> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.loongclaw.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# IRC

> Configure the IRC channel surface in Loong.

# IRC

This is a shipped config-backed outbound surface. Irc relay-loop serve is not implemented yet

## At A Glance

| Field                    | Value           |
| ------------------------ | --------------- |
| Catalog id               | `irc`           |
| Config key               | `irc`           |
| Implementation status    | `config_backed` |
| Transport                | `irc_socket`    |
| Aliases                  | none            |
| Default send target kind | `conversation`  |

## Minimal Config

```toml theme={null}
[irc]
enabled = true
server = "irc.libera.chat:6697"
nickname = "loongbot"
server_env = "IRC_SERVER"
nickname_env = "IRC_NICKNAME"
```

## Smoke Test

```bash theme={null}
loong channels send irc --target "#ops" --text "hello from loong"
```

## Command Surface

| Operation    | Command              | Usage or status                                                             |
| ------------ | -------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| message send | `channels send irc`  | Usage: loong channels send irc \[OPTIONS] --target \<TARGET> --text \<TEXT> |
| relay loop   | `channels serve irc` | irc relay-loop serve is not implemented yet                                 |

## Required Fields For Send

| Requirement     | Config paths                                          | Env pointer paths                                             | Default env    |
| --------------- | ----------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------- |
| channel enabled | `irc.enabled`<br />`irc.accounts.<account>.enabled`   | none                                                          | none           |
| server          | `irc.server`<br />`irc.accounts.<account>.server`     | `irc.server_env`<br />`irc.accounts.<account>.server_env`     | `IRC_SERVER`   |
| nickname        | `irc.nickname`<br />`irc.accounts.<account>.nickname` | `irc.nickname_env`<br />`irc.accounts.<account>.nickname_env` | `IRC_NICKNAME` |

## Gateway And Ownership

This surface is a direct-send delivery lane. It does not join `gateway run` or the gateway-owned reply-loop contract today.

## Operator Notes

* IRC stays outbound-only today even though the catalog tracks a future relay-loop surface.

## Related Docs

* Continue to [Channel Guides](/use-loong/channel-guides/index) for the full shipped channel matrix.
* Continue to [Channels](/use-loong/channels) for the conceptual surface model.
* Continue to [Channel Setup](/use-loong/channel-setup) for the shared public setup contract.