macOS
Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install irssilocal Homebrew formula metadata
MacPortsverified · 94%
sudo port install irssiMacPorts ports tree · irc/irssi/Portfile · source: api.github.com
brew
Install irssi with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, zypper
Modular IRC client. Version 1.4.5 via Homebrew; verified from local package data.
install
Additional install commands
Linux
Alpine Linux apkverified · 92%
sudo apk add irssiAlpine Linux edge package indexes · irssi · source: dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org
Debian aptverified · 92%
sudo apt install irssiDebian stable package indexes · irssi · source: deb.debian.org
Fedora dnfverified · 92%
sudo dnf install irssiFedora Rawhide package metadata · irssi · source: dl.fedoraproject.org
Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#irssinixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/ir/irssi/package.nix · source: api.github.com
Arch Linux pacmanverified · 92%
sudo pacman -S irssiArch Linux sync databases · irssi · source: geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com
openSUSE zypperverified · 92%
sudo zypper install irssiopenSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata · irssi · source: download.opensuse.org
overview
Package summary
Modular IRC client
Project links
Commands and aliases
- irssi
history
Project history and usage
Irssi is a long-running terminal chat client from the IRC culture of the late 1990s. Its upstream site describes it as a modular text-mode chat client with IRC support built in, a theme system, protocol modules, Perl scripting, proxy support, and upgrades oriented around users who live in shells and remote sessions.
Project history
The Irssi site marks the project as established in 1999, and its NEWS archive records Timo Sirainen releasing early 0.3.x builds in January 1999 and 0.7.x builds later that year. The manual explains the design pressure behind the project: Sirainen wanted an IRC client that was extremely modular and could be upgraded without disconnecting from servers.
Over time Irssi settled into the Unix terminal niche: a fullscreen text interface, a durable configuration file, scripting hooks, themes, and support for running inside screen, tmux, or persistent shell accounts. The project kept compatibility and security work visible through its NEWS archive, including 0.8-era maintenance, 1.0.0-era feature stabilization, and later security and protocol updates.
Adoption history
Irssi became one of the standard packaged IRC clients across Unix-like systems because it fit server-side chat habits: install a small terminal client, connect from a shell host, detach the terminal multiplexer, and keep IRC state alive. The Homebrew source facts show it packaged under the same name across Homebrew, Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora, Arch, MacPorts, Nix, Alpine, and openSUSE.
Its adoption also came from its script ecosystem. The official scripts site and scripts repository preserve many small Perl extensions, reinforcing Irssi's role as a programmable IRC client rather than only a fixed binary.
How it is used
Package users normally run the `irssi` executable, keep configuration in `~/.irssi/config`, and customize behavior with `/set`, themes, scripts, windows, networks, and autojoin rules. The official documentation centers on startup, settings, scripting, themes, and command reference material.
Irssi is especially associated with terminal-first IRC workflows: running in a multiplexer, using keyboard navigation, logging channels, and extending the client with Perl scripts for status bars, notifications, proxies, and channel automation.
Why package nerds care
Irssi matters to package nerds because it is a canonical example of a durable terminal network client: small enough to ship everywhere, old enough to expose portability issues, scriptable enough to attract local customization, and security-sensitive enough that distributions track upstream advisories closely.
It also represents a packaging pattern common to Unix chat tools: a core C program, optional modules, user-managed dot-directory state, and a community script shelf that outlives many graphical IRC clients.
Timeline
- 1999: Early Irssi 0.3.x releases appear in the upstream NEWS archive.
- 1999: The Irssi site presents the project as established in 1999.
- 2003: The 0.8.9 release appears in the NEWS archive as a security-oriented maintenance release.
- 2010: The 0.8.15 release announcement describes feature and bug-fix work after a long release gap.
- 2017: The 1.0.0 line marks a major stable-era milestone for the long-running client.
Related projects
- Irssi sits beside terminal and IRC tools such as WeeChat, BitchX, ircII, screen, tmux, BitlBee, SILC modules, ICB modules, and Perl-based client scripting.
Sources
- The official site documents the project purpose, 1999 establishment marker, modules, themes, scripting, proxy support, and documentation surface.
- The upstream NEWS archive supplies release chronology back to 1999.
- The upstream manual and script repository document the modular design and script culture.
security posture
Risk level: blue
broad file, network, media, or database tool signal.
Risk classifier
blue risk · medium confidence · tool
Why
- broad file, network, media, or database tool signal
Signals
- text:client
Install behavior
- No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
- Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 6 platform targets.
- Installs with 4 runtime dependencies.
- Build metadata lists 3 build dependencies.
Recommended review
Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.
local files
Configuration and credential file locations
These source-backed paths show where this package keeps local settings or durable credentials. Automic Vault can use them as review targets for secret scanning, migration, and command approval.
Configuration files
Config paths the tool may read or write during local use.
- Unix
~/.irssi/config
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
irssi | cli | global executable |
freshness
Version and freshness
These signals separate page generation age, package-manager activity, and upstream release comparison. Version lag is warned only when an evidence URL and comparable versions are present.
page generated2026-07-08
manager version1.4.5
manager updated
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected
https://github.com/irssi/irssi
- infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence
- infoNo cached GitHub release or tag data was available.https://github.com/irssi/irssinone confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | brew:irssi |
|---|---|
| Version | 1.4.5 |
| Package manager | Homebrew |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/irssi |
| Homepage | https://irssi.org/ |
| Repository | https://github.com/irssi/irssi |
| Upstream docs | https://irssi.org/documentation |
| License | GPL-2.0-or-later WITH openvpn-openssl-exception |
| Source archive | https://github.com/irssi/irssi/releases/download/1.4.5/irssi-1.4.5.tar.xz |
| Dependencies | gettext, glib, openssl@3, perl |
| Build dependencies | meson, ninja, pkgconf |
| Uses from macOS | ncurses |
| Bottle | available (on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux) |
| Homebrew post-install | not defined |
| Service | none declared |
registry facts
Source database details
| Source Database | Homebrew formula API |
|---|---|
| Tap | homebrew/core |
| Full Name | irssi |
| Version Scheme | 0 |
| Revision | 2 |
| Bottle Stable Root URL | https://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core |
| Deprecated | no |
| Disabled | no |
| Keg Only | no |
| URL Keys |
|
source database matches
Other package-manager records
Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.
Debian apt95%
irssi 1.4.5-1+b5
terminal based IRC client
sudo apt install irssi- Section: net
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: irssi
- 7 dependencies
- 1 provides
- 1 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Irssi
Debian apt95%
irssi-dev 1.4.5-1+b5
terminal based IRC client - development files
sudo apt install irssi-dev- Section: net
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: irssi
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Irssi
Debian apt95%
irssi-plugin-otr 1.4.5-1+b5
Off-The-Record messaging plugin for Irssi
sudo apt install irssi-plugin-otr- Section: net
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: irssi
- 5 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Irssi
Nix95%
irssi
nix profile install nixpkgs#irssi- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Irssi
Ubuntu apt95%
irssi 1.4.5-1ubuntu5
terminal based IRC client
sudo apt install irssi- Section: net
- Architecture: amd64
- 7 dependencies
- 1 provides
- 1 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Irssi
Ubuntu apt95%
irssi-dev 1.4.5-1ubuntu5
terminal based IRC client - development files
sudo apt install irssi-dev- Section: net
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: irssi
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Irssi
Ubuntu apt95%
irssi-plugin-otr 1.4.5-1ubuntu5
Off-The-Record messaging plugin for Irssi
sudo apt install irssi-plugin-otr- Section: universe/net
- Architecture: amd64
- Source Package: irssi
- 5 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Irssi
apk95%
irssi 1.4.5-r7
Modular textUI IRC client with IPv6 support
sudo apk add irssi- License: GPL-2.0-or-later WITH OpenSSL-Exception
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: irssi
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Irssi
apk95%
irssi-dev 1.4.5-r7
Modular textUI IRC client with IPv6 support (development files)
sudo apk add irssi-dev- License: GPL-2.0-or-later WITH OpenSSL-Exception
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: irssi
- 1 dependencies
- 1 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Irssi
apk95%
irssi-doc 1.4.5-r7
Modular textUI IRC client with IPv6 support (documentation)
sudo apk add irssi-doc- License: GPL-2.0-or-later WITH OpenSSL-Exception
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: irssi
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Irssi
apk95%
irssi-otr 1.4.5-r7
Irssi module for enabling OTR functionality
sudo apk add irssi-otr- License: GPL-2.0-or-later WITH OpenSSL-Exception
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: irssi
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Irssi
apk95%
irssi-perl 1.4.5-r7
Irssi perl support and scripts
sudo apk add irssi-perl- License: GPL-2.0-or-later WITH OpenSSL-Exception
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: irssi
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Irssi
apk95%
irssi-proxy 1.4.5-r7
Irssi module for enabling bouncer-like functionality
sudo apk add irssi-proxy- License: GPL-2.0-or-later WITH OpenSSL-Exception
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: irssi
- 1 dependencies
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Irssi
dnf95%
irssi 1.4.5-11.fc44
Modular text mode IRC client with Perl scripting
sudo dnf install irssi- License: gpl-2.0-or-later AND gpl-2.0-only AND gfdl-1.1-or-later AND licenseref-fedora-public-domain AND hpnd-markus-kuhn
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: x86_64
- Source Package: irssi
- 17 dependencies
- 7 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Irssi
dnf95%
irssi-devel 1.4.5-11.fc44
Development package for irssi
sudo dnf install irssi-devel- License: gpl-2.0-or-later AND gpl-2.0-only AND gfdl-1.1-or-later AND licenseref-fedora-public-domain AND hpnd-markus-kuhn
- Category: Unspecified
- Architecture: i686
- Source Package: irssi
- 4 dependencies
- 2 provides
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Irssi
pacman95%
irssi 1.4.5-5
Modular text mode IRC client with Perl scripting
sudo pacman -S irssi- License: GPL
- Architecture: x86_64
- 7 dependencies
- 1 optional deps
- normalized package name match
- Matched by: Irssi
source trail
Generated from repository data
This page is generated by av-web from the private package SQLite artifact built by scripts/generate-pkg-sqlite.py.
Combined YAML source
View the package source record on GitHub.
Used sources
- Geiger risk classifier
- Nucleus package database
- av.db category and tag curation
- cross-ecosystem install command graph
- curated configuration and credential file locations
- curated package history
- external package-manager database matches
- package relationship graph
- package version freshness
- package-page enrichment