InspIRCd

InspIRCd is an open-source Internet Relay Chat server that implements the IRCv3 protocol. It provides the backend infrastructure necessary to host chat networks where users can communicate in real time through various clients. The software manages the routing of messages, user authentication, and channel management required to maintain a stable communication environment for multiple concurrent users.

The software is deployed as a server application on UNIX-like systems and Windows. It can be installed via binary packages for Debian, RHEL, and Ubuntu, or deployed using a Docker image for containerized environments. Many users build the server from source to ensure the binary is optimized for their specific hardware and operating system configuration.

Key features

• Implementation of the IRCv3 protocol
• Support for Linux distributions
• Support for BSD variants
• Support for macOS
• Support for Windows 10 April 2018 Update and newer
• Compatibility with Clang and GCC compilers
• Integration with CMake for build processes
• Availability of official Docker images

The server is written in C++ and is designed for high performance across multiple operating systems. It requires modern toolchains, such as GCC 7+ or Clang 5+, to compile from source. The architecture allows it to function as a standalone server or as part of a larger network of linked IRC servers, enabling the creation of expansive chat communities. It is intended for system administrators and network operators who require a stable, standards-compliant IRC daemon that can be tailored through source compilation or deployed quickly via binary packages.

InspIRCd serves as a foundational tool for administrators who need to host their own communication infrastructure using the IRC standard. It provides the necessary server-side logic to support a wide array of IRC clients across different platforms.