IRC architecture questions
reddit / irc

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PerformanceOdd2750 · 2023-01-29 14:03

Just some questions about servers... I think most of my confusion
comes from thinking about IRC like Discord - you can spin up servers
on Discord, but that doesn't necessarily mean there is a literal
server instance being spun up. (or is there?)

I found this post [https://superuser.com/questions/1307874/irc-
terminology-network-vs-
server](https://superuser.com/questions/1307874/irc-terminology-
network-vs-server) which helps me understand a bit more, but I think I
just need more clarification.

1. How do IRC servers join an existing IRC network?
2. Is there a TCP server instance per "topic"? Or are "servers" just
an abstraction that groups clients into specific "topics" where a
single TCP server is handling all traffic to these abstract servers?

For example, does Libera.​Chat (or insert any IRC server name),
dynamically spin up more IRC server instances or operators spin them
up via some command when needed - or already have multiple IRC server
instances already running in different availability zones?

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PerformanceOdd2750 · 2023-01-29 14:10

Ok -this explains it much more to me in the Servers section
[https://libera.chat/guides/basics#how-does-irc-
work](https://libera.chat/guides/basics#how-does-irc-work)

\> Libera Chat has a network of servers. Don’t worry though, you only
need to know one address for the network. That address is
irc.libera.chat.

Networks like us use a Round Robin system to distribute users evenly
between servers. Having lots of servers provides redundancy, so one
server being out of order doesn’t make the whole network stop.

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skizzerz1 · 2023-01-29 16:06

In IRC, servers are literal servers. A network is comprised of one or
more servers linked together in some sort of spanning tree topology
(hub and spoke is common). Traditionally, these servers are operated
by different people, which makes for a federated network. Networks
like Libera.Chat, however, manage all of the servers in the network
centrally.

Networks also have channels, which are the individual rooms you join.
Channels are typically propagated between every server on the network,
so it doesn’t matter which specific server you end up joining—the
channels you want to join will be there. Channels available network-
wide like this start with the # character. Some (not all) networks
also support server-specific channels which start with the &
character.

A discord “server” is internally called a “guild” which should help
you think of how it fits in conceptually—it’s a way to group related
channels together. IRC does not have a similar concept here. Channels
are simply available throughout the entire network.

In a federated IRC network, new servers join by reaching an agreement
with an existing server to link together. This usually requires a high
level of trust in the operators of the new server, as well as backend
configuration to establish the link. In a centralized IRC network, the
network admins can just add or remove servers as the need arises.

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PerformanceOdd2750 · 2023-01-29 17:57

Awesome - this explanation is so helpful, thank you!