InspIRCd - Internet Relay Chat (IRCv3) server for UNIX-like and Windows systems
InspIRCd is a modular, high performance IRCv3 server combining stability and a rich and extensive C++ API with many optional features.
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InspIRCd is a modular, high-performance IRCv3-compliant server daemon for hosting IRC networks on UNIX-like systems and Windows.
🚀 Overview
InspIRCd is a stable, modern, and lightweight Internet Relay Chat (IRC) server written from scratch in C++. It combines high performance with a fully modular architecture, allowing server operators to enable only the features they need through loadable modules.
This project solves the challenges of legacy IRC daemons, which often suffer from bloat, instability, or lack of modern IRCv3 support. InspIRCd provides a performant foundation for networks of any size, from small communities to those with over 100,000 clients, and is trusted by more than 1,000 networks including HybridIRC, Snoonet, and Teranova.
It is built for IRC network administrators, operators, and communities who want a customizable, open-source IRC server. The developers created it to offer a fresh, efficient alternative to older IRCds, emphasizing stability, IRCv3 compliance, and extensibility via a rich C++ API.
✨ Key Features
- Modular architecture: Hundreds of modules for SSL/TLS, anti-spam/flood, HTTP services, SASL auth, services integration, and more—load only what you need for lightweight operation.
- Full IRCv3 support: Implements all ratified IRCv3 specifications for modern client compatibility.
- High performance and scalability: Handles large networks (>100k users); optimized logging with rotation and multiple outputs in v4.
- Cross-platform: Runs on Linux, BSD, macOS, and Windows with pre-built packages and Docker support.
- Optional: Rich C++ API for custom modules; v5 in early development with ongoing enhancements.
🛠 Tech Stack
- Core: C++ (96%), CMake build system
- Compilers: Clang 5+, GCC 7+, MSVC 19.15+
- Platforms: Linux/BSD/macOS/Windows
- Packaging: DEB/RPM for major distros, Docker
- Auth: Modular (SASL, LDAP, etc. via modules)
- Hosting: Self-hosted daemon
👥 Who Is This For?
This project is useful for:
- IRC network operators managing chat servers for communities
- Developers extending IRC functionality with custom modules
- Teams and indie admins seeking a free, scalable open-source IRCd
📸 Screenshots / Demo
- Live demo: testnet.inspircd.org (connect with any IRC client)
- GitHub: https://github.com/inspircd/inspircd
🔥 Project Status
- 🟢 Actively building (v4 stable recommended; v3 EOL; v5 early development)
Last updated: 2026-03-24
❓ FAQ
Is this project free?
Yes — Open Source (explain briefly.) Fully free under GPLv2 license; no paid tiers.
Is the source code available?
Yes — link to repository https://github.com/inspircd/inspircd
Can I contribute?
File issues and PRs on GitHub; join #inspircd.dev on irc.teranova.net for development discussions; submit third-party modules to https://github.com/inspircd/inspircd-contrib; funding via GitHub Sponsors/Ko-fi/PayPal appreciated.
📬 Contact & Links
- Website: https://www.inspircd.org
- GitHub: https://github.com/inspircd/inspircd
- Documentation: https://docs.inspircd.org
- IRC Support: #inspircd on irc.teranova.net (TLS)
- IRC Dev: #inspircd.dev on irc.teranova.net (TLS)
Built with ❤️ and kept warm on WarmIndex.
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