Internet Relay Chat facts for kids

Internet Relay Chat (IRC) is a special way to chat online. It lets people from all over the world talk together in groups. You can also use it to chat privately with just one other person.

Think of IRC like a big online meeting place. The chat rooms on IRC are called IRC channels. These channels live on special computers called IRC servers. To join a chat, you connect your computer to one of these servers. Server addresses often start with "irc." followed by the server's name, like 'irc.example.org'.

There are many different IRC servers. Some are small, like a local club, while others are huge, with over 100,000 users online at once!

To use IRC, you need an IRC client. This is a special computer program that helps you connect to the IRC servers and chat. Some clients are built into web browsers, and others are separate programs you install. Popular clients include mIRC for Microsoft Windows and XChat for Linux and Windows. The Opera web browser even has an IRC client already inside it! ChatZilla is another client that works as a plugin for Mozilla Firefox.

Sometimes, you'll see IRC bots in channels. These are computer programs that help manage and protect the chat rooms. Most IRC channels start with a hash symbol, like #fun_chat.

How IRC Works

A screenshot of XChat, a popular IRC client.

IRC uses a special set of rules called a communication protocol. It sends messages using something called TCP, which helps make sure messages get where they're going. IRC servers can connect to each other, creating a bigger network where more people can chat.

When you want to join an IRC network, your client program connects to one of its servers. There are many different client and server programs. For example, mIRC is a client, and Bahamut IRCd is a type of server. Most IRC servers don't need you to create an account or log in. You just choose a nickname, and you're ready to chat!

IRC was first designed to send simple text messages. It uses specific port numbers on the internet, like 6667, to make these connections.

Popular IRC Clients

Here are some of the computer programs that people use to connect to IRC:

Other Useful Links

• Internet Relay Chat commands
• IRC bot
• Internet Relay Chat operator

Images for kids

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  The first IRC server, tolsun.oulu.fi, a Sun-3 computer.

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  A screenshot of HexChat, an IRC client.

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  Irssi, an IRC client that works in a text window.

See also

In Spanish: Internet Relay Chat para niños