ft_irc - IRC Server

Table of Contents

1. Overview
2. Objectives
3. Features
4. How to use
5. References
6. Contributors
7. Acknowledgments

Overview

ft_42 IRC Server is a custom-built Internet Relay Chat server designed to provide a robust and feature-rich communication platform. It adheres to the IRC protocol, allowing clients to connect, join channels, send messages, and interact in real-time. Moreover, it requires knowledge of how UNIX sockets work and networking.

This project involves the development of an IRC server in C++98 with the following requirements:

• The server must handle multiple clients simultaneously without hanging.
• All I/O operations must be non-blocking, and forking is not allowed.
• Only one poll() (or equivalent) can be used for handling all operations (read, write, listen, etc.).
• The server must communicate with clients via TCP/IP (v4 or v6).
• The server should be compatible with an official IRC client, with basic IRC functionalities implemented.
• Operators and regular users are supported with specific operator commands like KICK, INVITE, TOPIC, and MODE.

Objectives

• Develop a fully functional IRC server compliant with the IRC protocol.
• Enable real-time communication between multiple clients.
• Implement essential IRC features such as channels, private messages, and user modes.
• Create a bot that can join channels and play games with users.
• Ensure the server is robust, handling various edge cases and maintaining stability.

Features

• Basic IRC Functionality: Supports standard IRC commands like JOIN, PART, PRIVMSG, NICK, USER, and QUIT. Server password for authentication. Includes all relevant numeric replies and commands.
• Channel Management: Create, join, and leave channels with support for channel modes: invite-only (i), topic mode (t), channel key (k), channel operator (o) and user limit (l).
• Bot Integration: A bot that can be invited to channels to play a game, Tic Tac Toe.
• Logging: Server logging to monitor activities and debug issues.
• Signal Handling: Graceful shutdown on receiving SIGINT.
• Reference client: HexChat
• Modular Design: Clean and maintainable code with a modular structure.
• List of supported commands: PASS, NICK, USER, PING, PONG, JOIN, PART, NAMES, KICK, INVITE, TOPIC, MODE, PRIVMSG, NOTICE, MOTD, LUSERS, WHO, WHOIS and QUIT.
• Numeric Replies - Command Responses: RPL_WELCOME (001), RPL_YOURHOST (002), RPL_CREATED (003), RPL_MYINFO (004), RPL_ISUPPORT (005), RPL_LUSERCLIENT (251), RPL_LUSEROP (252), RPL_LUSERUNKNOWN (253), RPL_LUSERCHANNELS (254), RPL_LUSERME (255), RPL_LOCALUSERS (265), RPL_GLOBALUSERS (266), RPL_WHOISUSER (311), RPL_WHOISSERVER (312), RPL_ENDOFWHO (315), RPL_WHOISIDLE (317), RPL_ENDOFWHOIS (318), RPL_CHANNELMODEIS (324), RPL_CREATIONTIME (329), RPL_NOTOPIC (331), RPL_TOPIC (332), RPL_TOPICWHOTIME (333), RPL_INVITING (341), RPL_WHOREPLY (352), RPL_NAMREPLY (353), RPL_ENDOFNAMES (366), RPL_MOTD (372), RPL_MOTDSTART (375), RPL_ENDOFMOTD (376), RPL_WHOISHOST (378), RPL_WHOISMODES (379)
• Numeric Replies - Error Messages: ERR_NOSUCHNICK (401), ERR_NOSUCHCHANNEL (403), ERR_CANNOTSENDTOCHAN (404), ERR_NOORIGIN (409), ERR_NORECIPIENT (411), ERR_NOTEXTTOSEND (412), ERR_UNKNOWNCOMMAND (421), ERR_NOMOTD (422), ERR_NONICKNAMEGIVEN (431), ERR_ERRONEUSNICKNAME (432), ERR_NICKNAMEINUSE (433), ERR_USERNOTINCHANNEL (441), ERR_NOTONCHANNEL (442), ERR_USERONCHANNEL (443), ERR_NOTREGISTERED (451), ERR_NEEDMOREPARAMS (461), ERR_ALREADYREGISTERED (462), ERR_PASSWDMISMATCH (464), ERR_KEYSET (467), ERR_CHANNELISFULL (471), ERR_UNKNOWNMODE (472), ERR_INVITEONLYCHAN (473), ERR_BADCHANNELKEY (475), ERR_BADCHANMASK (476), ERR_CHANOPRIVSNEEDED (482), ERR_UMODEUNKNOWNFLAG (501), ERR_INVALIDKEY (525), ERR_INVALIDMODEPARAM (696)

How to use

Installation

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone <repository-url>
   

2. Compile the server and bot using the provided Makefile:

   make
   

3. Run the server with port number (for example: 6667) and password (for example: 111):

   ./ircserv 6667 111
   

4. Run the bot in a different terminal with the same port number and password:

   ./bot <port> <password>
   

Setting up HexChat

• To test with HexChat, add a network to the Network List with the following settings:
  • / (example: "localhost/6669")
  • Tick "Accept invalid SSL certificates"
  • Tick "Use global user information"
  • Untick all other options on the list
  • Set Login Method to "Server password (/PASS password)"
  • Set Password to the one used to run the server
  • Set Character set to "UTF-8"
  • Connect
  • Note: commands on HexChat are sent in the format "/" (example: "/join #channel")

Connection using nc from the terminal

1. Connect to server:

   nc -q 0 <hostname> <port>

2. Register to the IRC server:

   PASS <password>
   NICK <nickname>
   USER <username> 0 * :<realname>
   

Using the bot

• On HexChat:

  1. Create/join a channel: "/join #channel"
  2. Invite the bot to the channel: "/invite bot"
  3. Follow the intructions provided by the bot to play a game of Tic Tac Toe

• With nc:

  JOIN #channel
  INVITE bot #channel
  

References

• Modern IRC Client Protocol
• Internet Relay Chat Protocol
• Internet Relay Chat: Channel Management
• Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol
• Internet Relay Chat: Server Protocol
• Internet Relay Chat: Architecture

Contributors

• Andre Silva
• Alexandru Mitcul

Acknowledgements

• The 42 School for providing the project specifications and environment.