ft_irc

This project is about creating our own IRC server. We used an actual IRC client to connect to our server and test it. IRC (Internet Relay Chat) is a protocol for real-time text messaging between internet-connected computers created in 1988. It is mainly used for group discussion in chat rooms called “channels” although it supports private messages between two users, data transfer, and various client-side commands.

Mandatory part

• We have to develop an IRC server in C++ 98.
• The server must be capable of handling multiple clients at the same time and never hang.
• Only 1 poll() (or equivalent) can be used for handling all these operations (read, write, but also listen, and so forth).
• An IRC client must be able to connect to your server without encountering any error.
• Communication between client and server has to be done via TCP/IP (v4).
• Using the IRC client with our server must be similar to using it with any official IRC server. However, we only have to implement the following features:
  • We must be able to authenticate, set a nickname, a username, join a channel, send and receive private messages using the IRC client.
  • All the messages sent from one client to a channel have to be forwarded to every other client that joined the channel.
  • We must have operators and regular users.
  • Then, we have to implement the commands that are specific to operators.

Bonus part

Here are the extra features we added to our IRC server so it looks even more like and actual IRC server:

• Handle file transfer.
• Basic Bot

Our IRC Commands

Command	Description
CAP LS 302	The CAP LS 302 is the command written for hexchat that lists the commands that can be used on the server.
Pass	The PASS command is used to set a ‘connection password’. If set, the password must be set before any attempt to register the connection is made.
Nick	The NICK command is used to give the client a nickname or change the previous one.
User	The USER command is used at the beginning of a connection to specify the username and realname of a new user.
Quit	The QUIT command is used to terminate a client’s connection to the server. The server closing the connection to the client.
Join	The JOIN command indicates that the client wants to join the given channel(s), each channel using the given key for it.
Part	The PART command removes the client from the given channel(s).
Mode	The MODE command is used to set or remove options (or modes) from a given target. Our user modes : i. Our channels modes: o,p,s,i,t,n,m,l,b,v,k
Topic	The TOPIC command is used to change or view the topic of the given channel.
Names	The NAMES command is used to view the nicknames joined to a channel and their channel membership prefixes.
List	The LIST command is used to get a list of channels along with some information about each channel.
Invite	The INVITE command is used to invite a user to a channel.
Kick	The KICK command can be used to request the forced removal of a user from a channel.
Privmsg	The PRIVMSG command is used to send private messages between users, as well as to send messages to channels.
Notice	The NOTICE command is used to send notices between users, as well as to send notices to channels. The difference between NOTICE and PRIVMSG is that automatic replies to a NOTICE message are never sent.
Whois	The WHOIS command is used to retrieve a user's information. You can access this information by specifying the user's nickname or IP address.

Start IRC Server

To compile the program, use:

• make To start the Server, use:
• ./ircserv <port> <password>
  • port: The port number on which your IRC server will be listening to for incoming IRC connections.
  • password: The connection password. It will be needed by any IRC client that tries to connect to your server. To connect to the server, you can use:
• nc <IP ADDRESS> <PORT>
  • IP ADDRESS: Host IP address.
  • PORT: The PORT that the server listening on.
• You can also use an IRC Client like HexChat

Bot

There is a simple bot on the server. You can talk to the bot as "PRIVMSG Bot :message", you can see the commands by typing help.

• PRIVMSG Bot :help