IRC Today

Internet Relay Chat (IRC) is a free and open client-server communications protocol for anyone to use and build software upon. Originally created in 1988, it still is actively used and developed by the community as of today.

This document contains a non-exhaustive list of the most popular IRC related projects, grouped by prominent category, for which the source is hosted on GitHub. Projects which main focus is not IRC, or which have been inactive for a very long time, are excluded from the list. So are frameworks, libraries, themes and plugins for other software.

---

Clients

Software used to connect to an IRC network. To help distinguish between projects the targeted platform is indicated, such as desktop or mobile.

Stars	Repository	Language	Homepage	Latest Commit	Platforms
6,361	thelounge/thelounge	TypeScript	click	2026-10	Browser
4,583	squidowl/halloy	Rust	click	2026-11	Desktop
3,420	weechat/weechat	C	click	2026-10	Terminal
3,164	irssi/irssi	C	click	2026-01	Terminal
1,923	blendbyte/Textual	Objective-C	click	2026-10	Desktop
1,464	thedjpetersen/subway	JavaScript	n/a	2026-04	Browser
1,195	convos-chat/convos	Go	click	2026-10	Browser
1,175	osa1/tiny	Rust	n/a	2026-03	Terminal
989	kiwiirc/kiwiirc	Vue	click	2026-05	Browser
981	glowing-bear/glowing-bear	JavaScript	click	2026-08	Browser
792	quassel/quassel	C++	click	2026-06	Desktop
547	mcpcpc/kirc	C	click	2026-01	Terminal
446	emacs-circe/circe	Emacs Lisp	n/a	2026-09
333	SrainApp/srain	C	click	2025-07	Desktop
332	codyd51/uefirc	Rust	click	2024-04
322	babycommando/zuse	Go	n/a	2025-07	Terminal
314	irccloud/android	Java	n/a	2026-04	Android
312	kvirc/KVIrc	C++	click	2026-06	Desktop
301	irccloud/ios	Objective-C	n/a	2026-10	iOS
239	obbyworld/obby	TypeScript	click	2026-10	Desktop
187	meebey/smuxi	C#	click	2025-12	Desktop
170	glguy/irc-core	Haskell	n/a	2026-07	Terminal
167	xchataqua/xchataqua	Perl	click	2026-04	Desktop
113	LithApp/Lith	C++	click	2026-03	iOS
109	nhexirc/nhex	TypeScript	n/a	2024-11	Desktop
107	amiantos/lurker	TypeScript	click	2026-10	Browser
106	boxlabss/HexDroid	Kotlin	click	2026-10	Android
77	nutjob-laboratories/merk	Python	n/a	2026-10	Desktop
66	Libera-Chat/gamja	JavaScript	click	2024-04	Browser
60	communi/communi-desktop	C++	click	2024-05	Desktop
58	KDE/konversation	C++	click	2026-11	Desktop
58	rockorager/comlink	Zig	n/a	2026-08	Desktop
56	ZoiteChat/zoitechat	C	click	2026-10	Desktop
49	ScrollZ/ScrollZ	C	n/a	2026-08	Terminal
47	mhoran/weechatRN	TypeScript	n/a	2026-10	iOS
44	nmeum/hii	Go	n/a	2026-08	Terminal
40	delthas/senpai	Go	click	2026-10	Terminal
39	communi/communi-sailfish	C++	n/a	2024-05
39	HydraIRC/hydrairc	C++	n/a	2026-04	Desktop
39	parenworks/clatter.el	Emacs Lisp	n/a	2026-10
36	trevarj/motd	Kotlin	click	2026-10	Android
31	AndroidIRCx/AndroidIRCx	TypeScript	click	2026-10	Android
28	SweMonkey/smdt	C	n/a	2026-08
27	uhlin/swirc	C++	click	2026-10	Terminal
27	shadmansaleh/IRC.nvim	Lua	n/a	2025-03
27	umutcamliyurt/IrisChat	Java	n/a	2026-09	Android
26	nutjob-laboratories/erk	Python	n/a	2025-03	Desktop
24	Jbablestime/jbIRC	JavaScript	n/a	2026-07	Desktop
23	KaraZajac/rvIRC	Rust	click	2026-03	Terminal
20	wodencafe/ircafe	Java	n/a	2026-10	Desktop
20	prime001/BitchX	C	n/a	2026-03	Terminal
19	ShrugShoulders/RudeChat	Python	n/a	2026-02	Desktop
19	outragedevs/repartee	Rust	n/a	2026-10	Terminal
18	dexchat/dex	Go	click	2026-10	Terminal
17	matty-r/urChat	Java	n/a	2024-03	Desktop
16	matt0x6F/irc-client	Go	click	2026-10	Desktop
15	SwiftIRC/Web-IRC	JavaScript	click	2025-12	Browser
15	MaxRenaud/trout	Go	n/a	2026-10	Terminal
13	HaikuArchives/Vision	C++	n/a	2025-12	Desktop
13	opicron/mysticbbs-irc	n/a	n/a	2025-05	Terminal
13	gotr00t0day/rootX	Python	n/a	2025-12	Desktop
13	IllusionMan1212/gorc	Go	n/a	2025-09	Terminal
13	laeos/xaric	C	click	2026-09	Terminal
12	parmaja/miniIRChat	Pascal	n/a	2026-05	Desktop
12	cptaffe/airc	C	n/a	2025-01	Terminal
12	eznix86/irc-client	Go	n/a	2025-10	Terminal
11	Akuli/mantaray	Python	n/a	2026-08	Desktop
11	dzwdz/hewwo	Lua	n/a	2024-05	Terminal
11	nathanborror/Rabble	Swift	n/a	2025-10
11	phpandrew/IRChatterbox	Go	click	2026-10	Desktop
10	mariovirgili/IRC-Client	C++	n/a	2026-03
10	gh0st68/CryptIRC	JavaScript	click	2026-10	Browser

Servers

IRC servers (daemons) are central points in an IRC network for clients to connect to. Features beyond basic functionality can differ greatly between projects. Real-world usage statistics can be found here.

Stars	Repository	Language	Homepage	Latest Commit
3,357	ergochat/ergo	Go	click	2026-10
1,358	inspircd/inspircd	C++	click	2026-10
582	ngircd/ngircd	C	click	2026-10
528	unrealircd/unrealircd	C	click	2026-10
454	jrosdahl/miniircd	Python	n/a	2025-02
265	solanum-ircd/solanum	C	click	2026-10
200	ircd-hybrid/ircd-hybrid	C	click	2026-10
194	robustirc/robustirc	Go	click	2026-05
65	UndernetIRC/ircu2	C	n/a	2026-10
29	provisionircd/ProvisionIRCd	Python	n/a	2026-01
22	ircnet/ircd	C	n/a	2026-04
21	matszpk/simple-irc-server	Rust	n/a	2024-09
21	dgl/bash-ircd	Shell	click	2026-01
20	open-source-force/ircd	Rust	n/a	2024-07
19	cooper/juno	Perl	click	2026-05
10	Ronsor/nircd	Perl	n/a	2023-12
10	sparques/hamirc	Go	n/a	2026-10

Bouncers

A bouncer is a piece of software that sits between a client and a server. Its purpose is to stay up and running 24/7, keeping the connection to the server alive as to not miss any chatter or events while the client may disconnect periodically. This software is not always necessary or even desired.

Stars	Repository	Language	Homepage	Latest Commit
2,128	znc/znc	C++	click	2026-10
31	freenode/jbnc	JavaScript	n/a	2025-12
18	vjt/grappa-irc	TypeScript	click	2026-11

Bots

Automated client software that can perform tasks in a channel such as moderation or providing information.

Stars	Repository	Language	Homepage	Latest Commit
984	sopel-irc/sopel	Python	click	2026-10
676	progval/Limnoria	Python	click	2026-10
585	eggheads/eggdrop	C	n/a	2026-10
428	ArchiveTeam/ArchiveBot	Python	click	2026-09
292	CloudBotIRC/CloudBot	Python	n/a	2026-02
248	rmmh/skybot	Python	click	2026-09
183	TotallyNotRobots/CloudBot	Python	n/a	2026-09
176	kyleterry/tenyks	Go	click	2026-03
166	lambdabot/lambdabot	Haskell	n/a	2025-05
104	johnmaguire/Cardinal	Python	n/a	2026-10
82	pyhoneybot/honeybot	Python	click	2024-09
81	gdamjan/erlang-irc-bot	Erlang	click	2026-08
79	baines/insobot	C	n/a	2025-03
78	wraith/wraith	C++	click	2026-02
74	boreq/botnet	Python	n/a	2026-10
68	pragma-/pbot	Perl	n/a	2026-03
67	ruby-rbot/rbot	Ruby	click	2025-10
57	evanchooly/javabot	Kotlin	click	2026-10
51	lepinkainen/pyfibot	Python	n/a	2026-07
46	knrd1/chatgpt	Python	n/a	2025-08
45	molo1134/qrmbot	Perl	n/a	2026-10
41	StalkR/goircbot	Go	click	2026-09
31	brenns10/cbot	C	n/a	2026-06
29	EnergyMech/energymech	C	n/a	2025-12
29	pkdindustries/soulshack	Go	n/a	2026-08
28	funsocietyirc/MrNodeBot	JavaScript	n/a	2024-03
25	tlikonen/cl-eval-bot	Common Lisp	n/a	2025-09
25	alybun/nisaba	Go	n/a	2024-05
19	ivar2/ivar2	Lua	n/a	2026-03
19	susam/tzero	Python	click	2024-09
19	ircart/scroll	Python	n/a	2026-10
18	w3c/infobot	Perl	n/a	2026-06
18	terminaldweller/milla	Go	n/a	2026-05
17	helpmebot/helpmebot	C#	click	2026-02
17	lobsters/mockturtle	JavaScript	n/a	2026-07
16	adedomin/neo8ball-irc	Shell	n/a	2025-01
16	m0de-60/super-duckhunt-bot	Python	n/a	2026-05
15	tjcsl/cslbot	Python	n/a	2026-10
15	fade/harlie	Common Lisp	n/a	2026-06
14	lwatsondev/cappuccino	Python	n/a	2026-10
14	oxagast/Franklin	Perl	click	2025-11
13	cakephp/irc.cakephp.org	PHP	click	2024-12
13	thomwiggers/onebot	Python	n/a	2026-10
13	birdneststream/aibird	Go	n/a	2026-09
13	knivey/lolbot	PHP	n/a	2026-10
13	uangtai/soulsh	Go	n/a	2025-08
12	brockman-news/brockman	Haskell	n/a	2025-06
10	serpis/pynik	Python	n/a	2025-03
10	acidvegas/irccex	Python	n/a	2024-01
10	hlmtre/pybot	Python	n/a	2026-05
10	obviyus/HamVerBot	TypeScript	n/a	2026-10

Other

Miscellaneous software and resources of interest.

Stars	Repository	Language	Homepage	Latest Commit	Description
878	ircv3/ircv3-specifications	n/a	click	2026-08	IRCv3 specifications
645	bitlbee/bitlbee	C	click	2025-10	An IRC to other chat networks gateway :bee:...
289	whitequark/irclogger	Ruby	click	2026-09	Migrated to Codeberg...
233	ircdocs/modern-irc	Sass	click	2026-08	A useful overview and reference to the IRC client protocol as it is implemented today....
126	irccloud/irccat	Go	n/a	2026-03	cat to IRC...
103	tommyrot/superseriousstats	PHP	n/a	2026-10	superseriousstats is a fast and efficient program to create statistics out of IRC chat logs...
89	mgedmin/irclog2html	Python	click	2026-10	Convert IRC logs to HTML...
65	ircdocs/irc-defs	HTML	click	2025-03	More up-to-date IRC Definition Lists...
58	bagder/irchistory	n/a	click	2025-09	The history of IRC...
56	grawity/irc-docs	HTML	n/a	2022-07	Collected IRC protocol documentation...
49	ergochat/ircdog	Go	n/a	2026-08	a tool for sending and receiving raw IRC protocol lines...
46	waveplate/img2irc	Rust	n/a	2026-10	a highly versatile, award-winning image to IRC/ANSI art tool...
46	zopieux/ircjournal	Rust	n/a	2026-10	A lightweight, fast, standalone IRC log viewer for the web, with real-time log ingestion. This code was written before LLMs were a thing and will remain so....
35	birdneststream/asciibird	TypeScript	click	2026-09	ASCII Creation...
22	homeworkprod/syslog2irc	Python	click	2021-12	Forward syslog messages to IRC...