This repository features a pure Bash IRC Server, known as bash-ircd. Built entirely without external commands, this IRC server utilizes some loadable builtins to function effectively, demonstrating the capabilities of Bash in server environments.

To run the server, simply execute:

./ircd.sh

Users can connect to the server locally via localhost:6667 using any IRC client. For example, when using Irssi, the following command can be entered to establish a connection:

/connect -nocap localhost

Architecture

The architecture of bash-ircd employs the accept loadable Bash builtin to listen on a socket for incoming connections. Each client connection is handled in a separate process, allowing for real-time interaction through a FIFO file system method for managing nicknames and channels. The server also implements a watcher process that monitors client activity and manages PING requests to maintain connections.

Notably, this design results in at least two processes per connection, deviating from traditional IRC servers that may utilize non-blocking I/O for efficiency.

Important Notes

While the implementation showcases innovative scripting techniques, it is essential to recognize that the current version contains bugs and potential security vulnerabilities. Incorporating tools like stunnel can enable TLS support, although this is only a superficial fix to address underlying security issues.

Contributions

Contributions are welcome. The server has been developed without AI assistance, and any usage of AI in contributions should be disclosed. Interested developers and users can interact with the community through the ##bash-ircd channel on Libera, fostering collaboration and improvement of this unique Bash-based server solution.