💻IRC

A lightweight Internet Relay Chat (IRC) server implementation in C++, developed as part of the 42 curriculum.

📋 Overview

IRC is a server implementation that enables real-time communication between multiple clients. This project focuses on understanding network programming, socket communication, and implementing the IRC protocol specifications.

✨ Features

Server Capabilities

User authentication and registration
Channel creation and management
Private messaging between users
Channel operator privileges
Client connection handling

Command Support

/nick: Set or change nickname
/join: Join a channel
/privmsg: Send private messages
/quit: Disconnect from server
/part: Leave a channel
/topic: Set/view channel topic
/mode: Set channel/user modes
/kick: Remove user from channel
/invite: Invite user to channel

Network Features

TCP/IP socket communication
Multiple client connections
Real-time message broadcasting
Error handling and recovery
Protocol compliance

🚀 Getting Started

Prerequisites

C++ compiler (C++98 standard)
Make
POSIX-compliant operating system

Installation

# Clone the repository
git clone git@github.com:lciullo/IRC.git
cd IRC

# Compile the project
make

Usage

# Start the server
./ircserv <port> <password>

# Connect using a client (e.g., netcat)
nc localhost <port>

🎯 Project Objectives

Implement the IRC protocol according to specifications
Handle multiple client connections simultaneously
Manage channels and user permissions
Process IRC commands and responses
Ensure secure user authentication
Implement proper error handling
Handle network communication effectively

🏗️ Project Structure

ft_irc/
├── src/
│   ├── main.cpp
│   ├── Server.cpp
│   ├── Client.cpp
│   ├── Channel.cpp
│   ├── Command.cpp
│   └── Utils.cpp
├── include/
│   ├── Server.hpp
│   ├── Client.hpp
│   ├── Channel.hpp
│   ├── Command.hpp
│   └── Utils.hpp
├── Makefile
└── README.md

🤝 Contributors

Lisa Ciullo - @lciullo
Clémence Llovio - @clemllovio
Aymeric Jakubczyk - @ajakubcz

🧠 Learning Outcomes

This project provided valuable experience in:

Network programming and socket communication
Multi-client server architecture
Protocol implementation and compliance
Real-time data transmission
User authentication and security
Error handling in networked applications
Collaborative development practices

🛠️ Technical Implementation

Server class manages socket connections and client handling
Client class handles user state and authentication
Channel class implements room management and privileges
Command handler processes IRC protocol messages
Utils provide helper functions for common operations

📝 License

This project is part of the 42 school curriculum.

🌟 Acknowledgments

IRC Protocol documentation
42 School