Some IRC networks forbid the usage of bots. Such server-sanctioned bots are called IRC services.īots are not always welcome. Some versions of IRC have a 'Service' protocol that allows clients with these extra powers.

Where bots are used for administrative functions such as this, they may need more access than a normal client connection allows.

IRC bots are particularly useful on IRC networks such as EFnet and IRCnet without channel registration services, and on networks like Undernet or QuakeNet that require conditions to be met (minimum user count, etc.) before a channel may be registered.

Channels dedicated to file sharing often use XDCC bots to distribute their files. These functions are usually provided by scripts, often written in a scripting programming language such as Tcl or Perl by the bot's users. As IRC has become popular with many dial-up users as well, shell accounts at shell providers have become popular as a stable Linux server with a decent connection to run a bot from.Īside from managing channel permissions, a bot can also perform functions such as logging what is posted to an IRC channel, giving out information on demand (very popular in IRC channels dealing with user support), creating statistics tracking the channel's top posters and longest-lived lurkers, or hosting trivia, Uno and other games. Thus, most IRC bots are run from computers which have long uptimes (generally running a BSD derivative or Linux) and a fast, stable Internet connection. Many of these features require that the bot be a channel operator. It can be configured to give channel operator status to privileged users when they join the channel, and can provide a unified channel operator list. It sits on an IRC channel to keep it open and prevents malicious users from taking over the channel. Often, an IRC bot is deployed as a detached program running from a stable host.

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