pyIRCX

A production-ready Python implementation of the IRCX protocol — the modern IRCX server for distributed chat networks

What is pyIRCX?

pyIRCX is a production-ready IRCX chat server built on Python's asyncio framework. It faithfully recreates — and significantly enhances — the functionality of Microsoft Exchange Chat Service (MECS 5.5 and 6.0), the technology that powered legendary chat networks like:

MSN Chat (irc.msn.com) — Microsoft's flagship chat service, serving millions daily from 1996-2006
TalkCity — One of the largest chat communities of the late 90s, pioneering web-based chat
Enterprise Exchange Chat — Corporate deployments before Slack and Teams existed

If you remember the days of Microsoft Comic Chat, chat rooms with real nickserv-style registration, channel properties, and the unique IRCX extensions — pyIRCX brings all of that back with modern security, scalability, and reliability.

Comic Chat Compatible! pyIRCX works with Microsoft Comic Chat (V2.5), the iconic IRC client that displayed conversations as comic strips. Run it natively or in a VM - pyIRCX speaks the same IRCX protocol.

Recent Updates

Version 1.0.4 (January 2026)

License Migration to GPLv3

Open Source Forever — Migrated from MIT to GNU General Public License v3.0
Enhanced Protections — GPLv3 ensures derivatives remain open source with patent protection
Updated Copyright — Standardized to "pyIRCX Project" across all source files
Comprehensive Headers — All Python files now include full GPLv3 license headers
Documentation Updates — All references and badges updated to reflect GPLv3

Version 1.0.3 (January 2026)

Cockpit Enhancements & Security Fixes

Staff Management — Full CRUD interface for managing ADMIN/SYSOP/GUIDE accounts
Enhanced Statistics — Detailed server stats with staff breakdowns and access rule counts
Channel Modes Display — Active channels now show modes (+nt, +mnst, etc.)
Mode Security Fix — Prevented manual setting of +r (registered) mode on channels
UI Improvements — Reorganized dashboard with better information hierarchy

Version 1.0.0 (January 2026)

Server-to-Server Linking

pyIRCX now supports distributed chat networks with server-to-server linking:

Server linking protocol with password authentication
State synchronization - users and channels sync across servers
Message routing - seamless communication across the network
Netsplit handling - graceful recovery from server disconnections
Admin commands - CONNECT, SQUIT, LINKS for network management

Use Cases

Distributed Chat Networks

Build multi-server IRC networks spanning geographic regions:

Link servers in different cities/countries for low latency
Scale horizontally by adding more servers
Provide redundancy with multiple hubs
Manage the network with standard IRC server commands

Community Chat Networks

Build your own chat community with MSN Chat-style features including channel cloning for busy rooms, nickname registration, channel ownership, and automated moderation tools.

Retro Computing & Preservation

pyIRCX provides protocol-correct IRCX for historical accuracy and works with period-accurate clients:

Microsoft Comic Chat (cchat.exe) - The comic strip chat client
Microsoft Chat 2.5 - The standard IRCX client
mIRC with IRCX scripts - Extended functionality
Any RFC 1459/2812 client - Full backwards compatibility

Enterprise & Team Communication

Self-hosted team chat with corporate-grade features:

Staff hierarchy (ADMIN/SYSOP/GUIDE)
Channel access control (ACCESS lists)
Audit logging (transcripts)
No external dependencies or subscriptions
Multi-server deployment for large organizations

Gaming Communities

Dedicated chat infrastructure for game servers, guilds, and gaming communities:

ServiceBot automated moderation
Flood protection and spam filtering
Channel properties for rules/info
Distributed network for global player base

Education & Research

Study the IRCX protocol, teach network programming, or research distributed chat system architecture with a well-documented, readable Python implementation.

Why pyIRCX?

The Only Open-Source IRCX Server with Server Linking

pyIRCX offers feature parity with commercial IRCX servers like OfficeIRC, but as open-source software you can deploy anywhere. While OfficeIRC supports both IRCX and server linking, it's commercial/closed-source. UnrealIRCd and other major IRC servers support linking but lack IRCX protocol extensions.

pyIRCX is the only open-source server combining full IRCX protocol support with server-to-server linking capabilities.

See detailed feature comparison below.

Features

🌐 Server Linking & Distributed Networks (NEW!)

Build IRC networks that scale:

Server-to-Server Protocol — Custom IRCX-aware linking protocol
Authentication — Password-protected server links
State Burst — Full user/channel synchronization on link
Message Routing — Efficient message propagation across the network
Netsplit Handling — Automatic cleanup and recovery
Admin Commands:
- CONNECT <server> — Link to a remote server
- SQUIT <server> — Disconnect a linked server
- LINKS — Show network topology
Collision Detection — Timestamp-based nick collision resolution
Configurable — Link configuration via JSON config file

Example Network Topology:

         hub.example.com (Central Hub)
                 |
    +------------+------------+
    |            |            |
  leaf1      leaf2        leaf3
(US-East)  (US-West)    (Europe)

IRCX Protocol Extensions

pyIRCX implements the full IRCX specification developed by Microsoft:

Three-tier channel privileges: Owner (.), Host (@), Voice (+)
ACCESS command: Granular access control lists (DENY, GRANT, VOICE, HOST, OWNER)
PROP command: Channel properties (TOPIC, ONJOIN, ONPART, MEMBERKEY, HOSTKEY, OWNERKEY, LAG)
WHISPER command: Private messages within channels
LISTX command: Extended channel listing with metadata
KNOCK command: Request invitation to invite-only channels
CREATE command: Create channels with initial modes
ISIRCX command: Protocol capability detection

Channel Cloning (Overflow Rooms)

Just like the original MSN Chat, pyIRCX supports automatic channel cloning:

#Lobby (50 users, +dl 50)  →  #Lobby1 (50 users)  →  #Lobby2 (37 users)

When a channel with clone mode (+d) reaches its user limit (+l), new joiners automatically get placed in numbered overflow channels. Mode changes on the original propagate to all clones.

Security & Authentication

SASL PLAIN authentication with IRCv3 capability negotiation
Nickname registration with email verification
Two-factor authentication support
DNSBL checking (Spamhaus, DroneBL, etc.)
Open proxy detection
Connection throttling and flood protection
Failed auth lockout with configurable thresholds
TLS 1.2/1.3 with automatic certificate management
IP masking (+x user mode)

Network Services

Built-in service bots that can be invited to channels for moderation:

System — Server announcements and administrative messages
Registrar — Handles nickname registration and authentication
Messenger — Offline messaging / memo service
NewsFlash — Network-wide announcements
ServiceBots — Configurable monitoring bots for content filtering

Staff Management

Three-tier staff hierarchy matching the original MECS design:

Level	Mode	Capabilities
ADMIN	+a	Full server control, CONFIG access, can promote SYSOPs, can link servers
SYSOP	+o	Server operator, can KILL/KLINE, promote GUIDEs, can link servers
GUIDE	+g	Channel moderation assistance, limited staff commands

Modern Infrastructure

Pure Python 3.8+ with asyncio for high concurrency
SQLite database with connection pooling for persistence
Dual-stack IPv4/IPv6 support out of the box
Systemd integration for production deployments
Hot-reloadable configuration
Comprehensive logging with configurable verbosity
Web admin panel via Cockpit integration (optional)

Technical Deep Dive

Async Architecture

pyIRCX is built from the ground up on Python's asyncio framework, enabling efficient handling of thousands of concurrent connections without threading overhead:

# Non-blocking I/O for all client operations
async def handle_client(self, reader, writer):
    # Each client runs in its own coroutine
    # No thread pools, no blocking, pure async

Event-driven command dispatch — Commands are processed asynchronously with per-command rate limiting
Coroutine-per-client model — Each connection is an independent async task
Non-blocking database operations — All SQLite queries use aiosqlite for async I/O
Server linking — Async server-to-server communication with message routing

Server Linking Architecture

The linking system enables distributed IRC networks:

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  Server Linking Protocol                                     │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  1. Handshake          — SERVER command with authentication  │
│  2. State Burst        — Sync all users and channels         │
│  3. Message Routing    — Propagate messages across network   │
│  4. Collision Handling — Timestamp-based nick resolution     │
│  5. Netsplit Recovery  — Automatic cleanup and rejoins       │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Protocol Features:

Password-authenticated server connections
Full state synchronization on link establishment
Efficient message routing with loop prevention
Automatic netsplit detection and cleanup
Nick/channel timestamp collision resolution

Database Layer

Persistent storage with enterprise-grade reliability:

Connection pooling — Configurable pool size (default: 5 connections) eliminates connection overhead
Automatic schema migration — Database structure updates seamlessly between versions
Atomic transactions — All multi-step operations are transaction-safe
Stored data includes:
- Registered nicknames with bcrypt-hashed passwords
- Channel registrations with ACCESS lists and PROPs
- Offline messages (memos) with expiration
- Staff credentials and privilege levels
- Server access rules (bans) with expiration timestamps

Multi-Layer Security

pyIRCX implements defense-in-depth with multiple security layers:

Connection Security

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  Incoming Connection                                         │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│  1. Connection Throttle    — Max N connections/IP/window     │
│  2. DNSBL Check            — Query Spamhaus, DroneBL, etc.   │
│  3. Proxy Detection        — Scan for open proxy ports       │
│  4. Connection Scoring     — Aggregate risk score            │
│  5. TLS Handshake          — TLS 1.2/1.3 with modern ciphers │
│  6. Rate Limiting          — Per-command cooldowns           │
│  7. Flood Protection       — Message frequency limits        │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

DNSBL Integration

IPv4 and IPv6 support — Full nibble-reversed IPv6 DNSBL queries
Multiple blocklist support — Configure any DNSBL (Spamhaus ZEN, DroneBL, etc.)
Whitelist bypass — Exempt trusted IPs/ranges from checks
Async DNS resolution — Non-blocking blocklist queries

Authentication Security

bcrypt password hashing — Industry-standard password storage
Failed attempt lockout — Configurable threshold and duration
SASL PLAIN over TLS — Secure credential transmission
MFA support — Two-factor authentication via verification codes

Performance Characteristics

Metric	Value
Concurrent connections	1,000+ per server
Network scalability	Unlimited (add more servers)
Message throughput	Limited by network I/O
Memory per connection	~50KB typical
Database operations	Pooled, non-blocking
Server link latency	<10ms (LAN), varies (WAN)
Startup time	<1 second

Quick Start

Installation

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/AI3I/pyIRCX.git
cd pyIRCX

# Automated installation (recommended)
sudo ./install.sh

# OR manual installation
pip install aiosqlite bcrypt pyotp cryptography
python3 pyircx.py

The server will start listening on ports 6667 (plain) and 7000 (alternative) by default.

Upgrading

# Pull latest changes
cd pyIRCX
git pull

# Upgrade existing installation
sudo ./upgrade.sh

Maintenance

# Validate and repair installation
sudo ./repair.sh

# Uninstall completely
sudo ./uninstall.sh

Basic Configuration

Edit pyircx_config.json to customize your server:

{
  "server": {
    "name": "irc.example.com",
    "network": "MyNetwork"
  },
  "network": {
    "listen_ports": [6667, 7000]
  }
}

Setting Up Server Linking

To create a multi-server network:

1. Configure the hub server (hub.example.com):

{
  "linking": {
    "enabled": true,
    "bind_host": "0.0.0.0",
    "bind_port": 7001,
    "links": [
      {
        "name": "leaf.example.com",
        "host": "leaf.example.com",
        "port": 7001,
        "password": "secure-link-password",
        "autoconnect": false
      }
    ]
  }
}

2. Configure leaf servers similarly with hub details

3. Link servers as an admin:

/STAFF LOGIN <username> <password>
/CONNECT <servername>
/LINKS

See LINKING.md for complete server linking documentation.

SSL/TLS Setup (Recommended)

Quick automated setup:

sudo ./setup_ssl.sh

Choose from:

Let's Encrypt - Free, trusted certificates with auto-renewal
Self-signed - For testing/internal use
Existing certificate - Use your own certificate files

The script automatically:

Obtains and installs certificates
Configures pyIRCX
Sets up auto-renewal (Let's Encrypt)
Restarts the server

Connecting

Connect with any IRC client:

# Plain connection
/server localhost 6667

# SSL/TLS connection (after setup)
/server localhost 6697

For IRCX features, use the IRCX command after connecting:

/QUOTE IRCX

Documentation

LINKING.md — Server linking protocol and setup
CONFIG.md — Full configuration reference
MANUAL.md — User and operator command guide
DATABASE_USERS_REVIEW.md — Staff account management
STAFF_ACCOUNT_REFERENCE.md — Quick reference for staff commands
TEST_RESULTS.md — Comprehensive test results

Testing

pyIRCX includes comprehensive test suites to ensure protocol compliance:

# Start the server
python3 pyircx.py &

# Run user protocol tests (50 tests)
python3 pyIRCX_test_users.py

# Run server linking tests (4 tests)
python3 pyIRCX_test_linking.py

Test Coverage:

✅ 50 User/IRC Tests — All IRC/IRCX protocol features
✅ 4 Linking Tests — Server linking functionality
Total: 54 tests, 100% passing

See TEST_RESULTS.md for detailed test results.

Deployment

Systemd Service

pyIRCX includes systemd integration for production deployment:

# Install as a system service
sudo cp pyircx.service /etc/systemd/system/
sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl enable pyircx
sudo systemctl start pyircx

# View logs
sudo journalctl -u pyircx -f

Docker Deployment

FROM python:3.9-slim
WORKDIR /app
COPY . .
RUN pip install aiosqlite bcrypt pyotp
CMD ["python3", "pyircx.py"]

Web Admin Panel (Cockpit)

Optional web-based administration:

# Install Cockpit
sudo dnf install cockpit

# Copy pyIRCX module
sudo cp -r cockpit/pyircx ~/.local/share/cockpit/

# Access at https://yourserver:9090

The web admin provides:

Real-time server monitoring
User/channel management
Configuration editing
Log viewing
Staff account management

Historical Context

The IRCX Legacy

IRCX (Internet Relay Chat eXtensions) was developed by Microsoft in the late 1990s as an enhancement to the standard IRC protocol. It was first implemented in Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5 as the Chat Service component, replacing the older binary Microsoft Chat protocol.

The protocol powered some of the largest chat networks of the era:

MSN Chat served millions of users daily at its peak
TalkCity was one of the pioneering web chat communities
Countless enterprise deployments for internal communications

When TalkCity ceased its original operations in 2002 and Microsoft shut down MSN Chat in 2006, the IRCX protocol largely faded from public use — but not from memory.

Preserving Chat History

pyIRCX was created to preserve this important piece of internet history. Whether you're:

Nostalgic for the TalkCity or MSN Chat era
Running a retro computing project
Need a fully-featured IRC server with modern enhancements
Want to understand how enterprise chat worked before Slack
Building a distributed IRC network

pyIRCX provides an authentic IRCX experience on modern infrastructure.

Comparison with Other Servers

Comprehensive comparison of pyIRCX with major IRC server implementations:

Feature/Server	pyIRCX	OfficeIRC	UnrealIRCd	InspIRCd	Solanum	ircu	bahamut	ratbox	ngIRCd	Ergo	ircd-hybrid
Language	Python	.NET	C	C++	C	C	C	C	C	Go	C
IRCX Protocol	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌
Server Linking	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	❌	✅
ACCESS Control	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌
PROP Properties	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌
Channel Cloning	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌
Comic Chat	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌
Built-in NickServ	✅	✅	❌*	❌*	❌*	❌*	❌*	❌*	❌*	✅	❌*
Built-in ChanServ	✅	✅	❌*	❌*	❌*	❌*	❌*	❌*	❌*	✅	❌*
Network Services	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌
SASL Auth	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅
IPv6 Support	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅
Transcript Logging	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌
Single-File Deploy	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	✅	❌
Web Admin	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	❌	✅	❌
Open Source	✅	❌	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅
Cost	Free	Commercial	Free	Free	Free	Free	Free	Free	Free	Free	Free

* Requires external services package (Anope or Atheme)

Network Associations:

Solanum - Libera.Chat
ircu - Undernet (P10 protocol)
bahamut - DALnet
ratbox - EFnet (TS6 protocol)
ircd-hybrid - EFnet
ngIRCd - Lightweight/portable

pyIRCX is the only open-source server combining full IRCX protocol support with server-to-server linking capabilities.

Production Deployments

pyIRCX is production-ready and suitable for:

✅ Small Communities (10-100 users) — Single server deployment

✅ Medium Networks (100-1,000 users) — 2-3 linked servers

✅ Large Networks (1,000+ users) — Multi-server distributed network

✅ Enterprise Deployments — Secure internal chat with staff hierarchy

✅ Retro Projects — Authentic IRCX for vintage client compatibility

Who Should Use pyIRCX?

pyIRCX is ideal for:

Retro computing enthusiasts preserving IRCX protocol history
Gaming communities needing dedicated chat infrastructure
Organizations wanting self-hosted team communication
IRC network operators building distributed chat networks
Researchers studying IRCX protocol implementation

Using pyIRCX in production? Let us know via GitHub issues!

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Whether it's:

Bug fixes
New features
Documentation improvements
Test cases
Protocol compliance improvements

Please open an issue or pull request on GitHub.

Development Setup

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/AI3I/pyIRCX.git
cd pyIRCX

# Install dev dependencies
pip install aiosqlite bcrypt pyotp

# Run tests
python3 pyIRCX_test_users.py
python3 pyIRCX_test_linking.py

# Check code
python3 -m py_compile pyircx.py linking.py

License

GNU General Public License v3.0 — See LICENSE for details.

Acknowledgments

The Microsoft Exchange Chat team for creating IRCX
The TalkCity community for years of memories
The IRC protocol designers (RFC 1459, RFC 2812)
Everyone keeping classic chat protocols alive
All contributors to this project

Support

Documentation: See docs in this repository
Issues: GitHub Issues
Discussions: GitHub Discussions

Keywords

For searchability: IRC server, IRCX server, IRCX protocol, Microsoft Exchange Chat, MECS, MSN Chat server, MSN Chat clone, TalkCity, Comic Chat server, Microsoft Comic Chat, chat server Python, asyncio IRC, self-hosted chat, open source IRC server, IRC with registration, NickServ alternative, ChanServ alternative, SASL IRC, channel cloning, overflow rooms, IRC flood protection, DNSBL IRC, IRC access control, enterprise chat server, team chat self-hosted, Slack alternative self-hosted, Discord alternative self-hosted, retro chat, vintage IRC, 90s chat, web chat server, IRC network, server linking, distributed IRC, IRC hub, IRC services, UnrealIRCd alternative, InspIRCd alternative

Bringing back the chat rooms of yesterday, with the technology of today.

pyIRCX 1.0.4 — The production-ready IRCX server for distributed networks

⭐ Star this project on GitHub if you find it useful! ⭐

Name		Name	Last commit message	Last commit date
Latest commit History 42 Commits
cockpit/pyircx		cockpit/pyircx
.gitignore		.gitignore
CHANGELOG.md		CHANGELOG.md
CONFIG.md		CONFIG.md
LICENSE		LICENSE
LINKING.md		LINKING.md
MANUAL.md		MANUAL.md
PERFORMANCE.md		PERFORMANCE.md
README.md		README.md
SECURITY.md		SECURITY.md
STAFF_ACCOUNT_REFERENCE.md		STAFF_ACCOUNT_REFERENCE.md
TESTING.md		TESTING.md
install.sh		install.sh
linking.py		linking.py
pyIRCX_test_links.py		pyIRCX_test_links.py
pyIRCX_test_staff.py		pyIRCX_test_staff.py
pyIRCX_test_users.py		pyIRCX_test_users.py
pyircx.py		pyircx.py
pyircx.service		pyircx.service
pyircx_config.json		pyircx_config.json
repair.sh		repair.sh
run_tests.sh		run_tests.sh
setup_ssl.sh		setup_ssl.sh
uninstall.sh		uninstall.sh
upgrade.sh		upgrade.sh

License

AI3I/pyIRCX

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pyIRCX

What is pyIRCX?

Recent Updates

Version 1.0.4 (January 2026)

Version 1.0.3 (January 2026)

Version 1.0.0 (January 2026)

Use Cases

Distributed Chat Networks

Community Chat Networks

Retro Computing & Preservation

Enterprise & Team Communication

Gaming Communities

Education & Research

Why pyIRCX?

The Only Open-Source IRCX Server with Server Linking

Features

🌐 Server Linking & Distributed Networks (NEW!)

IRCX Protocol Extensions

Channel Cloning (Overflow Rooms)

Security & Authentication

Network Services

Staff Management

Modern Infrastructure

Technical Deep Dive

Async Architecture

Server Linking Architecture

Database Layer

Multi-Layer Security

Connection Security

DNSBL Integration

Authentication Security

Performance Characteristics

Quick Start

Installation

Upgrading

Maintenance

Basic Configuration

Setting Up Server Linking

SSL/TLS Setup (Recommended)

Connecting

Documentation

Testing

Deployment

Systemd Service

Docker Deployment

Web Admin Panel (Cockpit)

Historical Context

The IRCX Legacy

Preserving Chat History

Comparison with Other Servers

Production Deployments

Who Should Use pyIRCX?

Contributing

Development Setup

License

Acknowledgments

Support

Keywords

About

Topics

Resources

License

Security policy

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