10 Essential IRC Commands

The /join command is the gateway to IRC. Channels are where conversations happen, and joining one is the first thing you do after connecting to a server. On TwistedNET, the main community channel is #twisted.

# Basic syntax
/join #channelname

# Examples
/join #twisted                    # Join TwistedNET's main channel
/join #coding                     # Join the coding channel
/join #newchannel                 # Creates the channel if it doesn't exist
/join #private secretpassword     # Join a key-protected channel
/join #chan1,#chan2,#chan3          # Join multiple channels at once

# Server response
:YourNick!user@host JOIN :#twisted
:server 332 YourNick #twisted :Welcome to TwistedNET!
:server 353 YourNick = #twisted :@Op1 +Voice1 User1 User2

Common mistake: Forgetting the # prefix. Channel names on IRC always start with #. Typing /join twisted will not work.

TwistedNET tip: Check out our chat rooms page for a full list of active channels on the network.

When you are done with a channel, /part lets you leave gracefully. You can optionally include a reason that other users will see.

# Basic syntax
/part #channelname [reason]

# Examples
/part #twisted                         # Leave silently
/part #twisted Heading to bed, gn!     # Leave with a message
/part #chan1,#chan2                     # Leave multiple channels

# What others see
* YourNick has left #twisted (Heading to bed, gn!)

Common mistake: Using /leave instead of /part. Some clients support /leave as an alias, but /part is the standard command that works everywhere.

Pro tip: If you just want to temporarily hide a channel without leaving, most clients let you minimize or hide the channel tab. You will stay in the channel and continue receiving messages.

Private messaging is a core part of IRC. The /msg command sends a direct message to another user that only they can see. It also works for sending messages to channel services like NickServ and ChanServ.

# Basic syntax
/msg nickname message

# Examples
/msg Ghost Hey, are you around?         # Send a private message
/msg NickServ IDENTIFY mypassword       # Identify with NickServ
/msg ChanServ INFO #twisted             # Get channel info from ChanServ

# What Ghost sees in their client
<YourNick> Hey, are you around?

Common mistake: Accidentally sending your NickServ password to a channel instead of to NickServ. Double-check that you are typing /msg NickServ and not just typing the command in a channel window. This is one of the most common and embarrassing IRC mistakes. If it happens, change your password immediately.

TwistedNET tip: On TwistedNET, you can register your nickname with NickServ to prevent others from using it. Use /msg NickServ REGISTER password email to secure your identity on the network.

Your nickname is your identity on IRC. The /nick command lets you change it at any time. Nicknames on IRC can contain letters, numbers, underscores, hyphens, and brackets, but cannot start with a number or contain spaces.

# Basic syntax
/nick newnickname

# Examples
/nick Ghost                    # Change to "Ghost"
/nick Ghost|away               # Common pattern for away status
/nick Ghost_                   # If "Ghost" is taken

# What others see
* YourOldNick is now known as Ghost

# Error if nickname is in use
433 * Ghost :Nickname is already in use.

Common mistake: Trying to use a nickname that is already registered and protected. On TwistedNET, if a nickname is registered with NickServ and you try to use it, you will be asked to identify or change your nick within 60 seconds.

Pro tip: Group alternative nicknames to your main account with /msg NickServ GROUP after changing to the alt nick and identifying to your main account. This lets you switch between nicks without losing your registered identity.

The /whois command reveals information about another user, including their hostname, what channels they are in, how long they have been idle, and what server they are connected to. It is the IRC equivalent of checking someone's profile.

# Basic syntax
/whois nickname

# Example output
Ghost is [email protected] (Ghost)
Ghost on #twisted #coding #music
Ghost using irc.twistednet.org (TwistedNET IRC)
Ghost is using a secure connection (TLS)
Ghost has been idle for 5 minutes, signed on at Mon Oct 18 14:30:00
Ghost is a registered nick
Ghost End of /WHOIS list.

Pro tip: Use /whois nickname nickname (the nick twice) to get the idle time and signon time, which some servers only return on a double whois.

TwistedNET tip: TwistedNET cloaks user hostnames by default to protect your IP address. You will see something like user.twistednet.org instead of a raw IP, which is part of our commitment to user privacy.

The /me command sends an action message to the channel, displayed in the third person. It is used for expressing actions, reactions, or adding personality to your messages. Action messages are typically displayed differently from regular messages in most IRC clients, often in italics or with a different color.

# Basic syntax
/me action text

# Examples
/me waves hello                    # Shows: * Ghost waves hello
/me is compiling the kernel        # Shows: * Ghost is compiling the kernel
/me grabs coffee                   # Shows: * Ghost grabs coffee

# How it appears in channel
* Ghost waves hello
* Ghost is compiling the kernel

Pro tip: The /me command works in private messages too, not just channels. Under the hood, it sends a CTCP ACTION message, which is a special type of PRIVMSG wrapped in CTCP delimiters.

Every IRC channel has a topic, which is a line of text displayed at the top of the channel window. It typically contains the channel's purpose, rules, or useful links. The /topic command lets you view or change it.

# View the current topic
/topic #twisted

# Set a new topic (requires channel operator status)
/topic #mychannel Welcome to my channel! | Rules: Be cool | https://twistednet.org

# Server response when viewing
:server 332 YourNick #twisted :Welcome to TwistedNET IRC - https://twistednet.org
:server 333 YourNick #twisted Admin 1697644800

Common mistake: Trying to set the topic without operator status. Most channels have mode +t set, which restricts topic changes to channel operators. If you need to update the topic, ask an op or use ChanServ if you have the appropriate access level.

Pro tip: Use the pipe character | to visually separate sections in a topic. This is a widely recognized convention across IRC networks.

The /mode command is the Swiss Army knife of IRC. It controls channel settings (like who can talk, who can join, whether the channel is invite-only) and user privileges (like operator status, voice, and bans). It is the most complex command on this list, but understanding the basics is essential.

# Channel modes (requires operator status)
/mode #channel +o nickname       # Give operator status (@)
/mode #channel -o nickname       # Remove operator status
/mode #channel +v nickname       # Give voice (+)
/mode #channel +b *!*@badhost    # Ban a hostmask
/mode #channel +i                # Set channel to invite-only
/mode #channel +m                # Moderated: only +v/+o can talk
/mode #channel +k secretkey      # Set a channel key (password)
/mode #channel +l 50             # Limit channel to 50 users

# User modes (for yourself)
/mode YourNick +i                # Set invisible mode
/mode YourNick +x                # Enable hostname cloaking

# View current modes
/mode #twisted                   # See what modes are set

Common mistake: Confusing channel modes with user modes. Channel modes are set with /mode #channel, user modes with /mode YourNick. Setting +i on a channel makes it invite-only. Setting +i on yourself makes you invisible in channel lists.

TwistedNET tip: On TwistedNET, hostname cloaking (+x) is applied automatically to registered users. This hides your real IP address from other users, providing an extra layer of privacy.

Channel operators use /kick to remove disruptive users from a channel. It is a moderation tool, not a punishment, and should be used judiciously. The kicked user can rejoin unless a ban has been set.

# Basic syntax (requires operator status)
/kick #channel nickname [reason]

# Examples
/kick #twisted Spammer                         # Kick with no reason
/kick #twisted Spammer Please read the rules   # Kick with reason

# What users see
* Spammer was kicked from #twisted by Ghost (Please read the rules)

# Kick + ban combo (kickban)
/mode #twisted +b *!*@spammer.host
/kick #twisted Spammer Banned for spam

Common mistake: Kicking without banning. A kick alone only removes the user momentarily. They can rejoin immediately. If you need to keep someone out, set a ban with /mode +b first, then kick.

TwistedNET tip: TwistedNET supports ChanServ for persistent channel management. If you have the AKICK access level, you can use /msg ChanServ AKICK #channel ADD nickname reason to automatically kick and ban a user whenever they try to join.

When you are ready to leave IRC, /quit disconnects you from the server cleanly. You can include a quit message that other users will see. This is the proper way to disconnect, as it notifies the server and other users that you left intentionally.

# Basic syntax
/quit [message]

# Examples
/quit                                   # Disconnect with default message
/quit See you tomorrow!                 # Custom quit message
/quit Switching to mobile               # Informative quit message

# What others see in all your channels
* Ghost has quit (See you tomorrow!)

Common mistake: Just closing the client window without quitting properly. While this technically works (the server will detect the disconnection), it shows up as a timeout rather than a clean quit, and it may take several minutes for your nickname to free up. Always use /quit for a clean exit.

Pro tip: Many IRC clients let you set a default quit message in their settings, so you do not have to type one every time. Set it once and forget it.