SolarOS 4.16.30 manual · service

Native IRC

IRC instances connect servers directly to the unified Chat application. Each instance has its own server, nickname, optional authentication, channel list, connection state, and outbound queue routing. Several instances can run at once. Identical channels and nicknames on different instances remain separate.

Quick reference

irc add community irc.example.org 6697 pocket
irc connect community
job start irc-sync
irc join community #general
irc query community anothernick
irc status
messages conversations
chat
chat community
chat irc

Replace the example server and nicknames with your settings. irc add saves a disabled instance. irc connect enables that instance; irc-sync owns the live connections. Enable several instances before or after starting the job.

irc set community irc.example.org 6697 pocket
irc sasl community account password
irc sasl community off
irc pass community server-password
irc pass community off
irc ca community /sdcard/certs/network-ca.pem
irc ca community default
irc disconnect community
irc remove community
irc leave CONVERSATION_ID
job status irc-sync
job stop irc-sync

The common interface also supports messages add irc community HOST PORT NICK and messages configure community HOST PORT NICK. For authentication, use messages configure community sasl ACCOUNT PASSWORD or sasl off; server passwords use pass PASSWORD|off and CA files use ca FILE|default. Chat accepts the same arguments after /add irc and /configure. Setup commands are excluded from input history. Nicknames must use IRC nickname characters; nils-sol is valid, while nils@sol is rejected before configuration is saved.

Shell and Chat setup commands use the same quoting rules. Single quotes preserve spaces and backslashes literally; double quotes allow backslash escapes. Unclosed quotes are rejected without changing saved settings.

TLS always verifies the server certificate and hostname. The default trust source is the firmware certificate bundle. irc ca selects a PEM CA file on mounted storage, limited to 8191 bytes. Keep the system clock correct for certificate validation. SASL uses PLAIN inside verified TLS and is required when configured: authentication failure does not fall back to anonymous login. The server password is separate from the SASL account password.

Chat controls

Chat groups conversations by instance. Membership controls use the same API for every provider class that supports them:

/join community #general
/query community anothernick
/leave
/connect community
/disconnect community
/remove community
/server another-network irc.example.net 6697 pocket
/sasl another-network account password
/sasl another-network off
/status

/server creates or updates an IRC instance on mounted storage. /connect and /disconnect save its desired connection state. The background job continues when Chat closes. Entering a room waits for its join confirmation and reports join failures. Private conversations do not require adding a contact first. An IRC nickname is display and routing data, not proof of a person's identity. TLS secures the connection to the server; it does not provide end-to-end message encryption.

Persistence and connection behavior

Profiles are stored in .chat/profiles/NNN.bin on the selected mounted storage. They include the stable instance ID, server, nickname, authentication settings, CA path, enabled state, and up to eight desired channels. Saving uses a checked staged file and replacement with recovery of the previous file. Saving requires writable mounted storage. IRC adds no NVS settings. Saved authentication data is readable to someone with access to the volume; status output does not display passwords.

irc remove INSTANCE, messages remove INSTANCE, and Chat's /remove INSTANCE close the connection and remove its configuration, credentials, pending sends, local messages, conversations, and associated Inbox notifications. The other IRC instances keep running. A small credential-free record preserves the old label and reserves its ID. A new instance with the same name gets a different ID. Interrupted history deletion completes on the next boot.

irc-sync maintains independent connections, reconnects with exponential backoff up to 60 seconds, and rejoins desired channels. Channel joins, parts, and chat sends share a limit of one command per second per instance. Protocol registration and keepalive replies take priority. Incoming lines and control queues are bounded, and each instance receives a limited processing budget.

IRC receives live messages only. No history or echo-message capability is requested, and no bouncer is required. Messages sent while disconnected can be missed. Local retained history uses the shared Messaging store. Outbound sent means a complete IRC command was written to the connection; it does not confirm delivery to another user. An interrupted send becomes failed and is not automatically replayed. Queued messages that have not begun sending remain in the volatile shared outbox until the instance can send them or the user cancels them. Queues do not survive a device reboot.

To start the worker after reboot, add job start irc-sync to the startup script reported by setterm startup.