🌐 ft_irc - Internet Relay Chat Server 🌐

📝 About the Project

This project is a complete IRC (Internet Relay Chat) server implementation in C++98, designed to handle real-time communication between multiple clients. The server fully supports IRC protocol standards, authentication, channel management, private messaging, operator commands, and includes a bonus IRC bot with advanced features.

🚀 Core Features

🔐 Authentication & Connection Management

• User Authentication: Complete PASS/NICK/USER registration flow
• Connection Handling: Non-blocking I/O with poll() for multiple simultaneous clients
• CAP Negotiation: Client capability negotiation support
• PING/PONG: Keep-alive mechanism to maintain connections
• QUIT: Graceful disconnection with custom messages

📡 Channel Operations

• JOIN/PART: Create, join, and leave channels with optional keys
• LIST: Browse available channels with user counts and topics
• TOPIC: View and set channel topics (operator-restricted when +t mode)
• Channel Modes: Complete mode system implementation:
  • +i/-i: Invite-only channel
  • +t/-t: Topic restriction to operators
  • +k/-k: Channel password protection
  • +o/-o: Operator privilege management
  • +l/-l: User limit enforcement

👥 User Management & Messaging

• PRIVMSG: Private messages between users and channel broadcasting
• NOTICE: Notice system (non-reply generating messages)
• WHO/WHOIS: User information and channel membership queries
• Multiple Channels: Users can join and manage multiple channels simultaneously

🛡️ Operator Commands

• KICK: Remove users from channels with optional reason
• INVITE: Invite users to channels (respects +i mode)
• MODE: Complete channel mode management system
• Operator Privileges: Automatic operator assignment to channel creators

📋 Additional Features

• MOTD: Message of the Day system with file-based configuration
• Error Handling: Complete IRC error code implementation (401, 403, 461, etc.)
• Debug System: Comprehensive logging with colored output
• Configuration: File-based configuration system

🤖 Bonus: IRC Bot

🌤️ Weather Command

• API Integration: Real-time weather data via wttr.in
• Multiple Formats:
  • Simple: !weather porto
  • Detailed: !weather london detailed
  • Full: !weather paris full
• Global Support: Weather for cities worldwide
• Smart Parsing: Handles multi-word city names

😄 Entertainment Commands

• Dad Jokes: !dadjokes - Random dad jokes from 24+ joke collection
• Game: !game - Surprise interactive feature
• Help System: !help [command] - Comprehensive help with examples

🔧 Bot Architecture

• HTTP Client: Custom HTTP client for external API calls
• Command Factory: Modular command system
• Auto-Join: Automatically joins all channels
• Case-Insensitive: All commands work regardless of case

🛠️ Technologies & Architecture

Core Technologies

• C++98: Full compliance with C++98 standard
• TCP/IP Sockets: IPv4/IPv6 support with non-blocking I/O
• Poll System: Single poll() call handles all I/O operations

Design Patterns Implemented

• Factory Pattern: CommandFactory & CommandBotFactory for dynamic command creation
• Command Pattern: ACommand hierarchy with execute() method for all IRC commands
• Observer Pattern: Channel broadcasting system notifying all subscribed clients
• Strategy Pattern: Different command execution strategies via polymorphic ACommand
• Template Method Pattern: ACommand base class defining execution template
• Facade Pattern: Server class as unified interface to IRC subsystems
• Adapter Pattern: Socket wrapper adapting system calls to C++ interface

Development Tools

• Comprehensive Testing:
  • Connection tests
  • Channel operation tests
  • Messaging tests
  • Stress tests with multiple clients
  • Memory leak detection with Valgrind
• Makefile: Advanced build system with progress bars and parallel compilation
• Debug System: Colored logging with timestamp and severity levels

🏗️ Build and Execution

# Compile the main server
make

# Compile with bot (bonus)
make bonus

# Run the server
./ircserv <port> <password>

# Run the bot (connects to server)
./ircbot <port> <bot_password>

# Run comprehensive tests
make test
make test-all          # Include stress and valgrind tests
make test-valgrind     # Memory leak testing

🧪 Testing Suite

# Quick connectivity test
make test-quick

# Specific test categories
make test-connection   # Authentication and connection tests
make test-channels     # Channel operations (JOIN, PART, KICK, etc.)
make test-messaging    # PRIVMSG functionality
make test-stress       # Load testing with multiple clients

# Memory testing
make test-valgrind     # Comprehensive memory leak detection

📋 Configuration

Server Configuration (config.txt)

# Bot authentication password
botpass=your_bot_password

MOTD Configuration (motd.txt)

Custom Message of the Day displayed to connecting users.

🔧 Technical Specifications

Protocol Compliance

• RFC 1459/2812: Full IRC protocol implementation
• Error Codes: Complete IRC error response system
• Message Format: Proper IRC message parsing and formatting
• Channel Modes: All standard channel modes implemented

Performance Features

• Non-blocking I/O: Handles hundreds of concurrent connections
• Memory Efficient: Comprehensive memory management
• Resource Cleanup: Automatic cleanup of disconnected clients
• Signal Handling: Graceful shutdown on SIGINT/SIGTERM

Security Features

• Password Authentication: Server and bot password protection
• Channel Security: Invite-only, password-protected channels
• Operator System: Hierarchical permission system
• Input Validation: Comprehensive input sanitization

📚 Supported IRC Commands

Connection Commands

PASS, NICK, USER, QUIT, PING, PONG, CAP

Channel Commands

JOIN, PART, LIST, TOPIC, MODE, KICK, INVITE

Messaging Commands

PRIVMSG, NOTICE, WHO, WHOIS, MOTD

Bot Commands

!weather, !dadjokes, !game, !help

🧑‍💻 Team

hluiz

isilva-t

joao-pol

📈 Project Statistics

• Lines of Code: 10,000+ lines of C++
• Files: 90+ source and header files
• Commands: 20+ IRC commands implemented
• Tests: 50+ automated test scenarios
• Features: Complete IRC server + advanced bot

🎯 Usage Examples

Basic Server Usage

# Start server on port 6667 with password "mypass"
./ircserv 6667 mypass

# Connect with any IRC client (e.g., irssi, HexChat)
/connect localhost 6667
/pass mypass
/nick mynick
/join #general

Bot Integration

# Start bot (after server is running)
./ircbot 6667 bot_password

# Use bot commands in channels
!weather london
!help weather
!dadjokes

📚 References

• RFC 1459 - Internet Relay Chat Protocol
• RFC 2812 - Internet Relay Chat: Client Protocol
• IRC Numeric Replies - Standard IRC response codes

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42 School Project | Developed with passion for networking and real-time communication

🔗 Compatible with all standard IRC clients | 🚀 Production-ready architecture | 🧪 Thoroughly tested