HexChat 2.20

HexChat is an IRC client for Windows and UNIX-like operating systems. See IRCHelp.org for information about IRC in general. For more information on HexChat please read our documentation:

• Downloads
• FAQ
• Changelog
• Python API
• Perl API

• Multi-platform: Works on Windows, Linux, macOS, and other UNIX-like systems
• GTK2 Interface: Clean, customizable graphical user interface
• Plugin Support: Extensible with Lua, Perl, and Python scripting
• SSL/TLS Support: Secure connections with OpenSSL
• DCC Support: Direct file transfers and chat
• Multiple Networks: Connect to multiple IRC networks simultaneously
• Themes and Customization: 18+ built-in themes with automatic installation
• IRC User Mode Display: Proper display of user roles (@op, %halfop, +voice, ~owner) in chat

• 18+ Built-in Themes: Professional themes including Dracula, Monokai, Solarized, Cyberpunk, and more
• Automatic Installation: Themes are automatically copied to user directories on first run
• Cross-platform Support: Works seamlessly on Linux, Windows, and macOS
• Theme Manager: Easy theme switching via View → Theme menu
• Color Palette Fixes: IRC user mode colors preserved for proper visibility

• Smart Detection: Automatically detects image URLs (.jpg, .png, .gif, .bmp, .webp)
• Context Menu: Right-click on image URLs to see "Open Image" option
• External Viewer: Opens images in your system's default image viewer
• Seamless Integration: Works with existing URL handling system

• User Mode Prefixes: IRC user roles (@op, %halfop, +voice, ~owner) now display correctly in chat messages
• Theme Compatibility: Fixed theme colors that were breaking IRC user mode visibility
• Enhanced Build System: Meson/Ninja build system with improved cross-platform support

• Lua Support: LuaJIT integration for high-performance scripting
• Perl Support: Full Perl API for advanced scripting
• Python Support: Python scripting capabilities (configurable)
• Built-in Plugins:
  • Checksum: DCC file verification
  • FiSH: Encrypted messaging
  • Sysinfo: System information display

# Install build tools and dependencies
sudo apt update
sudo apt install build-essential meson ninja-build pkg-config

# Install required libraries
sudo apt install libgtk2.0-dev libglib2.0-dev libssl-dev liblua5.1-dev libperl-dev python3-dev

# Install Python dependencies for plugins
sudo apt install python3-cffi

• Fedora/RHEL/CentOS: sudo dnf install gtk2-devel glib2-devel openssl-devel lua-devel perl-devel python3-devel meson ninja-build
• Arch Linux: sudo pacman -S gtk2 glib2 openssl lua perl python meson ninja
• openSUSE: sudo zypper install gtk2-devel glib2-devel libopenssl-devel lua-devel perl-devel python3-devel meson ninja

# Install Homebrew if not already installed
/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

# Install dependencies
brew install gtk+ glib openssl lua perl python meson ninja pkg-config
pip3 install cffi

• Use MSYS2 or similar environment
• Install GTK2, GLib, OpenSSL, and other dependencies via pacman
• Follow the Windows build guide

• GTK+ 2.24 or later
• GLib 2.36 or later
• OpenSSL 1.0.1 or later
• Meson 0.53.0 or later
• Ninja build system
• GCC or compatible C compiler

# Configure the build
meson setup build

# Build the project (use -j$(nproc) for parallel compilation)
ninja -C build

# Install system-wide (optional, requires root)
sudo ninja -C build install

# Run from build directory
./build/src/fe-gtk/hexchat

# Check version
./build/src/fe-gtk/hexchat --version

HexChat stores configuration files in:

• Linux/macOS: ~/.config/hexchat/
• Windows: %APPDATA%\HexChat\

HexChat includes a comprehensive theme system with automatic theme installation for all users.

• System-wide Themes: 18+ professionally designed themes are included in the build
• First-run Setup: Themes are automatically copied to each user's config directory on first launch
• No Manual Setup: Users get immediate access to a full theme collection without downloading or configuring

The build includes these themes:

• Dark Themes: Dracula, Monokai, Solarized Dark, Cyberpunk Neon, Midnight Purple, Ocean Blue, Retro Terminal, Forest Green, High Contrast
• Light Themes: Solarized Light, GitHub Light, Minimal Light, Sunset Warm, Pastel Dreams, Rainbow Pride
• Default Themes: Default Dark and Default Light for basic usage

• Theme Menu: Access themes via View → "_Theme" menu
• Theme Manager: Browse and switch themes easily
• Custom Themes: Users can add their own .theme files to ~/.config/hexchat/themes/

The repository includes customize_theme_colors.py, a helper script that ensures theme palettes and UI colors are properly configured for optimal readability.

Run it to refresh existing themes:

python3 customize_theme_colors.py

This script updates palette colors to prevent issues like black text on dark backgrounds.

Contributions are welcome! Please:

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch
3. Make your changes
4. Test thoroughly
5. Submit a pull request

HexChat is released under the GPL v2 with the additional exemption that compiling, linking, and/or using OpenSSL is allowed. You may provide binary packages linked to the OpenSSL libraries, provided that all other requirements of the GPL are met.

See file COPYING for details.