UnrealIRCd
Modular, advanced and highly configurable IRC server written in C for Linux, BSD, Windows, and macOS.
- IRC & XMPP
- C
- GPL-2.0
- Actively maintained
GitHub stats
- GitHub stars
- 525
- Forks
- 158
- Open issues
- 0
- Commits, last 12 months
- 342
- Last commit
- Oct 3, 2026
- Latest release
- No releases
- Created
- Jul 28, 2014
Data from the GitHub API, refreshed daily.
About UnrealIRCd
Modular, advanced and highly configurable IRC server written in C for Linux, BSD, Windows, and macOS. UnrealIRCd is open source under the GPL-2.0 license and written mainly in C, so you can read the code, run it on your own hardware and keep full control of your data.
The project has 525 stars and 158 forks on GitHub, with 342 commits over the last year. It installs natively rather than through an official Docker image, so plan for a short manual setup.
Topics
- irc-server
- ircv3
- sasl
- irc
- unrealircd
- ircd
- c
Repository preview
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What is UnrealIRCd?
UnrealIRCd is a free, open-source app you can host on your own server, listed in our IRC & XMPP category. Modular, advanced and highly configurable IRC server written in C for Linux, BSD, Windows, and macOS. The source code lives at github.com/unrealircd/unrealircd, where it has 525 stars.
Is UnrealIRCd free and open source?
Yes. UnrealIRCd is open-source software released under the GPL-2.0 license, so you can self-host it at no cost. You only pay for the server it runs on, and some projects also offer an optional paid cloud plan.
Can I run UnrealIRCd with Docker?
UnrealIRCd does not list an official Docker image. It installs natively (C), so follow the install steps in its README or look for a community-maintained container.
What are the best alternatives to UnrealIRCd?
Popular open-source alternatives to UnrealIRCd include ejabberd, The Lounge and Weechat.
Is UnrealIRCd actively maintained?
The most recent commit to UnrealIRCd was on Oct 3, 2026 with 342 commits in the past twelve months. Check the open issues on GitHub to gauge how quickly maintainers respond.