The undisputed leader among IRC clients, used by millions of people around the world. Mirk has impressive functionality that can be supplemented with many scripts.

Miranda

This instant messenger supports IRC and all other imaginable plug-in communication protocols. Hundreds of add-ons allow you to flexibly customize the presentation of the program and its relationship with the operating system and the network.

xChat

A multi-platform graphical IRC client that has all the functions necessary for fruitful communication. Allows you to simultaneously connect to several channels (rooms) at once, you can conduct public conversations or private conversations. It is also possible to exchange files.

KVirc

Graphical cross-platform IRC client. Supports all known protocols, SSL encryption, including DCC connections. Flexible customizable interface, excellent scripting language with support for object-oriented programming. First IRC client to announce support for avatars. A real alternative to mIRC or XChat, popular in the west. In Russia, it has recently been distributed, but has already gained popularity in certain circles.

Opera

Since version 7.50 Opera comes with an irc client. Chat contacts can be saved in the address book, and your contacts, when they are online, are displayed in the "Chat" panel

Trillian

Differs in support of many common instant messaging protocols. Supports the ability to connect under several accounts on different servers. There are problems with the Cyrillic alphabet.

Chatzilla

IRC client designed as a browser extension Mozilla Firefox, Mozilla, Seamonkey and Flock. Supports most functions of IRC clients such as simultaneous connection to multiple servers, IPv6, SSL, UTF-8, DCC. ChatZilla's appearance is easily modified using CSS.
Chatzilla can be launched in a browser tab by typing the address bar chrome: //chatzilla/content/chatzilla.xul It can also be launched without opening a Firefox browser window. To do this, you need to start Firefox with the key "-chat".

The Bersirc developers managed to create a very easy to use software... You create a profile containing several intuitive fields. Then you need to select a network to work or manually enter the server data. After these simple procedures, you can go to the channel and start the sacrament virtual communication... Favorite channels are allowed to be added to Favorites, that is, to store links in the form of bookmarks.

The very meager features of the program can be extended using plugins. Additional modules for Bersirc open the way to configure the filter system, automatic blocking spam.

On the official website of the product, you can download a utility for converting mIRC bookmarks to Bersirc format, as well as a script editor.

The IRC client has very modest service capabilities and requires some knowledge of the syntax of IRC commands, however, in gratitude, he answers very beautiful design message boxes that can be customized with CSS-based skins. All networks and channels you visited are remembered in the program settings, and you can further enable automatic download certain points. The NickServ password has to be entered manually and formatted as a separate line in the list of commands executed when connected to the network.

If you lose connection with a channel, Chatzilla will automatically try to reconnect. By default, this is done 5 times.

The program's capabilities can be expanded with additional modules that have a structure that is different from other programs in the Mozilla family.

Most programs of this class distributed on a paid basis. Availability free alternative in any market sector is always welcome.

mIRC - popular, stable IRC client for real-time network communications from the eponymous company mIRC Co. Ltd. Distributed under the Shareware license, that is, you can download mirc for free

The mIRC interface is easy to learn, the Divided into two sectors window shows a list of clients who are currently online, and messages are displayed in another sector. In addition to the standard list of tools similar to other similar chats, the mIRC functionality has support for a variety of convenient auxiliary options, such as color control and mutual file transfer, script launching, UTF-8 encoding support, and much more.

In this version, any user can open their own channel, where, performing the function of an administrator, you can communicate with a specific user at your discretion. In addition to the main modules and tools, which are essentially a shell of server commands, mIRC does possible use non-standard functions: activation of scripts, communication with servers to choose from and filtering actions such as flooders (spam protection). MIRC software can be used to exchange messages with a huge number of interlocutors, regardless of their geographic location. The only condition is that they need to connect to the IRC network.

Features of the mIRC program:

• optimized thoughtful interface;
• file sharing;
• large server base;
• maintenance of various scripts;
• screening of users who download the channel;
• ability to read messages by voice.

The mIRC program will be useful for lovers of dialogue on the net. It allows you to exchange files, does not cause difficulties in use and configuration, and has voice capabilities for reading messages. The mIRC interface is standard for such utilities and is understandable without outside help... You will be pleasantly surprised by the program's ability to voice text messages, however, mirc only audits in English, which provides an excellent opportunity to fill the gaps in knowledge of foreign languages.

Download and install one of the many IRC clients available. A client is the program you use to chat. Wikipedia has done a comparative analysis of IRC clients,.

1. Cross-platform
   • Chatzilla is available as an add-on on SeaMonkey and Mozilla Firefox.
   • Mibbit web ajax IRC client.
   • Opera has a built-in IRC client.
   • Pidgin is a multi-platform client instant messaging which supports IRC as well as AIM, Yahoo, Facebook and some other protocols.
   • Smuxi is an irssi follower, flexible, with a friendly user interface and a cross-platform IRC client for advanced users built for the GNOME desktop.
   • There are terminal-based IRC clients; some of the most popular include: WeeChat and irssi. Both of these clients have a wide range of features, enhancements and capabilities. Note that these clients are designed for UNIX-based systems such as Linux and OS X.
   • There are several web clients with IRC capability. Most often, they can be found on the websites of companies and organizations that use IRC to communicate with users. In such cases, access is opened only to one of the channels or to the network.
   • HexChat is one of the most successful Linux IRC clients; XChat. You can find this program in the repository of your chosen Linux build. Unlike the previous XChat, HexChat is free program open source.
2. For Windows
   • mIRC is the most popular IRC client for Windows due to its easy program modification. Known as Shareware, and you will be able to use the program for 30 days and after that, but with a message about registration for $ 20.
   • Whilst mIRC is the most popular. There are other free IRC clients available: ClicksAndWhistles, IceChat and many other cross-platform IRC clients.
3. For Linux
   • hosts a large number of IRC clients for Linux
   • Konversation is a popular KDE IRC client that is most commonly included in the mainstream operating system Kubuntu.
4. For Mac
   • Popular Mac IRC clients include: Colloquy, Ircle, Snak, and Linkinus. Colloquy is free and open source.

1. Check out the user guide for your IRC client. This way you will be able to learn how to perform basic actions in your program.

   The first thing you need to do is come up with a name under which you will communicate on IRC. You can use your real name or any other pseudonym you make up. More often than not, people do not reveal their real name to the public.

   Very often in software a list of some of the most popular IRC servers in the world will be added; you can join them if you haven't decided on a server yet. The name of the servers, most often, speaks about the type of audience and the users who communicate there. Popular servers (also known as the network) include EFNet, and QuakeNet (a network aimed at gaming audiences). These networks are visited by up to 100,000 users per day. wikiHow has an IRC room on the freenode network. You can connect to one of these networks using your IRC client. IRC network addresses are similar to website addresses (eg irc.freenode.net). Select a server and click on " Connect".

   Congratulations! You've just connected to the IRC server! At the very beginning, you will see information about the server. You may find it helpful to read some parts of it, as there may be important notes and links to popular channels (see below). It also includes "terms of use".

Free IRC client for comfortable communication on the IRC network. It has a convenient, fully customizable interface and an advanced scripting language.

In order to get into the IRC network, you need to have a special client program. Although the mIRC client is the most popular, I suggest using KVIrc. And there are objective reasons for this. Let's compare these programs.

Comparison of free IRC clients KVirc and mIRC

And that's not all the differences. It is worth adding that the KVIrc interface is more thought out, which allows you to quickly figure out what, where, where.

Installing KVirc

Let's install the program and see everything with our own eyes. During the installation process, we will be assisted by the "Configuration Wizard".

1. First of all, he will ask which language is more convenient for us to work in. We choose "Russian".

2. We will then be asked to accept license agreement... Here, just click "Accept".

3. In the next window, you can select the components to install. But it's better to leave everything as it is and just click "Next".

4. At the last step, you can select a folder to install the program. It's better to leave the default folder here too. Click "Install".

At the end of the installation, click "Run". But that is not all.

Presetting

At the first launch, KVIrc will greet us, warn us about the need to use a free license (if you decide to modify the program) and offer to select folders to store the settings.

This is necessary in case you want to have a portable version of the program in order to connect to IRC from different computers.

At the next step, we fill in the data about ourselves in order to use them in the future, when connecting to the network.

Then you can choose a theme or leave the default one.

In the next window there is a checkmark "Make KVIrc IRC client default". If you do not plan to use other clients, then you can leave it. Then click "Finish". The setup is complete.

Connecting to an IRC server

Finally, the main KVIrc window will open with the "Server List" window above it.

For Russian-speaking users, the Rusnet network is best suited. By clicking on the arrow to the left of it, we will see a list of servers in this network.

In the future, the same window can be accessed by clicking the "Connect to" button on the toolbar.

In the meantime, select the server you like and press the blue button "Connect now" and "OK" (to close the server selection window).

Windows Firewall may give a warning window that the program is blocked. But since the program is familiar to us, we press "Allow access" and find ourselves in the chat room.

How to communicate with KVirc

After a few seconds, the main program window will display:

• On the left is a list of connected networks;
• In the center - the chat itself, where both system messages and user messages will appear;
• On the right is a list of visitors to this room;
• Below is the message input panel.

Unfortunately, some rooms may not have participants at all. Apparently, with the development of the Internet, most of its users now prefer to communicate via video communication.

KVirc settings

Now it remains to go over the program settings. We have three main windows here. They are accessible by three corresponding buttons in the control panel.

1. Configuration of identification. This is the section that we filled out when we first entered the program. But here you can add your profile, for example, with an avatar and other details.

2. General KVirc settings

All settings are collected here, from the interface to connecting and executing additional scripts.

3. The third button is responsible for the visual component of the program.

conclusions

In my opinion, this is by far the most user-friendly IRC client (especially among the free ones). With its help, you can make new friends on the Internet or chat with old ones.

Also, a significant advantage of KVIrc is the ability to exchange files and support voice communication... To do this, just click on the nickname of the interlocutor with the right mouse button and select the parameters for file transfer or the quality of voice communication.

Despite the fact that now every second messenger allows you to communicate by voice and transmit video, IRC networks are still alive, due to the fact that not everywhere there is still high-speed Internet access, but for text communication even the braking connection is enough.

P.S. Permitted freely to copy and quote. this article provided that an open active link to the source is indicated and the authorship of Ruslan Tertyshny is preserved.