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Internet^[1] Relay Chat (IRC) is a protocol developed by Jarkko Oikarinen in 1988 for instant text-based communication. It was designed primarily for group discussions in forums but also supports private messaging and data, including file transfer capabilities. IRC operates on a client-server networking model with the first network running on a server named tolsun.oulu.fi. Users can connect to IRC servers using various client programs such as Mibbit, IRCCloud, KiwiIRC, and mIRC, which can be web applications, standalone desktop software, or part of more extensive software. Despite its popularity, IRC usage has been on the decline since 2003, losing 60% of its users. Nevertheless, it remains a significant part of internet communication history.

Terms definitions

1. ↑ Internet ( Internet ) The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use standardized communication protocols, primarily the TCP/IP, to link devices worldwide. Originating from the term 'internetted' used in 1849, the term 'Internet' was later used by the US War Department in 1945. Its development began with computer scientists creating time-sharing systems in the 1960s and further progressed with the establishment of ARPANET in 1969. The Internet is self-governed, without a central authority, and its principal name spaces are administered by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). It has significantly transformed traditional communication media and has grown exponentially over the years, with internet users increasing 20% to 50% annually. In 2019, over half of the world population used the Internet. The Internet protocol suite, which includes TCP/IP and four conceptual layers, guides internet packets to their destinations. Essential services like email and Internet telephony operate on the Internet. The World Wide Web, a global collection of interconnected documents, is a key component of the Internet.

IRC (Wikipedia)

Internet Relay Chat (IRC) is a text-based chat system for instant messaging. IRC is designed for group communication in discussion forums, called channels, but also allows one-on-one communication via private messages as well as chat and data transfer, including file sharing.

Internet Relay Chat
Communication protocol
Abbreviation	IRC
Purpose	Instant messaging
Developer(s)	Jarkko Oikarinen
Introduction	August 1988; 35 years ago (1988-08)
Influenced	Not yet superseded IRCv3 (standards process working group)
OSI layer	Application layer
Port(s)	6667, 6697
RFC(s)	RFC 1459

Internet Relay Chat is implemented as an application layer protocol to facilitate communication in the form of text. The chat process works on a client–server networking model. Users connect, using a client—which may be a web app, a standalone desktop program, or embedded into part of a larger program—to an IRC server, which may be part of a larger IRC network. Examples of programs used to connect include Mibbit, IRCCloud, KiwiIRC, and mIRC.

IRC usage has been declining steadily since 2003, losing 60 percent of its users. In April 2011, the top 100 IRC networks served more than 200,000 users at a time.

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