Robust IRC

Self-Hosted

Distributed, fault-tolerant IRC server for self-hosted communities

Overview

Robust IRC is a scalable, distributed IRC server designed for high availability and fault tolerance. It eliminates single points of failure by splitting the network into redundant nodes, ensuring minimal downtime even if some nodes go down. Deploy via Docker containers or precompiled binaries; compatible with all standard IRC clients. Features include channel persistence, user authentication, and IRCv3 extension support. Ideal for teams or communities needing a reliable, privacy-focused chat solution they control entirely.

Self-Hosting Resources

Find Official Image on Docker Hub View Source & Docs

Below is a reference structure for docker-compose.yml. ⚠️ Do NOT run blindly. Replace placeholders with official values.

docker-compose.template.yml TEMPLATE


version: '3'
services:
  robust_irc:
    image: <OFFICIAL_IMAGE_NAME>:latest
    container_name: robust-irc
    ports:
      - "8080:<APP_INTERNAL_PORT>"
    volumes:
      - ./data:/app/data
    restart: unless-stopped

Key Features

Distributed architecture (no single point of failure)
Fault-tolerant & high availability
Compatible with standard IRC clients
Supports IRCv3 extensions
Docker-friendly deployment

Frequently Asked Questions

? Is Robust IRC hard to install?

Installation is straightforward with Docker (the recommended method) or precompiled binaries. However, setting up a distributed cluster requires understanding node configuration and network topology, which may challenge users new to distributed systems.

? Is it a good alternative to IRCCloud?

Yes—Robust IRC offers self-hosted control and fault tolerance, unlike IRCCloud’s hosted service. It works with all standard IRC clients, so users don’t need new tools, though it lacks IRCCloud’s web UI and mobile apps.

? Is it completely free?

Absolutely—Robust IRC is open source under the MIT License. There are no hidden costs, subscription fees, or restricted features; you can use, modify, and distribute it freely.

Top Alternatives

IRCCloud Search Google

Slack Compare

Tool Info

Pricing Open Source

Category Communication - IRC

Platform Self-Hosted

Pros

⊕ Privacy-focused (self-hosted control)
⊕ No subscription fees
⊕ Scalable for large communities
⊕ Redundant nodes minimize downtime

Cons

⊖ Requires technical setup for distributed clusters
⊖ Limited GUI tools (CLI/configuration file focused)
⊖ Steeper learning curve for distributed systems management