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What programs can be used for IRC (=Internet Relay Chat)?

Lekensteyn
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myusuf3
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13 Answers13

44

XChat Install Xchat

XChat is a graphical IRC Client with a GTK+ GUI. It has a look and feel similar to AmIRC for the Amiga. Special features include the mIRC extension DCC RESUME and mIRC color, multiple server/channel windows, dialog windows, and a plugin API.

It does pretty much everything you could want an IRC client to do.

xchat

Community
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dv3500ea
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25

XChat-Gnome

XChat-Gnome is very similar to XChat however it aims to have a more friendlier user interface and integrate better with your desktop. I find for starting out on IRC its much easier to get the hang off

sudo apt-get install xchat-gnome xchat-gnome-indicator

Screenshot:

Xchat-GNome

Community
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Nick HS
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17

IRSSI is the way to go: http://www.irssi.org/

It was even in the TV show 'Numbers'; check out the video on the Irssi homepage. (P.S. That was supposed to be funny)

Robert Massaioli
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13

Empathy!

Installed by default in Ubuntu. It really serves as a very easy to use IRC client. Don't expect very advanced features though ;)

W. Goeman
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11

Quassel is another IRC client for Ubuntu and Debian based Linux distributions. It has a Qt interface. Its main feature is to be distributed, it means that you run a quassel "headless" in a server that has a permanent connection, and your desktop/mobile client connects to that server. Quassel is your best friend if you need to be always connected to IRC whenever you are!

develCuy
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gamerchick02
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10

Smuxi is a nice GNOME IRC client, which features indicator support like xchat-gnome, and can be run in a client/server arrangement where the server is always connected to IRC, much like irssi+screen.

RAOF
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9

I'm very happy with my own irc-client called "f-irc" (f-irc website).

Wrote it 7 years ago (note that I've been adding features and fixing bugs like a mad men for the last 2 weeks) and it totally suits my own needs. Navigation is somewhat different than most other clients but it is consistent and also usable when you decide not to learn all those keyboard shortcuts by heart.

For fun and kicks I added a word cloud so that you can easily what happened for the last 5 minutes (which is its (configurable) refresh interval).

website: http://www.vanheusden.com/f-irc/

example

Folkert van Heusden
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6

There is also Konversation from the KDE libraries. Available in the main repository like most of these.

Konversation

yuvilio
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6

I am surprised that no one suggested "Pidgin" - http://www.pidgin.im/download/ubuntu/

sudo apt install pidgin

enter image description here

enedil
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Devyn Collier Johnson
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4

KVIrc

KVIrc is one of the best as for me. Well configurable, tons of themes, strong community.

Install:

sudo apt-get install kvirc

Screenshots:

enter image description here

enter image description here

SET
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1

I use Opera browser's built-in chat client. During Ubuntu Openweeks I just have to click the link to the classroom that is present on the openweek wiki page and the chat window opens in another tab.

jumbli
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0

If you're looking for something dead simple, I'm becoming a fan of LostIRC.

-1

I use Firefox browser or Empathy