The Lounge

The Lounge is a modern, self-hosted web IRC client that keeps you always connected to IRC servers, even when offline, allowing seamless resumption across devices.

🚀 Overview

The Lounge is a responsive, cross-platform web client for IRC that brings 21st-century features to the classic protocol. It acts as a persistent connection manager, staying online on your server so you can access chats from any device without missing messages.

It solves the problem of traditional IRC clients disconnecting when you close the browser or switch devices, eliminating the need for separate bouncers like ZNC. Users get push notifications, link previews, file uploads, and synchronized history.

Built for IRC enthusiasts, developers, and communities who want a lightweight, customizable, self-hosted alternative to modern chat apps while sticking to IRC's simplicity and federation.

It was created as the official community-managed fork of Shout, evolving it with modern features and active maintenance.

✨ Key Features

Always connected: Stays linked to IRC servers offline; resume sessions anywhere without bouncers
Modern IRC experience: Push notifications, link previews, file uploads, new message markers
Responsive design: Works on desktop, tablet, and mobile with smooth UI
Multi-user support: Share the server with accounts for teams or friends
Optional: Custom themes/plugins, LDAP auth, ZNC integration

🛠 Tech Stack

Frontend: Vue.js, TypeScript, CSS
Backend: Node.js (latest LTS+)
Database: SQLite (per-user), fallback to text files
Auth: Custom accounts / LDAP
Hosting: Self-hosted, Docker images available (e.g., linuxserver/thelounge)

👥 Who Is This For?

This project is useful for:

Developers who want to stay connected to IRC networks like Libera.Chat from anywhere
Teams looking for a lightweight, self-hosted chat frontend for IRC
Indie makers building persistent, federated communication without vendor lock-in

📸 Screenshots / Demo

Live demo: https://demo.thelounge.chat/
GitHub: https://github.com/thelounge/thelounge

🔥 Project Status

🟢 Actively building

Last updated: 2026-03-24

❓ FAQ

Is this project free?

Yes — Open Source (MIT license) (Completely free to use, self-host, and modify.)

Is the source code available?

Yes — https://github.com/thelounge/thelounge

Can I contribute?

Report bugs, suggest features, or submit pull requests via GitHub. Join the community discussion in #thelounge on irc.libera.chat:6697 (use the demo to connect!).