Messaging Commands

PRIVMSG

Send a private message to a user or a message to a channel.

Syntax: PRIVMSG <target> :<message>

Targets:

• <nickname> — sends to that user directly
• <#channel> — sends to everyone in the channel

Channel restrictions that block messages:

Restriction	Condition
Not in channel	+n is set and you’re not in the channel
Moderated	+m is set and you don’t have voice (+v) or op (+o)
Registered only speak	+M is set and you’re not registered (+r)
No CTCP	+C is set and your message is a CTCP (\x01...\x01)
No Colors	+c is set and your message contains IRC color codes
No NOTICEs	+T is set (applies to NOTICE, not PRIVMSG)
Delay message	+d is set and you joined too recently
Banned	You’re banned and no exception matches

User-to-user restrictions:

Restriction	Condition
Caller ID (+g)	Target has +g set and you’re not on their ACCEPT list
Registered only (+R)	Target has +R set and you’re not registered (+r)

Examples:

PRIVMSG #general :Hello everyone!
PRIVMSG Alice :Hi Alice, how are you?
PRIVMSG #channel :ACTION dances     # /me action

CTCP messages use the format \x01ACTION text\x01:

PRIVMSG #channel :\x01ACTION waves hello\x01

Note

If you PRIVMSG a user with +g set and you’re not on their accept list, the server sends you an RPL_TARGUMODEG or similar notice, and the target gets a RPL_TARGNOTIFY once per session per sender.

---

NOTICE

Send a notice to a user or channel. Notices do not trigger automatic replies.

Syntax: NOTICE <target> :<message>

Behavior:

• Same as PRIVMSG in terms of routing
• The key difference: NOTICE messages should not generate automatic replies (used by bots, services)
• If the channel has +T (No NOTICEs), NOTICE messages to the channel are blocked
• CTCP replies are typically sent via NOTICE

Examples:

NOTICE Alice :Please read the rules
NOTICE #channel :Server maintenance at midnight

---

AWAY

Set or clear your away status.

Syntax: AWAY [:<message>]

Without message: Clears your away status. With message: Sets you as away with the provided message.

Behavior:

• When away, anyone who PRIVMSG’s you receives an automatic reply (301) with your away message
• Other users with AWAY-NOTIFY capability are notified of your away status change
• Your away status is visible in WHOIS

Constraints:

• Maximum away message length: 200 characters (configurable via max_away_message_length)

Examples:

AWAY :Out for lunch, back in 30 minutes
AWAY                                       # Clear away status

Response when messaging an away user:

:server 301 yournick theirnick :Out for lunch, back in 30 minutes