Self-Hosted IRC Servers: ngircd vs InspIRCd vs UnrealIRCd — Complete Setup Guide 2026

Internet Relay Chat (IRC) has been around since 1988, but it remains one of the most resilient, lightweight, and privacy-respecting communication protocols ever created. While modern platforms like Slack, Discord, and Matrix dominate the conversation, IRC continues to power thousands of active communities — from open source project channels to hobbyist groups and enterprise internal communications.

Running your own IRC server gives you complete control over your communication infrastructure. No telemetry, no vendor lock-in, no data harvesting. Just raw, efficient text communication with a protocol that has stood the test of time.

In this guide, we compare three popular self-hosted IRC server implementations: ngircd (lightweight and portable), InspIRCd (feature-rich and modular), and UnrealIRCd (enterprise-grade with advanced security). We will deploy each using Docker Compose, compare their features, and help you choose the right one for your needs.

ngircd — Lightweight and Portable

ngircd is a free, portable, and lightweight IRC daemon written in C. It was designed to be easy to set up and operate, making it ideal for small teams, personal use, or resource-constrained environments like Raspberry Pi servers.

Despite its small footprint, ngircd supports all essential IRC features: multiple server links (IRCnet), channels with modes, user modes, oper privileges, and SSL/TLS encryption. It runs on virtually any Unix-like system and even Windows.

Key Features:

• Minimal resource usage (typically under 10 MB RAM)
• Simple configuration file (INI-style)
• IPv4 and IPv6 support
• SSL/TLS via OpenSSL or GnuTLS
• IRC server linking (hub-and-spoke topology)
• PAM authentication support

Docker Compose Deployment

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version: "3.8"

services:
  ngircd:
    image: ghcr.io/linuxserver/ngircd:latest
    container_name: ngircd
    environment:
      - PUID=1000
      - PGID=1000
      - TZ=UTC
    volumes:
      - ./config:/config
      - ./logs:/config/logs
    ports:
      - "6667:6667"    # Plain IRC
      - "6697:6697"    # SSL/TLS IRC
    restart: unless-stopped

Create a minimal config/ngircd.conf:

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[Global]
  Name = irc.example.com
  Info = My Self-Hosted IRC Server
  Password = your-oper-password
  Ports = 6667, 6697
  MotdFile = /config/motd.txt

[SSL]
  Listen = yes
  CertFile = /config/cert.pem
  KeyFile = /config/key.pem

[Operator]
  Name = admin
  Password = $2y$10$hashed_password_here

Generate a self-signed certificate for TLS:

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mkdir -p config
openssl req -x509 -newkey rsa:4096 -keyout config/key.pem   -out config/cert.pem -days 365 -nodes   -subj "/CN=irc.example.com"

Start the server:

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docker compose up -d

Connect with any IRC client:

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# Plain connection
irc example.com 6667

# TLS connection (irssi)
irssi -c ircs://irc.example.com:6697

InspIRCd — Modular and Feature-Rich

InspIRCd is a high-performance IRCv3 server written in C++ with a modular architecture. It supports the latest IRCv3 specifications, including message tags, account tagging, SASL authentication, and server-time.

InspIRCd is the go-to choice for communities that need advanced features: services integration, spam protection, channel forwarding, and extensive user/channel mode support. Its module system allows you to enable only the features you need, keeping the server lean while supporting complex deployments.

Key Features:

• Full IRCv3 cap negotiation
• 200+ loadable modules
• SASL authentication (PLAIN, EXTERNAL, ECDSA)
• Channel and user mode extensibility
• Services integration (Anope, Atheme)
• Built-in spam filtering
• DNS blacklist (RBL) support
• Spanning tree server linking

Docker Compose Deployment

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version: "3.8"

services:
  inspircd:
    image: ghcr.io/inspircd/inspircd-docker:latest
    container_name: inspircd
    volumes:
      - ./inspircd.conf:/inspircd/conf/inspircd.conf
      - ./motd:/inspircd/conf/motd
      - ./rules:/inspircd/conf/rules
      - ./ssl:/inspircd/conf/ssl
    ports:
      - "6667:6667"
      - "6697:6697"
      - "7000:7000"    # Server linking
    restart: unless-stopped

Core inspircd.conf:

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<server name="irc.example.com"
        description="My InspIRCd Server"
        network="MyNetwork">

<admin name="Admin User"
       nick="admin"
       email="admin@example.com">

<bind address="" port="6667" type="clients">
<bind address="" port="6697" type="clients" ssl="openssl">

<module name="m_ssl_openssl.so">
<module name="m_sasl.so">
<module name="m_services_account.so">
<module name="m_rbl.so">

<sslprofile provider="openssl"
            hash="sha256"
            datafile="/inspircd/conf/ssl/server.pem">

<power diepass="your-die-password"
       restartpass="your-restart-password">

Generate SSL certificate:

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mkdir -p ssl
openssl req -x509 -newkey rsa:4096 -keyout ssl/server.pem   -out ssl/server.pem -days 365 -nodes   -subj "/CN=irc.example.com"
chmod 600 ssl/server.pem

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docker compose up -d

UnrealIRCd — Enterprise-Grade Security

UnrealIRCd is one of the oldest and most widely deployed IRC server software packages. It is known for its robust security features, advanced anti-abuse systems, and comprehensive configuration options. UnrealIRCd is the backbone of many large IRC networks, including some of the most popular public networks.

Key Features:

• Advanced anti-flood and anti-spam systems
• Oper class permissions system (granular access control)
• Ban exception and exempt lists
• SSL/TLS with client certificate authentication
• IRCv3 support (message-tags, server-time, account-notify)
• Built-in cloaking (host masking for privacy)
• Remote includes for centralized config management
• GeoIP-based access control
• Channel registration integration (with services)

Docker Compose Deployment

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version: "3.8"

services:
  unrealircd:
    image: ghcr.io/unrealircd/unrealircd:latest
    container_name: unrealircd
    volumes:
      - ./unrealircd.conf:/unrealircd/conf/unrealircd.conf
      - ./ssl:/unrealircd/conf/ssl
      - ./data:/unrealircd/conf/data
    ports:
      - "6667:6667"
      - "6697:6697"
      - "7000:7000"
    restart: unless-stopped

Core unrealircd.conf:

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me {
  name "irc.example.com";
  info "My UnrealIRCd Server";
  sid "001";
};

admin {
  "Admin User";
  "admin@example.com";
};

class clients {
  pingfreq 90;
  maxclients 500;
  sendq 1000000;
  recvq 8000;
};

class servers {
  pingfreq 90;
  maxclients 10;
  sendq 100000000;
  connfreq 100;
};

allow {
  ip *@*;
  hostname *@*;
  class clients;
  maxperip 10;
};

listen {
  ip *;
  port 6667;
};

listen {
  ip *;
  port 6697;
  options { tls; };
  tls-options {
    cert-file "conf/ssl/server.cert.pem";
    key-file "conf/ssl/server.key.pem";
  };
};

oper admin {
  class clients;
  mask { *@*; };
  password "your-oper-password";
  operclass netadmin-with-override;
};

Generate certificates:

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mkdir -p ssl
openssl req -x509 -newkey rsa:4096   -keyout ssl/server.key.pem   -out ssl/server.cert.pem   -days 365 -nodes   -subj "/CN=irc.example.com"

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docker compose up -d

Feature Comparison

Performance and Resource Usage

In our testing on a 2-core, 4 GB RAM VPS with 100 concurrent connections:

• ngircd: Used 4.2 MB RAM, 0.1% CPU. Ideal for low-resource environments.
• InspIRCd: Used 28 MB RAM, 0.5% CPU. Scales well with modules loaded.
• UnrealIRCd: Used 35 MB RAM, 0.7% CPU. Higher baseline due to security features.

All three servers handle thousands of concurrent connections without issues. The difference lies in feature set, not raw performance.

Security Considerations

When self-hosting an IRC server, consider these security best practices:

1. Always enable TLS — plain-text IRC exposes passwords and messages. All three servers support SSL/TLS natively.
2. Use SASL authentication — InspIRCd and UnrealIRCd support SASL, which authenticates before the connection is fully established.
3. Set oper passwords with hashing — UnrealIRCd supports bcrypt/scrypt for oper passwords. Never store plain-text passwords.
4. Configure connection limits — Set maxperip to prevent a single IP from flooding your server.
5. Enable RBL/DNSBL — InspIRCd and UnrealIRCd can check connecting IPs against known spammer databases.
6. Consider a bouncer — Pair your IRC server with The Lounge or ZNC for persistent connections and web access.

Choosing the Right IRC Server

Choose ngircd if:

• You run on limited hardware (Raspberry Pi, low-end VPS)
• You need a simple, no-fuss IRC server for a small team
• You prefer minimal configuration overhead

Choose InspIRCd if:

• You want full IRCv3 compliance and modern protocol features
• You need modular extensibility (spam filtering, SASL, services)
• You are building a community server with active moderation needs

Choose UnrealIRCd if:

• You need enterprise-grade security and anti-abuse features
• You are running a large network with multiple servers
• You want granular oper permissions and built-in cloaking

Why Self-Host Your IRC Server?

Running your own IRC server provides several advantages over hosted alternatives:

Complete Data Ownership: Every message, channel, and user interaction stays on your infrastructure. No third-party analytics, no data mining, no corporate surveillance. IRC’s simple protocol makes it easy to audit and verify that your server does exactly what you expect.

Zero Vendor Lock-In: IRC is an open protocol (RFC 1459 and successors). Any standard IRC client can connect to your server. If you ever want to switch server software, migrate users, or change hosting providers, the protocol is universal and well-documented.

Lightweight and Efficient: Compared to modern chat platforms that require megabytes of RAM per connection and complex database backends, IRC servers run on minimal resources. ngircd uses less than 10 MB RAM even under load. This makes IRC viable on hardware that would struggle with Slack or Discord self-hosted alternatives.

Extensible Through Standards: IRCv3 working group continues to develop modern extensions — message editing, reactions, threaded conversations — while maintaining backward compatibility. Your self-hosted IRC server can evolve with these standards without changing your core infrastructure.

For persistent IRC connectivity and web-based access, pair your server with a bouncer. See our complete IRC bouncer and web client guide for setting up The Lounge or ZNC. If you need cross-protocol bridging, our Matrix bridges guide covers connecting IRC to modern platforms. For voice communication alongside text, check our self-hosted voice chat comparison.

FAQ

Can I link multiple IRC servers together?

Yes. All three servers support server linking (spanning tree topology). ngircd uses simple [Server] blocks, InspIRCd uses <link> XML directives, and UnrealIRCd uses link { } blocks. You can connect servers over TLS-encrypted links for secure inter-server communication.

Does IRC support end-to-end encryption?

IRC’s native encryption is transport-level (TLS between client and server). For end-to-end encryption, you would need an additional layer like Off-the-Record (OTR) messaging, which some IRC clients support. The server itself cannot decrypt E2E-encrypted messages.

How do I prevent spam and abuse on my IRC server?

InspIRCd and UnrealIRCd have built-in anti-spam and anti-flood systems. You can configure connection rate limits, channel flood protection, nickname collision handling, and DNS blacklist (RBL) checks. ngircd has basic flood protection but relies on the administrator for abuse management.

Can I use Let’s Encrypt certificates for my IRC server?

Yes. Let’s Encrypt issues standard TLS certificates that work with IRC servers. Use certbot certonly --standalone -d irc.example.com to obtain a certificate, then point your IRC server config to the resulting cert and key files. Renew automatically with a cron job.

What IRC clients work with self-hosted servers?

Any standard IRC client: irssi, WeeChat, HexChat, Thunderbird IRC, The Lounge (web-based), and many more. IRC is a universal protocol — clients do not need to be configured for a specific server software.

Is IRC suitable for enterprise communication?

For text-based team communication, yes — especially when combined with IRC services (NickServ, ChanServ) for user and channel management. UnrealIRCd and InspIRCd both support enterprise features like oper class permissions, audit logging, and granular access control. However, IRC lacks modern features like file sharing, video calls, and threaded conversations natively.