docker-bitlbee

Logging in

To run bitlbee:

docker run -d -p 6667:6667 -v $HOME/.bitlbee/:/var/lib/bitlbee/ jwinder/docker-bitlbee

Then connect to localhost:6667 with an irc client and switch to the &bitlbee channel. This is the control channel where you will interact with bitlbee.

Make up some random password. To login for the first time (without the brackets):

register <some-password>

All following times:

identify <some-password>

Common commands

help and help commands display useful commands listings
account list displays all registered accounts (can be shortened, e.g. acc li)
blist or /names displays all contacts (can be shortened e.g. bli)
plugins for a list of supported protocols
help purple for a list of libpurple supported protocols
save to save the current configuration (sometimes after adding/changing accounts, it doesn't save right away)
account <name> set tag <new-name> renames an account
account <name> set auto_connect off to turn off autoconnect for a specific account on login
chan &bitlbee set show_users online+,away+,offline to show more than online contacts for /names

Chatting

You can private message a nick /msg <nick> <msg> from the control channel. Within reason, you can invite others to these rooms as well, creating a group chat: /invite <nick>.

You can also talk to a nick directly in the control channel. Type a contact's name and direct a message to them just like any irc channel with multiple people: <nick>: <msg>. Their response will be in the control channel.

Twitter

account add twitter <username>
account twitter on

Bitlbee will open a private chat with you, sending a twitter link to follow for authorizing bitlbee. Accept the terms, then twitter will display a code. Reply with this code in the private chat. Bitlbee will now be authorized to use twitter. Don't forget to save.

Bitlbee will automatically open a private irc channel to the twitter contact containing recent tweets in your feed.

Sending a message to the twitter contact in the control channel as well as inside of the private twitter irc channel will both post tweets, so be careful.

Sending a private message to a twitter user via /msg <nick> <msg> will send that user a twitter DM, not a tweet.

Facebook

Create an app password for bitlbee here.

account add facebook <email> <app-password>
account facebook on
save

Google Hangouts

account add hangouts <email>
account hangouts set nick_format %full_name
account hangouts on

Bitlbee will open a private chat with you, sending instructions for retrieving an oauth token from google. The gist is: if you are already logged into google, go here. Inspect the cookies for an oauth_token cookie. Reply with the value of this cookie in the private chat. Bitlbee will now be configured to use hangouts.

Don't forget to save.