# Install ii with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix Minimalist IRC client. Version 2.0 via Homebrew; verified from local package data. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:ii ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install ii ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata - MacPorts (94%): ```sh sudo port install ii ``` Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: irc/ii/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ### Linux - apk (92%): ```sh sudo apk add ii ``` Evidence: Alpine Linux edge package indexes: ii from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz - Debian apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install ii ``` Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: ii from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz - dnf (92%): ```sh sudo dnf install ii ``` Evidence: Fedora Rawhide package metadata: ii from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#ii ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/ii/ii/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:ii - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 2.0 - **Source summary:** Minimalist IRC client - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** MIT - **Source archive:** - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - ii (cli) - ii (alias) ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Bottle: available on arm64_big_sur, arm64_linux, arm64_monterey, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, arm64_ventura, big_sur, catalina, monterey, sonoma, ventura ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 2.0 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://tools.suckless.org/ii/ - info: No package-manager update timestamp was available. - info: Release/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories. ## Project history and usage ii, short for irc it, is a minimalist IRC client from suckless.org that represents IRC servers, channels, and private messages as directories containing FIFO `in` files and log-like `out` files. ### Project history The suckless source log reaches back to early 2007, with release tags appearing that year. The project page and README define ii's core idea plainly: make IRC scriptable with standard command-line and filesystem tools instead of a large terminal client UI. Over time ii kept the same small-file abstraction while accumulating pragmatic Unix fixes: portability changes, manual-page updates, OpenBSD pledge support, release bumps, and later direct TLS support through libretls. ### Adoption history ii's adoption has been strongest among Unix minimalists, suckless users, and people writing bots or personal IRC workflows. Its package-manager spread across Homebrew and Linux distributions reflects that it is small enough to package but distinctive enough to keep around. ### How it is used A user starts ii against a server, then writes IRC commands to `in` files and reads messages from `out` files. Joining a channel can be as simple as echoing `/j directory. ### Why package nerds care ii is a canonical tiny Unix package: the interface is the filesystem, composition happens with shell tools, and the implementation goal is small enough to audit. It is useful package-manager lore because it shows how far plain files and FIFOs can replace application UI. ### Timeline - 2007: Early public source history and 1.2/1.3 release tags. - 2008: Version 1.4 prepared with cleanup and documentation fixes. - 2011: Version 1.6 kept the implementation under a small line-count target after restructuring. - 2016: OpenBSD pledge support added. - 2022: Version 2.0 release bump. - 2025: Direct TLS support added. ### Related projects - ii is part of the suckless tools family and is described by suckless as the big brother of sic. It is also conceptually related to filesystem- and FIFO-oriented chat clients and shell-driven IRC bot workflows. ### Sources - - - - ## Security Notes broad file, network, media, or database tool signal. - **Geiger risk:** blue / medium - broad file, network, media, or database tool signal ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** ii - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 0 - **Head Version:** HEAD - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** head, stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Debian apt - ii - 2.0-1: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: ii from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | minimalist FIFO and filesystem-based IRC client | https://tools.suckless.org/ii/ - Nix - ii: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/ii/ii/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Ubuntu apt - ii - 1.8-3+ds: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: ii from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | minimalist FIFO and filesystem-based IRC client | https://tools.suckless.org/ii/ - apk - ii - 2.0-r2: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: ii from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Minimalist FIFO and filesystem-based IRC client | https://tools.suckless.org/ii - apk - ii-doc - 2.0-r2: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: ii-doc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Minimalist FIFO and filesystem-based IRC client (documentation) | https://tools.suckless.org/ii - dnf - ii - 1.8-14.fc44: normalized package name match | Fedora Rawhide package metadata: ii from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst | IRC IT, simple FIFO based IRC client | http://tools.suckless.org/ii - MacPorts - ii: normalized package name match | MacPorts ports tree: irc/ii/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ## Related links - [Secret-risk packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/secret-risk-packages/) - Has protected-tool coverage, approval-gate, or non-low Geiger security signals. - [Terminal utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/terminal-utilities/) - Matched terminal and command-line workflow metadata. - [Networking and protocol packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/networking-protocol-tools/) - Matched network, protocol, or remote-service metadata. - [Homebrew utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew-utility-packages/) - Matched Homebrew package provider. - [catgirl](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/catgirl/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: chat, cli, irc, networking. - [icbirc](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/icbirc/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: chat, cli, irc, networking. - [senpai](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/senpai/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: chat, cli, irc, networking. - [weechat](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/weechat/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: chat, cli, irc, networking. - [znc](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/znc/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: chat, cli, irc, networking. - [irssi](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/irssi/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: chat, cli, irc, networking. - [bitlbee](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/bitlbee/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: chat, cli, irc, networking. - [epic5](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/epic5/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: chat, cli, irc, networking. - [sic](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/sic/) - Local metadata places this package in an adjacent workflow. Shared terms: cli, client, irc, networking. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/ii.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/ii.yml) ## Sources - Nucleus package database - Geiger risk classifier - package-page enrichment - curated package history - package version freshness - av.db category and tag curation - package relationship graph - external package-manager database matches - cross-ecosystem install command graph