Often IRC is a fast paced environment with channels including hundreds of people at once. Because of this, abbreviations are used to enable the users to type and read quickly. Most internet savy users will recognise these abbreviations and acronyms, but keep in mind, they all got their start on IRC.
You enter an IRC command by typing a forward slash ('/') followed by the command name, followed by any parameters (if applicable).
/away - Syntax: /away {away_message}
The away command allows you to let other users know that you are AFK. The away message will be displayed to users to try to /msg you or do a /whois lookup on you.
/help - Syntax: /help
The help command displays the list of valid commands that the server will recognise.
/join - Syntax: /join {channel_name}
The join command allows you to enter/join a specified channel. For those unfamiliar with IRC, and channel is like a room on E2. Most channels start with the hash (or pound) sign (#), although local channels begin with an ampersand (&), and modeless channels start with a plus sign (+). The #, &, or + must be included when typing the channel name.
/leave - Syntax: /leave
The leave command causes you to leave a channel. Most IRC servers use the /part command instead.
/list - Syntax: /list OR /list {wildcard}
The list command will display a list of channels. If you use the wildcard option, it will display a list of channels that match the wildcard you entered.
/me - Syntax: /me {action_message}
The me command displays your channel message as an action. It works exactly like on E2.
/msg - Syntax: /msg {nick_of_receiver} {message_text}
The msg command allows you to send a private message to a specified user (See also /privmsg)
/nick - Syntax: /nick {your_nick}
The nick command sets your nick (nickname) that will be displayed next to all of your chat dialog, and the name that other users will be able to private message you with (see also /msg and /privmsg).
/part - Syntax: /part
The part command causes you to leave a channel (See also /partall and /quit)
/quit - Syntax: /quit {optional_quit_message}
The quit command quits/disconnects from the IRC server. The optional quit message is displayed when you leave - perfect for allowing you to get the last word.
/say - Syntax: /say {message_text}
The say command allows you to speak in a channel. Since say is the default command, it is not required to actually type this.
/who (1) - Syntax: /who {nick}
The who command allows you to find out which channel a certain nick is in. You can use wildcards (*) in the nick to match similar names (See also /whois)
/who (2) - Syntax: /who *.{domain_name}
The who command can also allow you to find out which users are connecting from a specific domain. This can help you to find people in your geographic area, or who have the same ISP as you. It can also be helpful for tracking someone down who has changed their nick (See also /whois)
/whois - Syntax: /whois {nick} OR /whois {nick1,nick2,nick3,etc}
The whois command allows you to get basic information about one or more nicks, including their internet address, what channel they are in, and what server they are on. Some servers hide this information for security.
/admin - Syntax: /admin
The admin command displays some basic administrative data about the server.
/ignore - Syntax: /ignore [+|-]{nick}
The ignore command filters out all messages (public and private) from being displayed on your screen. Since this is a client command, your computer still receives all the messages (and therefore user the bandwidth), but they are just not displayed to you. This is not supported by all clients.
/info - Syntax: /info
The info command displays copyright info and developer credits.
/invite - Syntax: /invite {nick} {channel}
The invite command sends an invitation to a user to join your channel. Note that some channels require an invite to allow you to enter (See /mode (3)). You must be an op to send an invitation.
/ison - Syntax: /ison {nick1 nick2 nick3}
The ison (is on) command allows you to check if the specified users are online. You may specify multiple nicks, and the users that are online will be displayed back to you.
/kick - Syntax: /kick {channel_name} {nick} {reason}
The kick command allows you to kick a person out of a channel. Only ops can kick.
/links - Syntax: /link
The link command displays a view of how the IRC network is connect. This command does not work on all servers (See also /maps)
/lusers - Syntax: /lusers
The lusers (list users) command displays information on the number of users, operators, channels, clients, and servers online. It is likely no cooincidence that this is very simliar to "losers".
/map - Syntax: /map
The map command displays a view of how the IRC network is connect. This command does not work on all servers (See also /links)
/mode (1) - Syntax: /mode {nick} [+|-]{mode(s)}
The mode command is most often reserved for sysops. This mode command (1) allows the sysop to set various modes or properties for your nick. Some of these include:
- g - receive HACK wallops. Basically allows the user to receive desync messages
- i - invisibility. The nick won't show up with the /who command, or on /whois with wildcards, but you can be "seen" by users in the same channel as you.
- s - receive server notices
- w - receive wallops. Allows the user to receive IRCop messages
- d - deaf mode. You won't hear (though I suppose "see" is more appropriate) any of the public messages in a channel, though you will receive private messages. This is currently only used in Ircu.
- x - hides your hostname in the /whois command results
/mode (2) - Syntax: /mode +s [+|-]{mask_number}
The mode command can also be used to set server notice masks. Like the command above, these are most often reserved for sysops only, however this mode command is used for changing global settings. Each mask number is a power of 2, you can add the mask numbers together to set multiple options at once. For example, if you wanted to set mask 4 and mask 8, you could simply set mask 12, and be sure that there are no other combinations that could add up to 12. Some of the mask numbers include:
/mode (3) - Syntax: /mode {mode} {parameter}
The mode command can also allow you to set modes for a channel. Some of these modes include:
- b {nick} {reason} - ban someone from a channel
- i - sets the channel as invite-only
- k {password} - sets a password (key) for entering the channel
- l {limit} - sets a limit on the number of users that can be in the channel at one time
- m - channel is moderated - only ops and voiced people can talk
- n - no messages may be sent to this channel from outside
- o {nick} - set user as a channelop
- p - channel is private
- r - sets an account limited channel
- s - channel is secret
- v {nick} - Voice someone in a channel, allows them to speak through bans and moderations
/motd - Syntax: /motd
The motd (message of the day) command displays a message from the server. This could be an announcement, notice, or just random quotes.
/names - Syntax: /names {channel_name}
The names command displays all the nicks in a given channel.
/notice - Syntax: /notice {notice_receiver} {notice_text}
The notice command allows you to send a quick private message without opening a private message window. Notices should never be responded to with an automatic reply (from a irc bot, for example).
/partall - Syntax: /partall
The partall command causes you to leave all channels (See also /part and /quit)
/ping - Syntax: /ping {nick} OR /ping {channel_name}
The ping command allows you to ping a user or channel.
/privmsg - Syntax: /privmsg {nick_of_receiver} {message_text}
The privmsg command allows you to send a private message to a specified user. This command is not supported on all IRC servers, and it is more common (and safe) to use the /msg command instead.
/query - Syntax: /query {nick}
The query command allows you to continually send private messages to the specified nick without having to keep entering /msg {nick} each time, but it also keeps the main public conversation displayed on the page. With the introduction of GUIs for IRC that can open a separate private message window, this command is not as useful as it used to be. To turn of query, simply type /query again with no nick specified (See also /msg)
/raw - Syntax: /raw {options}
The raw command allows you to send raw commands to the server. There are literally tens of thousands of raw commands and options, so an explanation of this command is beyond the scope of this writeup.
/silence - Syntax: /silence [+|-]{nick}
The silence command is very similar to the /ignore command except that it works from the server end to block messages by disliked users. Not all servers support this command.
/stats - Syntax: /stats
The stats command displays various statistical information including ports, lists of banned users, away users count, etc. Stats is disabled on most servers for security.
/time - Syntax: /time
The time command displays the current date and time on the IRC server.
/topic - Syntax: /topic OR /topic {topic_text}
The topic command gets or sets the topic of the channel
/trace - Syntax: /trace {nick}
The trace command displays the path between you and a specified user (i.e., what path your message travels along the network when you /msg them).
/userhost - Syntax: /userhost {nick}
The userhost command displays the hostname of the specified user (See also /whois)
/userip - Syntax: /userip {nick}
The userip command displays the IP address of the specified user (See also /whois)
/version - Syntax: /version
The version command displays the software version of the software running the IRC server (often IRCU). See also /info.
/whowas - Syntax: /whowas {nick}
The whowas command is very similar to /whois, however if a user has disconnected from the server, whowas information is stored in a buffer for a period of time.