ENDOFLINKS
+
+
+
+Kalt Informational [Page 27]
+
+RFC 2812 Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol April 2000
+
+
+ Examples:
+
+ LINKS *.au ; Command to list all servers which
+ have a name that matches *.au;
+
+ LINKS *.edu *.bu.edu ; Command to list servers matching
+ *.bu.edu as seen by the first server
+ matching *.edu.
+
+3.4.6 Time message
+
+ Command: TIME
+ Parameters: [ <target> ]
+
+ The time command is used to query local time from the specified
+ server. If the <target> parameter is not given, the server receiving
+ the command must reply to the query.
+
+ Wildcards are allowed in the <target> parameter.
+
+ Numeric Replies:
+
+ ERR_NOSUCHSERVER RPL_TIME
+
+ Examples:
+ TIME tolsun.oulu.fi ; check the time on the server
+ "tolson.oulu.fi"
+
+3.4.7 Connect message
+
+ Command: CONNECT
+ Parameters: <target server> <port> [ <remote server> ]
+
+ The CONNECT command can be used to request a server to try to
+ establish a new connection to another server immediately. CONNECT is
+ a privileged command and SHOULD be available only to IRC Operators.
+ If a <remote server> is given and its mask doesn't match name of the
+ parsing server, the CONNECT attempt is sent to the first match of
+ remote server. Otherwise the CONNECT attempt is made by the server
+ processing the request.
+
+ The server receiving a remote CONNECT command SHOULD generate a
+ WALLOPS message describing the source and target of the request.
+
+ Numeric Replies:
+
+ ERR_NOSUCHSERVER ERR_NOPRIVILEGES
+ ERR_NEEDMOREPARAMS
+
+
+
+Kalt Informational [Page 28]
+
+RFC 2812 Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol April 2000
+
+
+ Examples:
+
+ CONNECT tolsun.oulu.fi 6667 ; Command to attempt to connect local
+ server to tolsun.oulu.fi on port 6667
+
+3.4.8 Trace message
+
+ Command: TRACE
+ Parameters: [ <target> ]
+
+ TRACE command is used to find the route to specific server and
+ information about its peers. Each server that processes this command
+ MUST report to the sender about it. The replies from pass-through
+ links form a chain, which shows route to destination. After sending
+ this reply back, the query MUST be sent to the next server until
+ given <target> server is reached.
+
+ TRACE command is used to find the route to specific server. Each
+ server that processes this message MUST tell the sender about it by
+ sending a reply indicating it is a pass-through link, forming a chain
+ of replies. After sending this reply back, it MUST then send the
+ TRACE message to the next server until given server is reached. If
+ the <target> parameter is omitted, it is RECOMMENDED that TRACE
+ command sends a message to the sender telling which servers the local
+ server has direct connection to.
+
+ If the destination given by <target> is an actual server, the
+ destination server is REQUIRED to report all servers, services and
+ operators which are connected to it; if the command was issued by an
+ operator, the server MAY also report all users which are connected to
+ it. If the destination given by <target> is a nickname, then only a
+ reply for that nickname is given. If the <target> parameter is
+ omitted, it is RECOMMENDED that the TRACE command is parsed as
+ targeted to the processing server.
+
+ Wildcards are allowed in the <target> parameter.
+
+ Numeric Replies:
+
+ ERR_NOSUCHSERVER
+
+ If the TRACE message is destined for another server, all
+ intermediate servers must return a RPL_TRACELINK reply to indicate
+ that the TRACE passed through it and where it is going next.
+
+ RPL_TRACELINK
+
+
+
+
+
+Kalt Informational [Page 29]
+
+RFC 2812 Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol April 2000
+
+
+ A TRACE reply may be composed of any number of the following
+ numeric replies.
+
+ RPL_TRACECONNECTING RPL_TRACEHANDSHAKE
+ RPL_TRACEUNKNOWN RPL_TRACEOPERATOR
+ RPL_TRACEUSER RPL_TRACESERVER
+ RPL_TRACESERVICE RPL_TRACENEWTYPE
+ RPL_TRACECLASS RPL_TRACELOG
+ RPL_TRACEEND
+
+ Examples:
+
+ TRACE *.oulu.fi ; TRACE to a server matching
+ *.oulu.fi
+
+3.4.9 Admin command
+
+ Command: ADMIN
+ Parameters: [ <target> ]
+
+ The admin command is used to find information about the administrator
+ of the given server, or current server if <target> parameter is
+ omitted. Each server MUST have the ability to forward ADMIN messages
+ to other servers.
+
+ Wildcards are allowed in the <target> parameter.
+
+ Numeric Replies:
+
+ ERR_NOSUCHSERVER
+ RPL_ADMINME RPL_ADMINLOC1
+ RPL_ADMINLOC2 RPL_ADMINEMAIL
+
+ Examples:
+
+ ADMIN tolsun.oulu.fi ; request an ADMIN reply from
+ tolsun.oulu.fi
+
+ ADMIN syrk ; ADMIN request for the server to
+ which the user syrk is connected
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+Kalt Informational [Page 30]
+
+RFC 2812 Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol April 2000
+
+
+3.4.10 Info command
+
+ Command: INFO
+ Parameters: [ <target> ]
+
+ The INFO command is REQUIRED to return information describing the
+ server: its version, when it was compiled, the patchlevel, when it
+ was started, and any other miscellaneous information which may be
+ considered to be relevant.
+
+ Wildcards are allowed in the <target> parameter.
+
+ Numeric Replies:
+
+ ERR_NOSUCHSERVER
+ RPL_INFO RPL_ENDOFINFO
+
+ Examples:
+
+ INFO csd.bu.edu ; request an INFO reply from
+ csd.bu.edu
+
+ INFO Angel ; request info from the server that
+ Angel is connected to.
+
+3.5 Service Query and Commands
+
+ The service query group of commands has been designed to return
+ information about any service which is connected to the network.
+
+3.5.1 Servlist message
+
+ Command: SERVLIST
+ Parameters: [ <mask> [ <type> ] ]
+
+ The SERVLIST command is used to list services currently connected to
+ the network and visible to the user issuing the command. The
+ optional parameters may be used to restrict the result of the query
+ (to matching services names, and services type).
+
+ Numeric Replies:
+
+ RPL_SERVLIST RPL_SERVLISTEND
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+Kalt Informational [Page 31]
+
+RFC 2812 Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol April 2000
+
+
+3.5.2 Squery
+
+ Command: SQUERY
+ Parameters: <servicename> <text>
+
+ The SQUERY command is used similarly to PRIVMSG. The only difference
+ is that the recipient MUST be a service. This is the only way for a
+ text message to be delivered to a service.
+
+ See PRIVMSG for more details on replies and example.
+
+ Examples:
+
+ SQUERY irchelp :HELP privmsg
+ ; Message to the service with
+ nickname irchelp.
+
+ SQUERY dict@irc.fr :fr2en blaireau
+ ; Message to the service with name
+ dict@irc.fr.
+
+3.6 User based queries
+
+ User queries are a group of commands which are primarily concerned
+ with finding details on a particular user or group users. When using
+ wildcards with any of these commands, if they match, they will only
+ return information on users who are 'visible' to you. The visibility
+ of a user is determined as a combination of the user's mode and the
+ common set of channels you are both on.
+
+ Although services SHOULD NOT be using this class of message, they are
+ allowed to.
+
+3.6.1 Who query
+
+ Command: WHO
+ Parameters: [ <mask> [ "o" ] ]
+
+ The WHO command is used by a client to generate a query which returns
+ a list of information which 'matches' the <mask> parameter given by
+ the client. In the absence of the <mask> parameter, all visible
+ (users who aren't invisible (user mode +i) and who don't have a
+ common channel with the requesting client) are listed. The same
+ result can be achieved by using a <mask> of "0" or any wildcard which
+ will end up matching every visible user.
+
+ The <mask> passed to WHO is matched against users' host, server, real
+ name and nickname if the channel <mask> cannot be found.
+
+
+
+Kalt Informational [Page 32]
+
+RFC 2812 Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol April 2000
+
+
+ If the "o" parameter is passed only operators are returned according
+ to the <mask> supplied.
+
+ Numeric Replies:
+
+ ERR_NOSUCHSERVER
+ RPL_WHOREPLY RPL_ENDOFWHO
+
+ Examples:
+
+ WHO *.fi ; Command to list all users who match
+ against "*.fi".
+
+ WHO jto* o ; Command to list all users with a
+ match against "jto*" if they are an
+ operator.
+
+3.6.2 Whois query
+
+ Command: WHOIS
+ Parameters: [ <target> ] <mask> *( "," <mask> )
+
+ This command is used to query information about particular user.
+ The server will answer this command with several numeric messages
+ indicating different statuses of each user which matches the mask (if
+ you are entitled to see them). If no wildcard is present in the
+ <mask>, any information about that nick which you are allowed to see
+ is presented.
+
+ If the <target> parameter is specified, it sends the query to a
+ specific server. It is useful if you want to know how long the user
+ in question has been idle as only local server (i.e., the server the
+ user is directly connected to) knows that information, while
+ everything else is globally known.
+
+ Wildcards are allowed in the <target> parameter.
+
+ Numeric Replies:
+
+ ERR_NOSUCHSERVER ERR_NONICKNAMEGIVEN
+ RPL_WHOISUSER RPL_WHOISCHANNELS
+ RPL_WHOISCHANNELS RPL_WHOISSERVER
+ RPL_AWAY RPL_WHOISOPERATOR
+ RPL_WHOISIDLE ERR_NOSUCHNICK
+ RPL_ENDOFWHOIS
+
+
+
+
+
+
+Kalt Informational [Page 33]
+
+RFC 2812 Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol April 2000
+
+
+ Examples:
+
+ WHOIS wiz ; return available user information
+ about nick WiZ
+
+ WHOIS eff.org trillian ; ask server eff.org for user
+ information about trillian
+
+3.6.3 Whowas
+
+ Command: WHOWAS
+ Parameters: <nickname> *( "," <nickname> ) [ <count> [ <target> ] ]
+
+ Whowas asks for information about a nickname which no longer exists.
+ This may either be due to a nickname change or the user leaving IRC.
+ In response to this query, the server searches through its nickname
+ history, looking for any nicks which are lexically the same (no wild
+ card matching here). The history is searched backward, returning the
+ most recent entry first. If there are multiple entries, up to
+ <count> replies will be returned (or all of them if no <count>
+ parameter is given). If a non-positive number is passed as being
+ <count>, then a full search is done.
+
+ Wildcards are allowed in the <target> parameter.
+
+ Numeric Replies:
+
+ ERR_NONICKNAMEGIVEN ERR_WASNOSUCHNICK
+ RPL_WHOWASUSER RPL_WHOISSERVER
+ RPL_ENDOFWHOWAS
+
+ Examples:
+
+ WHOWAS Wiz ; return all information in the nick
+ history about nick "WiZ";
+
+ WHOWAS Mermaid 9 ; return at most, the 9 most recent
+ entries in the nick history for
+ "Mermaid";
+
+ WHOWAS Trillian 1 *.edu ; return the most recent history for
+ "Trillian" from the first server
+ found to match "*.edu".
+
+3.7 Miscellaneous messages
+
+ Messages in this category do not fit into any of the above categories
+ but are nonetheless still a part of and REQUIRED by the protocol.
+
+
+
+Kalt Informational [Page 34]
+
+RFC 2812 Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol April 2000
+
+
+3.7.1 Kill message
+
+ Command: KILL
+ Parameters: <nickname> <comment>
+
+ The KILL command is used to cause a client-server connection to be
+ closed by the server which has the actual connection. Servers
+ generate KILL messages on nickname collisions. It MAY also be
+ available available to users who have the operator status.
+
+ Clients which have automatic reconnect algorithms effectively make
+ this command useless since the disconnection is only brief. It does
+ however break the flow of data and can be used to stop large amounts
+ of 'flooding' from abusive users or accidents. Abusive users usually
+ don't care as they will reconnect promptly and resume their abusive
+ behaviour. To prevent this command from being abused, any user may
+ elect to receive KILL messages generated for others to keep an 'eye'
+ on would be trouble spots.
+
+ In an arena where nicknames are REQUIRED to be globally unique at all
+ times, KILL messages are sent whenever 'duplicates' are detected
+ (that is an attempt to register two users with the same nickname) in
+ the hope that both of them will disappear and only 1 reappear.
+
+ When a client is removed as the result of a KILL message, the server
+ SHOULD add the nickname to the list of unavailable nicknames in an
+ attempt to avoid clients to reuse this name immediately which is
+ usually the pattern of abusive behaviour often leading to useless
+ "KILL loops". See the "IRC Server Protocol" document [IRC-SERVER]
+ for more information on this procedure.
+
+ The comment given MUST reflect the actual reason for the KILL. For
+ server-generated KILLs it usually is made up of details concerning
+ the origins of the two conflicting nicknames. For users it is left
+ up to them to provide an adequate reason to satisfy others who see
+ it. To prevent/discourage fake KILLs from being generated to hide
+ the identify of the KILLer, the comment also shows a 'kill-path'
+ which is updated by each server it passes through, each prepending
+ its name to the path.
+
+ Numeric Replies:
+
+ ERR_NOPRIVILEGES ERR_NEEDMOREPARAMS
+ ERR_NOSUCHNICK ERR_CANTKILLSERVER
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+Kalt Informational [Page 35]
+
+RFC 2812 Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol April 2000
+
+
+ NOTE:
+ It is RECOMMENDED that only Operators be allowed to kill other users
+ with KILL command. This command has been the subject of many
+ controversies over the years, and along with the above
+ recommendation, it is also widely recognized that not even operators
+ should be allowed to kill users on remote servers.
+
+3.7.2 Ping message
+
+ Command: PING
+ Parameters: <server1> [ <server2> ]
+
+ The PING command is used to test the presence of an active client or
+ server at the other end of the connection. Servers send a PING
+ message at regular intervals if no other activity detected coming
+ from a connection. If a connection fails to respond to a PING
+ message within a set amount of time, that connection is closed. A
+ PING message MAY be sent even if the connection is active.
+
+ When a PING message is received, the appropriate PONG message MUST be
+ sent as reply to <server1> (server which sent the PING message out)
+ as soon as possible. If the <server2> parameter is specified, it
+ represents the target of the ping, and the message gets forwarded
+ there.
+
+ Numeric Replies:
+
+ ERR_NOORIGIN ERR_NOSUCHSERVER
+
+ Examples:
+
+ PING tolsun.oulu.fi ; Command to send a PING message to
+ server
+
+ PING WiZ tolsun.oulu.fi ; Command from WiZ to send a PING
+ message to server "tolsun.oulu.fi"
+
+ PING :irc.funet.fi ; Ping message sent by server
+ "irc.funet.fi"
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+Kalt Informational [Page 36]
+
+RFC 2812 Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol April 2000
+
+
+3.7.3 Pong message
+
+ Command: PONG
+ Parameters: <server> [ <server2> ]
+
+ PONG message is a reply to ping message. If parameter <server2> is
+ given, this message MUST be forwarded to given target. The <server>
+ parameter is the name of the entity who has responded to PING message
+ and generated this message.
+
+ Numeric Replies:
+
+ ERR_NOORIGIN ERR_NOSUCHSERVER
+
+ Example:
+
+ PONG csd.bu.edu tolsun.oulu.fi ; PONG message from csd.bu.edu to
+ tolsun.oulu.fi
+
+3.7.4 Error
+
+ Command: ERROR
+ Parameters: <error message>
+
+ The ERROR command is for use by servers when reporting a serious or
+ fatal error to its peers. It may also be sent from one server to
+ another but MUST NOT be accepted from any normal unknown clients.
+
+ Only an ERROR message SHOULD be used for reporting errors which occur
+ with a server-to-server link. An ERROR message is sent to the server
+ at the other end (which reports it to appropriate local users and
+ logs) and to appropriate local users and logs. It is not to be
+ passed onto any other servers by a server if it is received from a
+ server.
+
+ The ERROR message is also used before terminating a client
+ connection.
+
+ When a server sends a received ERROR message to its operators, the
+ message SHOULD be encapsulated inside a NOTICE message, indicating
+ that the client was not responsible for the error.
+
+ Numerics:
+
+ None.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+Kalt Informational [Page 37]
+
+RFC 2812 Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol April 2000
+
+
+ Examples:
+
+ ERROR :Server *.fi already exists ; ERROR message to the other server
+ which caused this error.
+
+ NOTICE WiZ :ERROR from csd.bu.edu -- Server *.fi already exists
+ ; Same ERROR message as above but
+ sent to user WiZ on the other server.
+
+4. Optional features
+
+ This section describes OPTIONAL messages. They are not required in a
+ working server implementation of the protocol described herein. In
+ the absence of the feature, an error reply message MUST be generated
+ or an unknown command error. If the message is destined for another
+ server to answer then it MUST be passed on (elementary parsing
+ REQUIRED) The allocated numerics for this are listed with the
+ messages below.
+
+ From this section, only the USERHOST and ISON messages are available
+ to services.
+
+4.1 Away
+
+ Command: AWAY
+ Parameters: [ <text> ]
+
+ With the AWAY command, clients can set an automatic reply string for
+ any PRIVMSG commands directed at them (not to a channel they are on).
+ The server sends an automatic reply to the client sending the PRIVMSG
+ command. The only replying server is the one to which the sending
+ client is connected to.
+
+ The AWAY command is used either with one parameter, to set an AWAY
+ message, or with no parameters, to remove the AWAY message.
+
+ Because of its high cost (memory and bandwidth wise), the AWAY
+ message SHOULD only be used for client-server communication. A
+ server MAY choose to silently ignore AWAY messages received from
+ other servers. To update the away status of a client across servers,
+ the user mode 'a' SHOULD be used instead. (See Section 3.1.5)
+
+ Numeric Replies:
+
+ RPL_UNAWAY RPL_NOWAWAY
+
+
+
+
+
+
+Kalt Informational [Page 38]
+
+RFC 2812 Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol April 2000
+
+
+ Example:
+
+ AWAY :Gone to lunch. Back in 5 ; Command to set away message to
+ "Gone to lunch. Back in 5".
+
+4.2 Rehash message
+
+ Command: REHASH
+ Parameters: None
+
+ The rehash command is an administrative command which can be used by
+ an operator to force the server to re-read and process its
+ configuration file.
+
+ Numeric Replies:
+
+ RPL_REHASHING ERR_NOPRIVILEGES
+
+
+ Example:
+
+ REHASH ; message from user with operator
+ status to server asking it to reread
+ its configuration file.
+
+4.3 Die message
+
+ Command: DIE
+ Parameters: None
+
+ An operator can use the DIE command to shutdown the server. This
+ message is optional since it may be viewed as a risk to allow
+ arbitrary people to connect to a server as an operator and execute
+ this command.
+
+ The DIE command MUST always be fully processed by the server to which
+ the sending client is connected and MUST NOT be passed onto other
+ connected servers.
+
+ Numeric Replies:
+
+ ERR_NOPRIVILEGES
+
+ Example:
+
+ DIE ; no parameters required.
+
+
+
+
+
+Kalt Informational [Page 39]
+
+RFC 2812 Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol April 2000
+
+
+4.4 Restart message
+
+ Command: RESTART
+ Parameters: None
+
+ An operator can use the restart command to force the server to
+ restart itself. This message is optional since it may be viewed as a
+ risk to allow arbitrary people to connect to a server as an operator
+ and execute this command, causing (at least) a disruption to service.
+
+ The RESTART command MUST always be fully processed by the server to
+ which the sending client is connected and MUST NOT be passed onto
+ other connected servers.
+
+ Numeric Replies:
+
+ ERR_NOPRIVILEGES
+
+ Example:
+
+ RESTART ; no parameters required.
+
+4.5 Summon message
+
+ Command: SUMMON
+ Parameters: <user> [ <target> [ <channel> ] ]
+
+ The SUMMON command can be used to give users who are on a host
+ running an IRC server a message asking them to please join IRC. This
+ message is only sent if the target server (a) has SUMMON enabled, (b)
+ the user is logged in and (c) the server process can write to the
+ user's tty (or similar).
+
+ If no <server> parameter is given it tries to summon <user> from the
+ server the client is connected to is assumed as the target.
+
+ If summon is not enabled in a server, it MUST return the
+ ERR_SUMMONDISABLED numeric.
+
+ Numeric Replies:
+
+ ERR_NORECIPIENT ERR_FILEERROR
+ ERR_NOLOGIN ERR_NOSUCHSERVER
+ ERR_SUMMONDISABLED RPL_SUMMONING
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+Kalt Informational [Page 40]
+
+RFC 2812 Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol April 2000
+
+
+ Examples:
+
+ SUMMON jto ; summon user jto on the server's
+ host
+
+ SUMMON jto tolsun.oulu.fi ; summon user jto on the host which a
+ server named "tolsun.oulu.fi" is
+ running.
+
+4.6 Users
+
+ Command: USERS
+ Parameters: [ <target> ]
+
+ The USERS command returns a list of users logged into the server in a
+ format similar to the UNIX commands who(1), rusers(1) and finger(1).
+ If disabled, the correct numeric MUST be returned to indicate this.
+
+ Because of the security implications of such a command, it SHOULD be
+ disabled by default in server implementations. Enabling it SHOULD
+ require recompiling the server or some equivalent change rather than
+ simply toggling an option and restarting the server. The procedure
+ to enable this command SHOULD also include suitable large comments.
+
+ Numeric Replies:
+
+ ERR_NOSUCHSERVER ERR_FILEERROR
+ RPL_USERSSTART RPL_USERS
+ RPL_NOUSERS RPL_ENDOFUSERS
+ ERR_USERSDISABLED
+
+ Disabled Reply:
+
+ ERR_USERSDISABLED
+
+ Example:
+
+ USERS eff.org ; request a list of users logged in
+ on server eff.org
+
+4.7 Operwall message
+
+ Command: WALLOPS
+ Parameters: <Text to be sent>
+
+ The WALLOPS command is used to send a message to all currently
+ connected users who have set the 'w' user mode for themselves. (See
+ Section 3.1.5 "User modes").
+
+
+
+Kalt Informational [Page 41]
+
+RFC 2812 Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol April 2000
+
+
+ After implementing WALLOPS as a user command it was found that it was
+ often and commonly abused as a means of sending a message to a lot of
+ people. Due to this, it is RECOMMENDED that the implementation of
+ WALLOPS allows and recognizes only servers as the originators of
+ WALLOPS.
+
+ Numeric Replies:
+
+ ERR_NEEDMOREPARAMS
+
+ Example:
+
+ :csd.bu.edu WALLOPS :Connect '*.uiuc.edu 6667' from Joshua ; WALLOPS
+ message from csd.bu.edu announcing a
+ CONNECT message it received from
+ Joshua and acted upon.
+
+4.8 Userhost message
+
+ Command: USERHOST
+ Parameters: <nickname> *( SPACE <nickname> )
+
+ The USERHOST command takes a list of up to 5 nicknames, each
+ separated by a space character and returns a list of information
+ about each nickname that it found. The returned list has each reply
+ separated by a space.
+
+ Numeric Replies:
+
+ RPL_USERHOST ERR_NEEDMOREPARAMS
+
+ Example:
+
+ USERHOST Wiz Michael syrk ; USERHOST request for information on
+ nicks "Wiz", "Michael", and "syrk"
+
+ :ircd.stealth.net 302 yournick :syrk=+syrk@millennium.stealth.net
+ ; Reply for user syrk
+
+4.9 Ison message
+
+ Command: ISON
+ Parameters: <nickname> *( SPACE <nickname> )
+
+ The ISON command was implemented to provide a quick and efficient
+ means to get a response about whether a given nickname was currently
+ on IRC. ISON only takes one (1) type of parameter: a space-separated
+ list of nicks. For each nickname in the list that is present, the
+
+
+
+Kalt Informational [Page 42]
+
+RFC 2812 Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol April 2000
+
+
+ server adds that to its reply string. Thus the reply string may
+ return empty (none of the given nicks are present), an exact copy of
+ the parameter string (all of them present) or any other subset of the
+ set of nicks given in the parameter. The only limit on the number of
+ nicks that may be checked is that the combined length MUST NOT be too
+ large as to cause the server to chop it off so it fits in 512
+ characters.
+
+ ISON is only processed by the server local to the client sending the
+ command and thus not passed onto other servers for further
+ processing.
+
+ Numeric Replies:
+
+ RPL_ISON ERR_NEEDMOREPARAMS
+
+ Example:
+
+ ISON phone trillian WiZ jarlek Avalon Angel Monstah syrk
+ ; Sample ISON request for 7 nicks.
+
+5. Replies
+
+ The following is a list of numeric replies which are generated in
+ response to the commands given above. Each numeric is given with its
+ number, name and reply string.
+
+5.1 Command responses
+
+ Numerics in the range from 001 to 099 are used for client-server
+ connections only and should never travel between servers. Replies
+ generated in the response to commands are found in the range from 200
+ to 399.
+
+ 001 RPL_WELCOME
+ "Welcome to the Internet Relay Network
+ <nick>!<user>@<host>"
+ 002 RPL_YOURHOST
+ "Your host is <servername>, running version <ver>"
+ 003 RPL_CREATED
+ "This server was created <date>"
+ 004 RPL_MYINFO
+ "<servername> <version> <available user modes>
+ <available channel modes>"
+
+ - The server sends Replies 001 to 004 to a user upon
+ successful registration.
+
+
+
+
+Kalt Informational [Page 43]
+
+RFC 2812 Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol April 2000
+
+
+ 005 RPL_BOUNCE
+ "Try server <server name>, port <port number>"
+
+ - Sent by the server to a user to suggest an alternative
+ server. This is often used when the connection is
+ refused because the server is already full.
+
+ 302 RPL_USERHOST
+ ":*1<reply> *( " " <reply> )"
+
+ - Reply format used by USERHOST to list replies to
+ the query list. The reply string is composed as
+ follows:
+
+ reply = nickname [ "*" ] "=" ( "+" / "-" ) hostname
+
+ The '*' indicates whether the client has registered
+ as an Operator. The '-' or '+' characters represent
+ whether the client has set an AWAY message or not
+ respectively.
+
+ 303 RPL_ISON
+ ":*1<nick> *( " " <nick> )"
+
+ - Reply format used by ISON to list replies to the
+ query list.
+
+ 301 RPL_AWAY
+ "<nick> :<away message>"
+ 305 RPL_UNAWAY
+ ":You are no longer marked as being away"
+ 306 RPL_NOWAWAY
+ ":You have been marked as being away"
+
+ - These replies are used with the AWAY command (if
+ allowed). RPL_AWAY is sent to any client sending a
+ PRIVMSG to a client which is away. RPL_AWAY is only
+ sent by the server to which the client is connected.
+ Replies RPL_UNAWAY and RPL_NOWAWAY are sent when the
+ client removes and sets an AWAY message.
+
+ 311 RPL_WHOISUSER
+ "<nick> <user> <host> * :<real name>"
+ 312 RPL_WHOISSERVER
+ "<nick> <server> :<server info>"
+ 313 RPL_WHOISOPERATOR
+ "<nick> :is an IRC operator"
+
+
+
+
+Kalt Informational [Page 44]
+
+RFC 2812 Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol April 2000
+
+
+ 317 RPL_WHOISIDLE
+ "<nick> <integer> :seconds idle"
+ 318 RPL_ENDOFWHOIS
+ "<nick> :End of WHOIS list"
+ 319 RPL_WHOISCHANNELS
+ "<nick> :*( ( "@" / "+" ) <channel> " " )"
+
+ - Replies 311 - 313, 317 - 319 are all replies
+ generated in response to a WHOIS message. Given that
+ there are enough parameters present, the answering
+ server MUST either formulate a reply out of the above
+ numerics (if the query nick is found) or return an
+ error reply. The '*' in RPL_WHOISUSER is there as
+ the literal character and not as a wild card. For
+ each reply set, only RPL_WHOISCHANNELS may appear
+ more than once (for long lists of channel names).
+ The '@' and '+' characters next to the channel name
+ indicate whether a client is a channel operator or
+ has been granted permission to speak on a moderated
+ channel. The RPL_ENDOFWHOIS reply is used to mark
+ the end of processing a WHOIS message.
+
+ 314 RPL_WHOWASUSER
+ "<nick> <user> <host> * :<real name>"
+ 369 RPL_ENDOFWHOWAS
+ "<nick> :End of WHOWAS"
+
+ - When replying to a WHOWAS message, a server MUST use
+ the replies RPL_WHOWASUSER, RPL_WHOISSERVER or
+ ERR_WASNOSUCHNICK for each nickname in the presented
+ list. At the end of all reply batches, there MUST
+ be RPL_ENDOFWHOWAS (even if there was only one reply
+ and it was an error).
+
+ 321 RPL_LISTSTART
+ Obsolete. Not used.
+
+ 322 RPL_LIST
+ "<channel> <# visible> :<topic>"
+ 323 RPL_LISTEND
+ ":End of LIST"
+
+ - Replies RPL_LIST, RPL_LISTEND mark the actual replies
+ with data and end of the server's response to a LIST
+ command. If there are no channels available to return,
+ only the end reply MUST be sent.
+
+
+
+
+
+Kalt Informational [Page 45]
+
+RFC 2812 Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol April 2000
+
+
+ 325 RPL_UNIQOPIS
+ "<channel> <nickname>"
+
+ 324 RPL_CHANNELMODEIS
+ "<channel> <mode> <mode params>"
+
+ 331 RPL_NOTOPIC
+ "<channel> :No topic is set"
+ 332 RPL_TOPIC
+ "<channel> :<topic>"
+
+ - When sending a TOPIC message to determine the
+ channel topic, one of two replies is sent. If
+ the topic is set, RPL_TOPIC is sent back else
+ RPL_NOTOPIC.
+
+ 341 RPL_INVITING
+ "<channel> <nick>"
+
+ - Returned by the server to indicate that the
+ attempted INVITE message was successful and is
+ being passed onto the end client.
+
+ 342 RPL_SUMMONING
+ "<user> :Summoning user to IRC"
+
+ - Returned by a server answering a SUMMON message to
+ indicate that it is summoning that user.
+
+ 346 RPL_INVITELIST
+ "<channel> <invitemask>"
+ 347 RPL_ENDOFINVITELIST
+ "<channel> :End of channel invite list"
+
+ - When listing the 'invitations masks' for a given channel,
+ a server is required to send the list back using the
+ RPL_INVITELIST and RPL_ENDOFINVITELIST messages. A
+ separate RPL_INVITELIST is sent for each active mask.
+ After the masks have been listed (or if none present) a
+ RPL_ENDOFINVITELIST MUST be sent.
+
+ 348 RPL_EXCEPTLIST
+ "<channel> <exceptionmask>"
+ 349 RPL_ENDOFEXCEPTLIST
+ "<channel> :End of channel exception list"
+
+
+
+
+
+
+Kalt Informational [Page 46]
+
+RFC 2812 Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol April 2000
+
+
+ - When listing the 'exception masks' for a given channel,
+ a server is required to send the list back using the
+ RPL_EXCEPTLIST and RPL_ENDOFEXCEPTLIST messages. A
+ separate RPL_EXCEPTLIST is sent for each active mask.
+ After the masks have been listed (or if none present)
+ a RPL_ENDOFEXCEPTLIST MUST be sent.
+
+ 351 RPL_VERSION
+ "<version>.<debuglevel> <server> :<comments>"
+
+ - Reply by the server showing its version details.
+ The <version> is the version of the software being
+ used (including any patchlevel revisions) and the
+ <debuglevel> is used to indicate if the server is
+ running in "debug mode".
+
+ The "comments" field may contain any comments about
+ the version or further version details.
+
+ 352 RPL_WHOREPLY
+ "<channel> <user> <host> <server> <nick>
+ ( "H" / "G" > ["*"] [ ( "@" / "+" ) ]
+ :<hopcount> <real name>"
+
+ 315 RPL_ENDOFWHO
+ "<name> :End of WHO list"
+
+ - The RPL_WHOREPLY and RPL_ENDOFWHO pair are used
+ to answer a WHO message. The RPL_WHOREPLY is only
+ sent if there is an appropriate match to the WHO
+ query. If there is a list of parameters supplied
+ with a WHO message, a RPL_ENDOFWHO MUST be sent
+ after processing each list item with <name> being
+ the item.
+
+ 353 RPL_NAMREPLY
+ "( "=" / "*" / "@" ) <channel>
+ :[ "@" / "+" ] <nick> *( " " [ "@" / "+" ] <nick> )
+ - "@" is used for secret channels, "*" for private
+ channels, and "=" for others (public channels).
+
+ 366 RPL_ENDOFNAMES
+ "<channel> :End of NAMES list"
+
+ - To reply to a NAMES message, a reply pair consisting
+ of RPL_NAMREPLY and RPL_ENDOFNAMES is sent by the
+ server back to the client. If there is no channel
+ found as in the query, then only RPL_ENDOFNAMES is
+
+
+
+Kalt Informational [Page 47]
+
+RFC 2812 Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol April 2000
+
+
+ returned. The exception to this is when a NAMES
+ message is sent with no parameters and all visible
+ channels and contents are sent back in a series of
+ RPL_NAMEREPLY messages with a RPL_ENDOFNAMES to mark
+ the end.
+
+ 364 RPL_LINKS
+ "<mask> <server> :<hopcount> <server info>"
+ 365 RPL_ENDOFLINKS
+ "<mask> :End of LINKS list"
+
+ - In replying to the LINKS message, a server MUST send
+ replies back using the RPL_LINKS numeric and mark the
+ end of the list using an RPL_ENDOFLINKS reply.
+
+ 367 RPL_BANLIST
+ "<channel> <banmask>"
+ 368 RPL_ENDOFBANLIST
+ "<channel> :End of channel ban list"
+
+ - When listing the active 'bans' for a given channel,
+ a server is required to send the list back using the
+ RPL_BANLIST and RPL_ENDOFBANLIST messages. A separate
+ RPL_BANLIST is sent for each active banmask. After the
+ banmasks have been listed (or if none present) a
+ RPL_ENDOFBANLIST MUST be sent.
+
+ 371 RPL_INFO
+ ":<string>"
+ 374 RPL_ENDOFINFO
+ ":End of INFO list"
+
+ - A server responding to an INFO message is required to
+ send all its 'info' in a series of RPL_INFO messages
+ with a RPL_ENDOFINFO reply to indicate the end of the
+ replies.
+
+ 375 RPL_MOTDSTART
+ ":- <server> Message of the day - "
+ 372 RPL_MOTD
+ ":- <text>"
+ 376 RPL_ENDOFMOTD
+ ":End of MOTD command"
+
+ - When responding to the MOTD message and the MOTD file
+ is found, the file is displayed line by line, with
+ each line no longer than 80 characters, using
+
+
+
+
+Kalt Informational [Page 48]
+
+RFC 2812 Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol April 2000
+
+
+ RPL_MOTD format replies. These MUST be surrounded
+ by a RPL_MOTDSTART (before the RPL_MOTDs) and an
+ RPL_ENDOFMOTD (after).
+
+ 381 RPL_YOUREOPER
+ ":You are now an IRC operator"
+
+ - RPL_YOUREOPER is sent back to a client which has
+ just successfully issued an OPER message and gained
+ operator status.
+
+ 382 RPL_REHASHING
+ "<config file> :Rehashing"
+
+ - If the REHASH option is used and an operator sends
+ a REHASH message, an RPL_REHASHING is sent back to
+ the operator.
+
+ 383 RPL_YOURESERVICE
+ "You are service <servicename>"
+
+ - Sent by the server to a service upon successful
+ registration.
+
+ 391 RPL_TIME
+ "<server> :<string showing server's local time>"
+
+ - When replying to the TIME message, a server MUST send
+ the reply using the RPL_TIME format above. The string
+ showing the time need only contain the correct day and
+ time there. There is no further requirement for the
+ time string.
+
+ 392 RPL_USERSSTART
+ ":UserID Terminal Host"
+ 393 RPL_USERS
+ ":<username> <ttyline> <hostname>"
+ 394 RPL_ENDOFUSERS
+ ":End of users"
+ 395 RPL_NOUSERS
+ ":Nobody logged in"
+
+ - If the USERS message is handled by a server, the
+ replies RPL_USERSTART, RPL_USERS, RPL_ENDOFUSERS and
+ RPL_NOUSERS are used. RPL_USERSSTART MUST be sent
+ first, following by either a sequence of RPL_USERS
+ or a single RPL_NOUSER. Following this is
+ RPL_ENDOFUSERS.
+
+
+
+Kalt Informational [Page 49]
+
+RFC 2812 Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol April 2000
+
+
+ 200 RPL_TRACELINK
+ "Link <version & debug level> <destination>
+ <next server> V<protocol version>
+ <link uptime in seconds> <backstream sendq>
+ <upstream sendq>"
+ 201 RPL_TRACECONNECTING
+ "Try. <class> <server>"
+ 202 RPL_TRACEHANDSHAKE
+ "H.S. <class> <server>"
+ 203 RPL_TRACEUNKNOWN
+ "???? <class> [<client IP address in dot form>]"
+ 204 RPL_TRACEOPERATOR
+ "Oper <class> <nick>"
+ 205 RPL_TRACEUSER
+ "User <class> <nick>"
+ 206 RPL_TRACESERVER
+ "Serv <class> <int>S <int>C <server>
+ <nick!user|*!*>@<host|server> V<protocol version>"
+ 207 RPL_TRACESERVICE
+ "Service <class> <name> <type> <active type>"
+ 208 RPL_TRACENEWTYPE
+ "<newtype> 0 <client name>"
+ 209 RPL_TRACECLASS
+ "Class <class> <count>"
+ 210 RPL_TRACERECONNECT
+ Unused.
+ 261 RPL_TRACELOG
+ "File <logfile> <debug level>"
+ 262 RPL_TRACEEND
+ "<server name> <version & debug level> :End of TRACE"
+
+ - The RPL_TRACE* are all returned by the server in
+ response to the TRACE message. How many are
+ returned is dependent on the TRACE message and
+ whether it was sent by an operator or not. There
+ is no predefined order for which occurs first.
+ Replies RPL_TRACEUNKNOWN, RPL_TRACECONNECTING and
+ RPL_TRACEHANDSHAKE are all used for connections
+ which have not been fully established and are either
+ unknown, still attempting to connect or in the
+ process of completing the 'server handshake'.
+ RPL_TRACELINK is sent by any server which handles
+ a TRACE message and has to pass it on to another
+ server. The list of RPL_TRACELINKs sent in
+ response to a TRACE command traversing the IRC
+ network should reflect the actual connectivity of
+ the servers themselves along that path.
+
+
+
+
+Kalt Informational [Page 50]
+
+RFC 2812 Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol April 2000
+
+
+ RPL_TRACENEWTYPE is to be used for any connection
+ which does not fit in the other categories but is
+ being displayed anyway.
+ RPL_TRACEEND is sent to indicate the end of the list.
+
+ 211 RPL_STATSLINKINFO
+ "<linkname> <sendq> <sent messages>
+ <sent Kbytes> <received messages>
+ <received Kbytes> <time open>"
+
+ - reports statistics on a connection. <linkname>
+ identifies the particular connection, <sendq> is
+ the amount of data that is queued and waiting to be
+ sent <sent messages> the number of messages sent,
+ and <sent Kbytes> the amount of data sent, in
+ Kbytes. <received messages> and <received Kbytes>
+ are the equivalent of <sent messages> and <sent
+ Kbytes> for received data, respectively. <time
+ open> indicates how long ago the connection was
+ opened, in seconds.
+
+ 212 RPL_STATSCOMMANDS
+ "<command> <count> <byte count> <remote count>"
+
+ - reports statistics on commands usage.
+
+ 219 RPL_ENDOFSTATS
+ "<stats letter> :End of STATS report"
+
+ 242 RPL_STATSUPTIME
+ ":Server Up %d days %d:%02d:%02d"
+
+ - reports the server uptime.
+
+ 243 RPL_STATSOLINE
+ "O <hostmask> * <name>"
+
+ - reports the allowed hosts from where user may become IRC
+ operators.
+
+ 221 RPL_UMODEIS
+ "<user mode string>"
+
+ - To answer a query about a client's own mode,
+ RPL_UMODEIS is sent back.
+
+ 234 RPL_SERVLIST
+ "<name> <server> <mask> <type> <hopcount> <info>"
+
+
+
+Kalt Informational [Page 51]
+
+RFC 2812 Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol April 2000
+
+
+ 235 RPL_SERVLISTEND
+ "<mask> <type> :End of service listing"
+
+ - When listing services in reply to a SERVLIST message,
+ a server is required to send the list back using the
+ RPL_SERVLIST and RPL_SERVLISTEND messages. A separate
+ RPL_SERVLIST is sent for each service. After the
+ services have been listed (or if none present) a
+ RPL_SERVLISTEND MUST be sent.
+
+ 251 RPL_LUSERCLIENT
+ ":There are <integer> users and <integer>
+ services on <integer> servers"
+ 252 RPL_LUSEROP
+ "<integer> :operator(s) online"
+ 253 RPL_LUSERUNKNOWN
+ "<integer> :unknown connection(s)"
+ 254 RPL_LUSERCHANNELS
+ "<integer> :channels formed"
+ 255 RPL_LUSERME
+ ":I have <integer> clients and <integer>
+ servers"
+
+ - In processing an LUSERS message, the server
+ sends a set of replies from RPL_LUSERCLIENT,
+ RPL_LUSEROP, RPL_USERUNKNOWN,
+ RPL_LUSERCHANNELS and RPL_LUSERME. When
+ replying, a server MUST send back
+ RPL_LUSERCLIENT and RPL_LUSERME. The other
+ replies are only sent back if a non-zero count
+ is found for them.
+
+ 256 RPL_ADMINME
+ "<server> :Administrative info"
+ 257 RPL_ADMINLOC1
+ ":<admin info>"
+ 258 RPL_ADMINLOC2
+ ":<admin info>"
+ 259 RPL_ADMINEMAIL
+ ":<admin info>"
+
+ - When replying to an ADMIN message, a server
+ is expected to use replies RPL_ADMINME
+ through to RPL_ADMINEMAIL and provide a text
+ message with each. For RPL_ADMINLOC1 a
+ description of what city, state and country
+ the server is in is expected, followed by
+ details of the institution (RPL_ADMINLOC2)
+
+
+
+Kalt Informational [Page 52]
+
+RFC 2812 Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol April 2000
+
+
+ and finally the administrative contact for the
+ server (an email address here is REQUIRED)
+ in RPL_ADMINEMAIL.
+
+ 263 RPL_TRYAGAIN
+ "<command> :Please wait a while and try again."
+
+ - When a server drops a command without processing it,
+ it MUST use the reply RPL_TRYAGAIN to inform the
+ originating client.
+
+5.2 Error Replies
+
+ Error replies are found in the range from 400 to 599.
+
+ 401 ERR_NOSUCHNICK
+ "<nickname> :No such nick/channel"
+
+ - Used to indicate the nickname parameter supplied to a
+ command is currently unused.
+
+ 402 ERR_NOSUCHSERVER
+ "<server name> :No such server"
+
+ - Used to indicate the server name given currently
+ does not exist.
+
+ 403 ERR_NOSUCHCHANNEL
+ "<channel name> :No such channel"
+
+ - Used to indicate the given channel name is invalid.
+
+ 404 ERR_CANNOTSENDTOCHAN
+ "<channel name> :Cannot send to channel"
+
+ - Sent to a user who is either (a) not on a channel
+ which is mode +n or (b) not a chanop (or mode +v) on
+ a channel which has mode +m set or where the user is
+ banned and is trying to send a PRIVMSG message to
+ that channel.
+
+ 405 ERR_TOOMANYCHANNELS
+ "<channel name> :You have joined too many channels"
+
+ - Sent to a user when they have joined the maximum
+ number of allowed channels and they try to join
+ another channel.
+
+
+
+
+Kalt Informational [Page 53]
+
+RFC 2812 Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol April 2000
+
+
+ 406 ERR_WASNOSUCHNICK
+ "<nickname> :There was no such nickname"
+
+ - Returned by WHOWAS to indicate there is no history
+ information for that nickname.
+
+ 407 ERR_TOOMANYTARGETS
+ "<target> :<error code> recipients. <abort message>"
+
+ - Returned to a client which is attempting to send a
+ PRIVMSG/NOTICE using the user@host destination format
+ and for a user@host which has several occurrences.
+
+ - Returned to a client which trying to send a
+ PRIVMSG/NOTICE to too many recipients.
+
+ - Returned to a client which is attempting to JOIN a safe
+ channel using the shortname when there are more than one
+ such channel.
+
+ 408 ERR_NOSUCHSERVICE
+ "<service name> :No such service"
+
+ - Returned to a client which is attempting to send a SQUERY
+ to a service which does not exist.
+
+ 409 ERR_NOORIGIN
+ ":No origin specified"
+
+ - PING or PONG message missing the originator parameter.
+
+ 411 ERR_NORECIPIENT
+ ":No recipient given (<command>)"
+ 412 ERR_NOTEXTTOSEND
+ ":No text to send"
+ 413 ERR_NOTOPLEVEL
+ "<mask> :No toplevel domain specified"
+ 414 ERR_WILDTOPLEVEL
+ "<mask> :Wildcard in toplevel domain"
+ 415 ERR_BADMASK
+ "<mask> :Bad Server/host mask"
+
+ - 412 - 415 are returned by PRIVMSG to indicate that
+ the message wasn't delivered for some reason.
+ ERR_NOTOPLEVEL and ERR_WILDTOPLEVEL are errors that
+ are returned when an invalid use of
+ "PRIVMSG $<server>" or "PRIVMSG #<host>" is attempted.
+
+
+
+
+Kalt Informational [Page 54]
+
+RFC 2812 Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol April 2000
+
+
+ 421 ERR_UNKNOWNCOMMAND
+ "<command> :Unknown command"
+
+ - Returned to a registered client to indicate that the
+ command sent is unknown by the server.
+
+ 422 ERR_NOMOTD
+ ":MOTD File is missing"
+
+ - Server's MOTD file could not be opened by the server.
+
+ 423 ERR_NOADMININFO
+ "<server> :No administrative info available"
+
+ - Returned by a server in response to an ADMIN message
+ when there is an error in finding the appropriate
+ information.
+
+ 424 ERR_FILEERROR
+ ":File error doing <file op> on <file>"
+
+ - Generic error message used to report a failed file
+ operation during the processing of a message.
+
+ 431 ERR_NONICKNAMEGIVEN
+ ":No nickname given"
+
+ - Returned when a nickname parameter expected for a
+ command and isn't found.
+
+ 432 ERR_ERRONEUSNICKNAME
+ "<nick> :Erroneous nickname"
+
+ - Returned after receiving a NICK message which contains
+ characters which do not fall in the defined set. See
+ section 2.3.1 for details on valid nicknames.
+
+ 433 ERR_NICKNAMEINUSE
+ "<nick> :Nickname is already in use"
+
+ - Returned when a NICK message is processed that results
+ in an attempt to change to a currently existing
+ nickname.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+Kalt Informational [Page 55]
+
+RFC 2812 Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol April 2000
+
+
+ 436 ERR_NICKCOLLISION
+ "<nick> :Nickname collision KILL from <user>@<host>"
+
+ - Returned by a server to a client when it detects a
+ nickname collision (registered of a NICK that
+ already exists by another server).
+
+ 437 ERR_UNAVAILRESOURCE
+ "<nick/channel> :Nick/channel is temporarily unavailable"
+
+ - Returned by a server to a user trying to join a channel
+ currently blocked by the channel delay mechanism.
+
+ - Returned by a server to a user trying to change nickname
+ when the desired nickname is blocked by the nick delay
+ mechanism.
+
+ 441 ERR_USERNOTINCHANNEL
+ "<nick> <channel> :They aren't on that channel"
+
+ - Returned by the server to indicate that the target
+ user of the command is not on the given channel.
+
+ 442 ERR_NOTONCHANNEL
+ "<channel> :You're not on that channel"
+
+ - Returned by the server whenever a client tries to
+ perform a channel affecting command for which the
+ client isn't a member.
+
+ 443 ERR_USERONCHANNEL
+ "<user> <channel> :is already on channel"
+
+ - Returned when a client tries to invite a user to a
+ channel they are already on.
+
+ 444 ERR_NOLOGIN
+ "<user> :User not logged in"
+
+ - Returned by the summon after a SUMMON command for a
+ user was unable to be performed since they were not
+ logged in.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+Kalt Informational [Page 56]
+
+RFC 2812 Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol April 2000
+
+
+ 445 ERR_SUMMONDISABLED
+ ":SUMMON has been disabled"
+
+ - Returned as a response to the SUMMON command. MUST be
+ returned by any server which doesn't implement it.
+
+ 446 ERR_USERSDISABLED
+ ":USERS has been disabled"
+
+ - Returned as a response to the USERS command. MUST be
+ returned by any server which does not implement it.
+
+ 451 ERR_NOTREGISTERED
+ ":You have not registered"
+
+ - Returned by the server to indicate that the client
+ MUST be registered before the server will allow it
+ to be parsed in detail.
+
+ 461 ERR_NEEDMOREPARAMS
+ "<command> :Not enough parameters"
+
+ - Returned by the server by numerous commands to
+ indicate to the client that it didn't supply enough
+ parameters.
+
+ 462 ERR_ALREADYREGISTRED
+ ":Unauthorized command (already registered)"
+
+ - Returned by the server to any link which tries to
+ change part of the registered details (such as
+ password or user details from second USER message).
+
+ 463 ERR_NOPERMFORHOST
+ ":Your host isn't among the privileged"
+
+ - Returned to a client which attempts to register with
+ a server which does not been setup to allow
+ connections from the host the attempted connection
+ is tried.
+
+ 464 ERR_PASSWDMISMATCH
+ ":Password incorrect"
+
+ - Returned to indicate a failed attempt at registering
+ a connection for which a password was required and
+ was either not given or incorrect.
+
+
+
+
+Kalt Informational [Page 57]
+
+RFC 2812 Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol April 2000
+
+
+ 465 ERR_YOUREBANNEDCREEP
+ ":You are banned from this server"
+
+ - Returned after an attempt to connect and register
+ yourself with a server which has been setup to
+ explicitly deny connections to you.
+
+ 466 ERR_YOUWILLBEBANNED
+
+ - Sent by a server to a user to inform that access to the
+ server will soon be denied.
+
+ 467 ERR_KEYSET
+ "<channel> :Channel key already set"
+ 471 ERR_CHANNELISFULL
+ "<channel> :Cannot join channel (+l)"
+ 472 ERR_UNKNOWNMODE
+ "<char> :is unknown mode char to me for <channel>"
+ 473 ERR_INVITEONLYCHAN
+ "<channel> :Cannot join channel (+i)"
+ 474 ERR_BANNEDFROMCHAN
+ "<channel> :Cannot join channel (+b)"
+ 475 ERR_BADCHANNELKEY
+ "<channel> :Cannot join channel (+k)"
+ 476 ERR_BADCHANMASK
+ "<channel> :Bad Channel Mask"
+ 477 ERR_NOCHANMODES
+ "<channel> :Channel doesn't support modes"
+ 478 ERR_BANLISTFULL
+ "<channel> <char> :Channel list is full"
+
+ 481 ERR_NOPRIVILEGES
+ ":Permission Denied- You're not an IRC operator"
+
+ - Any command requiring operator privileges to operate
+ MUST return this error to indicate the attempt was
+ unsuccessful.
+
+ 482 ERR_CHANOPRIVSNEEDED
+ "<channel> :You're not channel operator"
+
+ - Any command requiring 'chanop' privileges (such as
+ MODE messages) MUST return this error if the client
+ making the attempt is not a chanop on the specified
+ channel.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+Kalt Informational [Page 58]
+
+RFC 2812 Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol April 2000
+
+
+ 483 ERR_CANTKILLSERVER
+ ":You can't kill a server!"
+
+ - Any attempts to use the KILL command on a server
+ are to be refused and this error returned directly
+ to the client.
+
+ 484 ERR_RESTRICTED
+ ":Your connection is restricted!"
+
+ - Sent by the server to a user upon connection to indicate
+ the restricted nature of the connection (user mode "+r").
+
+ 485 ERR_UNIQOPPRIVSNEEDED
+ ":You're not the original channel operator"
+
+ - Any MODE requiring "channel creator" privileges MUST
+ return this error if the client making the attempt is not
+ a chanop on the specified channel.
+
+ 491 ERR_NOOPERHOST
+ ":No O-lines for your host"
+
+ - If a client sends an OPER message and the server has
+ not been configured to allow connections from the
+ client's host as an operator, this error MUST be
+ returned.
+
+ 501 ERR_UMODEUNKNOWNFLAG
+ ":Unknown MODE flag"
+
+ - Returned by the server to indicate that a MODE
+ message was sent with a nickname parameter and that
+ the a mode flag sent was not recognized.
+
+ 502 ERR_USERSDONTMATCH
+ ":Cannot change mode for other users"
+
+ - Error sent to any user trying to view or change the
+ user mode for a user other than themselves.
+
+5.3 Reserved numerics
+
+ These numerics are not described above since they fall into one of
+ the following categories:
+
+ 1. no longer in use;
+
+
+
+
+Kalt Informational [Page 59]
+
+RFC 2812 Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol April 2000
+
+
+ 2. reserved for future planned use;
+
+ 3. in current use but are part of a non-generic 'feature' of
+ the current IRC server.
+
+ 231 RPL_SERVICEINFO 232 RPL_ENDOFSERVICES
+ 233 RPL_SERVICE
+ 300 RPL_NONE 316 RPL_WHOISCHANOP
+ 361 RPL_KILLDONE 362 RPL_CLOSING
+ 363 RPL_CLOSEEND 373 RPL_INFOSTART
+ 384 RPL_MYPORTIS
+
+ 213 RPL_STATSCLINE 214 RPL_STATSNLINE
+ 215 RPL_STATSILINE 216 RPL_STATSKLINE
+ 217 RPL_STATSQLINE 218 RPL_STATSYLINE
+ 240 RPL_STATSVLINE 241 RPL_STATSLLINE
+ 244 RPL_STATSHLINE 244 RPL_STATSSLINE
+ 246 RPL_STATSPING 247 RPL_STATSBLINE
+ 250 RPL_STATSDLINE
+
+ 492 ERR_NOSERVICEHOST
+
+6. Current implementations
+
+ The IRC software, version 2.10 is the only complete implementation of
+ the IRC protocol (client and server). Because of the small amount of
+ changes in the client protocol since the publication of RFC 1459
+ [IRC], implementations that follow it are likely to be compliant with
+ this protocol or to require a small amount of changes to reach
+ compliance.
+
+7. Current problems
+
+ There are a number of recognized problems with the IRC Client
+ Protocol, and more generally with the IRC Server Protocol. In order
+ to preserve backward compatibility with old clients, this protocol
+ has almost not evolved since the publication of RFC 1459 [IRC].
+
+7.1 Nicknames
+
+ The idea of the nickname on IRC is very convenient for users to use
+ when talking to each other outside of a channel, but there is only a
+ finite nickname space and being what they are, it's not uncommon for
+ several people to want to use the same nick. If a nickname is chosen
+ by two people using this protocol, either one will not succeed or
+ both will removed by use of a server KILL (See Section 3.7.1).
+
+
+
+
+
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+
+RFC 2812 Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol April 2000
+
+
+7.2 Limitation of wildcards
+
+ There is no way to escape the escape character "\" (%x5C). While
+ this isn't usually a problem, it makes it impossible to form a mask
+ with a backslash character ("\") preceding a wildcard.
+
+7.3 Security considerations
+
+ Security issues related to this protocol are discussed in the "IRC
+ Server Protocol" [IRC-SERVER] as they are mostly an issue for the
+ server side of the connection.
+
+8. Current support and availability
+
+ Mailing lists for IRC related discussion:
+ General discussion: ircd-users@irc.org
+ Protocol development: ircd-dev@irc.org
+
+ Software implementations:
+ ftp://ftp.irc.org/irc/server
+ ftp://ftp.funet.fi/pub/unix/irc
+ ftp://ftp.irc.org/irc/clients
+
+ Newsgroup: alt.irc
+
+9. Acknowledgements
+
+ Parts of this document were copied from the RFC 1459 [IRC] which
+ first formally documented the IRC Protocol. It has also benefited
+ from many rounds of review and comments. In particular, the
+ following people have made significant contributions to this
+ document:
+
+ Matthew Green, Michael Neumayer, Volker Paulsen, Kurt Roeckx, Vesa
+ Ruokonen, Magnus Tjernstrom, Stefan Zehl.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
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+
+RFC 2812 Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol April 2000
+
+
+10. References
+
+ [KEYWORDS] Bradner, S., "Key words for use in RFCs to Indicate
+ Requirement Levels", BCP 14, RFC 2119, March 1997.
+
+ [ABNF] Crocker, D. and P. Overell, "Augmented BNF for Syntax
+ Specifications: ABNF", RFC 2234, November 1997.
+
+ [HNAME] Braden, R., "Requirements for Internet Hosts --
+ Application and Support", STD 3, RFC 1123, October 1989.
+
+ [IRC] Oikarinen, J. & D. Reed, "Internet Relay Chat Protocol",
+ RFC 1459, May 1993.
+
+ [IRC-ARCH] Kalt, C., "Internet Relay Chat: Architecture", RFC 2810,
+ April 2000.
+
+ [IRC-CHAN] Kalt, C., "Internet Relay Chat: Channel Management", RFC
+ 2811, April 2000.
+
+ [IRC-SERVER] Kalt, C., "Internet Relay Chat: Server Protocol", RFC
+ 2813, April 2000.
+
+11. Author's Address
+
+ Christophe Kalt
+ 99 Teaneck Rd, Apt #117
+ Ridgefield Park, NJ 07660
+ USA
+
+ EMail: kalt@stealth.net
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+Kalt Informational [Page 62]
+
+RFC 2812 Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol April 2000
+
+
+12. Full Copyright Statement
+
+ Copyright (C) The Internet Society (2000). All Rights Reserved.
+
+ This document and translations of it may be copied and furnished to
+ others, and derivative works that comment on or otherwise explain it
+ or assist in its implementation may be prepared, copied, published
+ and distributed, in whole or in part, without restriction of any
+ kind, provided that the above copyright notice and this paragraph are
+ included on all such copies and derivative works. However, this
+ document itself may not be modified in any way, such as by removing
+ the copyright notice or references to the Internet Society or other
+ Internet organizations, except as needed for the purpose of
+ developing Internet standards in which case the procedures for
+ copyrights defined in the Internet Standards process must be
+ followed, or as required to translate it into languages other than
+ English.
+
+ The limited permissions granted above are perpetual and will not be
+ revoked by the Internet Society or its successors or assigns.
+
+ This document and the information contained herein is provided on an
+ "AS IS" basis and THE INTERNET SOCIETY AND THE INTERNET ENGINEERING
+ TASK FORCE DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING
+ BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY WARRANTY THAT THE USE OF THE INFORMATION
+ HEREIN WILL NOT INFRINGE ANY RIGHTS OR ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF
+ MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
+
+Acknowledgement
+
+ Funding for the RFC Editor function is currently provided by the
+ Internet Society.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+Kalt Informational [Page 63]
+