IRC: Internet Relay Chat
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Google Summer of Code uses the #gsoc channel on the
Libera.Chat network.
What is IRC?
IRC (Internet Relay Chat) is one of the main communication channels for open source projects. You can freely join a channel that suits your interests if you are looking for help or interested in contributing. A page about contributing to any open source project will typically have its IRC channel listed.
IRC Etiquette
Lurking is perfectly fine on IRC. Don't hesitate to join an IRC channel. The etiquette of IRC is such that you don't even need to say "hi" when you join and you can lurk in the channel for as long as you'd like unless you have a specific question or want to share your view in a discussion. So just joining a channel is pretty non-committal.
Provide all the info when asking a question. You can always ask a question on IRC and you don't need to ask if you can ask a question. Instead, go ahead and provide all the details relevant for your question. For example, if you have a build problem, you can put the error message into an online pastebin and post the link in the IRC channel, asking for help.
It's not you, it's the IRC channel. Don't be put off if no one answers your question. It probably means no one knows the answer and no one feels responsible to say that they don't. It's possible that the one person who would know the answer is not online or is busy. Stick around for a while. Get a sense of the channel's activity. Try asking your question when the channel seems livelier. In the meantime, look for an answer on the web an extra time.
IRC Clients
To use IRC you need an IRC client. The following applications provide IRC functionality:
Alternatively, you can connect to IRC from a browser by using one of the following options:
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Last updated 2024-07-23 UTC.
[[["Easy to understand","easyToUnderstand","thumb-up"],["Solved my problem","solvedMyProblem","thumb-up"],["Other","otherUp","thumb-up"]],[["Missing the information I need","missingTheInformationINeed","thumb-down"],["Too complicated / too many steps","tooComplicatedTooManySteps","thumb-down"],["Out of date","outOfDate","thumb-down"],["Samples / code issue","samplesCodeIssue","thumb-down"],["Other","otherDown","thumb-down"]],["Last updated 2024-07-23 UTC."],[[["\u003cp\u003eGoogle Summer of Code utilizes the \u003ccode\u003e#gsoc\u003c/code\u003e channel on Libera.Chat for communication.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eInternet Relay Chat (IRC) is a primary communication channel for open source projects, offering a platform for assistance and contributions.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eWhen seeking help on IRC, provide comprehensive information about your issue, such as error messages pasted into an online pastebin.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eVarious IRC clients like HexChat, XChat, and web-based options like KiwiIRC and Mibbit facilitate access to IRC channels.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eLurking is acceptable on IRC; don't hesitate to join and observe before actively participating.\u003c/p\u003e\n"]]],["Google Summer of Code uses the `#gsoc` channel on the Libera.Chat IRC network. IRC is a primary communication channel for open-source projects. Users can join channels and \"lurk\" without needing to engage immediately. When asking questions, provide all relevant details, like error messages via pastebin links. If unanswered, it likely means no one knows, so try again later when the channel is active. Access IRC via various clients or web-based options.\n"],null,["Google Summer of Code uses the `#gsoc` channel on the\n[Libera.Chat](https://libera.chat/guides/connect) network. \n[Join the #GSoC IRC Channel](https://web.libera.chat/?channels=#gsoc)\n\nWhat is IRC?\n\nIRC (Internet Relay Chat) is one of the main communication channels for open source projects. You can freely join a channel that suits your interests if you are looking for help or interested in contributing. A page about contributing to any open source project will typically have its IRC channel listed.\n\nIRC Etiquette\n\n**Lurking is perfectly fine on IRC.** Don't hesitate to join an IRC channel. The etiquette of IRC is such that you don't even need to say \"hi\" when you join and you can lurk in the channel for as long as you'd like unless you have a specific question or want to share your view in a discussion. So just joining a channel is pretty non-committal.\n\n**Provide all the info when asking a question.** You can always ask a question on IRC and you don't need to ask if you can ask a question. Instead, go ahead and provide all the details relevant for your question. For example, if you have a build problem, you can put the error message into an [online pastebin](http://pastebin.com/) and post the link in the IRC channel, asking for help.\n\n**It's not you, it's the IRC channel.** Don't be put off if no one answers your question. It probably means no one knows the answer and no one feels responsible to say that they don't. It's possible that the one person who would know the answer is not online or is busy. Stick around for a while. Get a sense of the channel's activity. Try asking your question when the channel seems livelier. In the meantime, look for an answer on the web an extra time.\n\nIRC Clients\n\nTo use IRC you need an IRC client. The following applications provide IRC functionality:\n\n- [HexChat](http://hexchat.github.io/) IRC client\n- [XChat](http://xchat.org/) IRC client\n- [XChat Gnome](https://live.gnome.org/Xchat-Gnome) IRC client\n- [Konversation](http://www.kde.org/applications/internet/konversation) IRC client\n- [Smuxi](http://www.smuxi.org/) IRC client\n- [Polari](https://wiki.gnome.org/Apps/Polari) IRC client\n- [Empathy](https://live.gnome.org/Empathy) IM and IRC client\n- [Pidgin](http://www.pidgin.im/) IM and IRC client\n- [Thunderbird](http://www.mozilla.org/thunderbird) Mail client (since version 15.0)\n\nAlternatively, you can connect to IRC from a browser by using one of the following options:\n\n- [KiwiIRC](https://kiwiirc.com/) web IRC client\n- [Mibbit](http://mibbit.com/) web IRC chat\n- [Chatzilla](https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/16) Firefox Add-on"]]
