RFC 1459 · EXPERIMENTAL · 1993
SAT · 13 JUN 2026
Internet Relay Chat Protocol
Overview
RFC 1459, “Internet Relay Chat Protocol”, is an Experimental document published in May 1993 by J. Oikarinen, D. Reed. It has since been updated by RFC 2810, RFC 2811, RFC 2812, RFC 2813, RFC 7194. The canonical text is published by the RFC Editor.
Abstract
The IRC protocol is a text-based protocol, with the simplest client being any socket program capable of connecting to the server. This memo defines an Experimental Protocol for the Internet community.
What “Experimental” means
Describes a specification that is part of a research or development effort, published so the community can gain experience with it.
Read this RFC
The canonical text of RFC 1459 is hosted at rfc-editor.org. Available in TXT,HTML.
Relationships to other RFCs
Other RFCs from 1993
- RFC 1458 Requirements for Multicast Protocols
- RFC 1460 Post Office Protocol - Version 3
- RFC 1457 Security Label Framework for the Internet
- RFC 1461 SNMP MIB extension for Multiprotocol Interconnect over X.25
- RFC 1456 Conventions for Encoding the Vietnamese Language VISCII: VIetnamese Standard Code for Information Interchange VIQR: VIetnamese Quoted- Readable Specification
- RFC 1462 FYI on "What is the Internet?"
- RFC 1455 Physical Link Security Type of Service
- RFC 1463 FYI on Introducing the Internet-- A Short Bibliography of Introductory Internetworking Readings