Channel User Modes

Channel user modes are assigned to individual users within a specific channel. They control the user’s privileges in that channel only.

+o — Channel Operator

Symbol: @ Grants: Full channel management privileges

Setting:

MODE #channel +o Alice    # Give Alice channel op
MODE #channel -o Alice    # Remove Alice's channel op

What channel operators can do:

• Kick users from the channel (KICK)
• Set and remove channel modes
• Add and remove bans (+b), exceptions (+e), invite exceptions (+I)
• Grant/revoke voice (+v) and operator (+o) to other users
• Change the topic (always, even with +t set)

Automatic grant:

• The first user to join a newly created channel automatically receives +o

With MULTI-PREFIX capability: A user can have both +o and +v. They are displayed as @+Nick in NAMES replies.

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+v — Voice

Symbol: + Grants: Ability to speak in moderated channels

Setting:

MODE #channel +v Bob    # Give Bob voice
MODE #channel -v Bob    # Remove Bob's voice

What voiced users can do:

• Speak in channels with +m (Moderated) mode set
• See join/part/quit messages in channels with +u (Auditorium) mode

Without voice:

• In +m channels: regular users without +v or +o cannot send messages
• In +u channels: regular users without +v or +o don’t see join/part/quit events

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Privilege Display

In NAMES replies and channel lists, user privileges are shown as prefixes:

Status	Prefix	Example
Channel Operator	@	@Alice
Voice	+	+Bob
No status	(none)	Charlie

With MULTI-PREFIX capability, users with multiple statuses show all prefixes:

@+Alice    ← op and voice
@Bob       ← op only
+Carol     ← voice only
Dave       ← no status

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Transferring Ops

A channel operator can give ops to others and then remove their own ops:

MODE #channel +o NewOp
MODE #channel -o myownNick

Or give ops while leaving:

MODE #channel +o Alice
PART #channel :Transferring channel to Alice