IRC.atl.chat

Docker-based IRC server with UnrealIRCd, Atheme Services, and automated SSL certificate management.

Architecture

Component	Technology	Purpose
IRC Server	UnrealIRCd 6.2.0.1	IRC daemon
Services	Atheme 7.2.12	NickServ, ChanServ, OperServ
WebPanel	UnrealIRCd WebPanel	Admin interface
SSL/TLS	Let's Encrypt + Cloudflare	Certificate management
Container	Docker + Compose	Deployment

Quick Start

# 1. Clone and configure
git clone https://github.com/allthingslinux/irc.atl.chat
cd irc.atl.chat
cp env.example .env

# 2. Edit configuration
# BE SURE TO READ THIS CAREFULLY AND DOUBLE CHECK ALL VARIABLES
# ATHEME WILL NOT START WITHOUT THE SEND AND RECEIVE PASSWORD SET PROPERLY
vim .env

# 3. Setup Cloudflare DNS credentials
cp cloudflare-credentials.ini.template cloudflare-credentials.ini
chmod 600 cloudflare-credentials.ini
vim cloudflare-credentials.ini  # Add your Cloudflare API token

# 4. Setup SSL certificates (required before starting)
make ssl-setup

# 5. Start services
make up

Note: SSL setup must be completed before starting services, as UnrealIRCd configuration expects SSL certificates to exist.

Configuration

Environment Variables

Copy env.example to .env and configure:

# Server Settings
IRC_DOMAIN=irc.atl.chat
# IRC_PORT=6667                    # Disabled - TLS only
IRC_TLS_PORT=6697
IRC_RPC_PORT=8600

# Network Identity
IRC_ROOT_DOMAIN=atl.chat
IRC_NETWORK_NAME=atl.chat
IRC_CLOAK_PREFIX=atl

# Admin Contact
IRC_ADMIN_NAME="Your Admin Name"
IRC_ADMIN_EMAIL=admin@yourdomain.com

# SSL/TLS
LETSENCRYPT_EMAIL=admin@yourdomain.com

# Services
ATHEME_SERVER_NAME=services.atl.chat
ATHEME_UPLINK_HOST=irc.atl.chat
ATHEME_UPLINK_PORT=6900
ATHEME_SEND_PASSWORD=your-services-password
ATHEME_RECEIVE_PASSWORD=your-services-password

Configuration Workflow

Configuration files are automatically generated from templates using your .env file:

• Templates: src/backend/*/conf/*.template files
• Generated: src/backend/*/conf/*.conf files (gitignored)
• Process: envsubst substitutes variables from .env into templates
• Automation: make up runs init.sh and prepare-config.sh automatically

Never edit the .conf files directly - they will be overwritten. Always modify the .env file and run make up to regenerate.

Commands

Service Management

make up             # Start all services
make down           # Stop all services
make restart        # Restart services
make status         # Check service status
make logs           # View all logs

Development

make build          # Build containers
make rebuild        # Rebuild from scratch
make test           # Run test suite
make lint           # Run linting

SSL Management

make ssl-setup      # Setup SSL certificates
make ssl-status     # Check certificate status
make ssl-renew      # Force renewal
make ssl-logs       # View SSL logs

Utilities

make generate-password    # Generate IRC operator password
make modules-list         # List available modules
make modules-installed    # Show installed modules

Project Structure

irc.atl.chat/
├── src/
│   ├── backend/
│   │   ├── unrealircd/          # IRC server
│   │   └── atheme/              # IRC services
│   └── frontend/
│       ├── webpanel/            # Admin interface
│       └── gamja/               # Web client (optional)
├── scripts/                     # Management scripts
├── docs/                        # Documentation
├── data/                        # Persistent data
├── logs/                        # Service logs
└── tests/                       # Test suite

Ports

Port	Protocol	Service	Purpose
6667	IRC	UnrealIRCd	Standard IRC (disabled - TLS only)
6697	IRC+TLS	UnrealIRCd	Encrypted IRC
6900	IRC+TLS	UnrealIRCd	Server links
6901	IRC	UnrealIRCd	Atheme services (localhost)
8600	HTTP	UnrealIRCd	JSON-RPC API
8000	WebSocket	UnrealIRCd	WebSocket IRC
8080	HTTP	WebPanel	Admin interface

Usage

Connect to IRC

# TLS connection (required)
irc irc.atl.chat:6697

# Note: Plaintext connections are disabled for security
# All clients must use SSL/TLS on port 6697

WebPanel

• URL: http://your-server:8080
• Purpose: IRC server management

IRC Services

• NickServ: /msg NickServ REGISTER password email
• ChanServ: /msg ChanServ REGISTER #channel
• OperServ: Administrative services

Troubleshooting

Services Not Starting

make logs
make status

SSL Issues

make ssl-status
make ssl-logs

Configuration Issues

make restart
# Check if configuration was generated properly
ls -la src/backend/unrealircd/conf/unrealircd.conf
ls -la src/backend/atheme/conf/atheme.conf

# If configs are missing, regenerate from templates
make build

Development

Running Tests

make test

Test Structure

IRC.atl.chat uses a comprehensive testing framework organized by testing level (traditional approach):

• tests/unit/ - Unit tests for individual components and functions
  • Configuration validation, Docker client testing, environment setup
• tests/integration/ - Integration tests using controlled IRC servers
  • test_protocol.py - IRC protocol compliance (RFC1459, RFC2812)
  • test_clients.py - Client library integration (pydle, python-irc)
  • test_services.py - Service integration (NickServ, ChanServ, Atheme)
  • test_monitoring.py - Server monitoring and RPC functionality
  • test_performance.py - Performance and load testing
  • test_infrastructure.py - Infrastructure and deployment tests
  • test_irc_functionality.py - General IRC server functionality
• tests/e2e/ - End-to-end workflow tests
• tests/protocol/ - Basic IRC message protocol tests (unit-level)
• tests/legacy/integration/ - Legacy integration tests (deprecated, kept for reference)

All integration tests use a controller pattern inspired by irctest, providing controlled IRC server instances, service integration, and comprehensive protocol validation.

Linting

make lint

Building

make build

Documentation

🚀 Getting Started

• Quick Start - Basic installation and setup
• Configuration - Environment variables and settings
• Troubleshooting - Common issues and solutions

🏗️ Core Components

• UnrealIRCd Server - IRC server configuration and management
• Atheme Services - IRC services (NickServ, ChanServ, etc.)
• Modules - UnrealIRCd module system and third-party extensions
• WebPanel - Web-based administration interface

🐳 Infrastructure

• Docker Setup - Containerization, volumes, and networking
• Makefile Commands - Build automation and management commands
• Configuration - Template system and environment variables
• CI/CD Pipeline - GitHub Actions workflows and automation
• Testing - Comprehensive test suite and framework

🔒 Security & Operations

• SSL Certificates - Let's Encrypt automation and certificate management
• Secret Management - Passwords, API tokens, and security practices
• User Modes - IRC user mode reference and configuration
• Backup & Recovery - Data protection and disaster recovery

🔌 APIs & Integration

• API Reference - JSON-RPC API and WebSocket support
• Scripts - Management and utility scripts

🛠️ Development

• Development Guide - Local setup, contribution guidelines, and workflow

License

MIT License - see LICENSE for details.