Running a room

Everything you can do in Slack or Discord as a channel manager has an IRC equivalent: a topic, a password, invite-only, read-only announcements, moderators, mutes and bans. In IRC these are called modes, and they are controlled by operators (ops).

The person who creates a new room is made its first op automatically on most networks, shown with an @ next to their nickname. On a room registered with ChanServ, the registered owner and their access list decide who gets ops. You can only change modes if you are an op, so look for the @ next to your name first.

A mode is a short switch. Turn it on with + and off with -. Some modes act on the room (like +k), others on a person (like +o). To see which modes a room has right now, type /mode #room.

Set the topic

The topic is the line at the top of a room. Use it for a description, the rules and a link, the same way you would use a channel description in Slack or Discord.

• Type /topic on its own to read the current topic.
• Many rooms have topic lock (+t) turned on, so only ops can change the topic. Turn it off with /mode #retro -t to let anyone edit it.
• Networks limit topic length, often to a few hundred characters. Keep it short and put the details in a linked page.
• People who join see the topic immediately, and any change is announced to the whole room.

Lock a room with a password (+k)

A key turns a room into a password-protected room, like a private Slack channel with a shared password. Anyone who does not know the key cannot join.

1. Set the key as an op: /mode #vault +k hunter2
2. Tell the people you want inside. They join with: /join #vault hunter2
3. To change the key, remove the old one and set a new one: /mode #vault -k hunter2 then /mode #vault +k newpassword
4. To open the room again, remove the key: /mode #vault -k hunter2

Invite-only (+i) and how to invite people

An invite-only room cannot be joined by just anyone, even if they know its name. Ops must invite each person first. It is the closest match to a private Slack channel or a locked Discord channel where you add people by name.

1. Make the room invite-only: /mode #team +i
2. Invite someone by nickname: /invite bram #team
3. They receive an invitation and join with /join #team. The invitation works for that person, usually until they join.
4. To open the room again: /mode #team -i

• Invite exceptions (+I). Let a person or group in without a per-visit invite: /mode #team +I *!*@trusted.example.org. See the list with /mode #team I. This is supported on most modern networks.
• Who can invite? In an invite-only room only ops can send invites. In other rooms any member can invite someone.
• Public rooms. To share a normal room, give people its name or a link such as irc://irc.libera.chat/#retro. A link does not bypass +i or +k.

Announcement rooms: moderated (+m) and voice (+v)

In a moderated room only ops and voiced members can speak. Everyone else can read. Use it for announcements, Q&A sessions, live events, or to cool down a heated conversation. It is the same idea as a read-only announcements channel.

1. Moderate the room: /mode #retro +m
2. Let a speaker talk: /mode #retro +v marta (a + appears next to their name).
3. Take voice away again: /mode #retro -v marta
4. End moderation: /mode #retro -m

Operators: +o and -o

Operators are your moderators. They can set modes, change the topic, invite, kick and ban.

• Only give ops to people you trust, and take it back with -o when they step down.
• You can remove your own op status when you are finished: /mode #retro -o yourname. If you registered the room, you can get it back later.
• Some networks add more levels. You may see ~ (owner), & (admin) or % (half-op) in the member list, each with a different set of powers.

Kick and ban

A kick removes someone from the room right now. They can come straight back, so it works as a warning. A ban blocks an address from joining or talking, so the person stays out until the ban is lifted. For serious problems you usually ban, then kick.

A ban matches an address pattern, nick!user@host, where * stands for anything:

• See the current ban list with /mode #retro b.
• Ban exceptions (+e) let a specific address in even when a broader ban matches it: /mode #retro +e *!*@friend.example.org.
• Always include a reason when you kick, so other ops and the person know why.
• Some networks also support bans based on a person's account name. The syntax differs, so check the network's help.

More room modes

Modes can be combined: /mode #retro +ntk secret turns on three at once, with the key placed after them. Some modes (for example registered-only or no-colors) exist on some networks but not others; the network's help lists them.

Quick recipes

Keep your room: registering with ChanServ

Without services, a room disappears when its last person leaves, and the next person to join becomes its op. On networks with ChanServ, you can register a room so that it keeps its ops, modes and topic. On Libera.Chat and OFTC:

Afterwards, ChanServ remembers who the owner and ops are and can restore the room's settings. Read /msg ChanServ HELP for your network. EFnet has no ChanServ, so rooms there are managed by the people present.