# Install znc with Homebrew, apk, apt, dnf, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, zypper Advanced IRC bouncer. Version 1.10.2 via Homebrew; verified 2026-05-07. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:znc ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install znc ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata - MacPorts (94%): ```sh sudo port install znc ``` Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: irc/znc/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ### Linux - apk (92%): ```sh sudo apk add znc ``` Evidence: Alpine Linux edge package indexes: znc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz - Debian apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install znc ``` Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: znc from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz - dnf (92%): ```sh sudo dnf install znc ``` Evidence: Fedora Rawhide package metadata: znc 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#znc ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: znc from https://raw.githubusercontent.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/master/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix - pacman (92%): ```sh sudo pacman -S znc ``` Evidence: Arch Linux sync databases: znc from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/extra/os/x86_64/extra.db.tar.gz - zypper (92%): ```sh sudo zypper install znc ``` Evidence: openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: znc from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:znc - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 1.10.2 - **Source summary:** Advanced IRC bouncer - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** Apache-2.0 - **Source archive:** - **Last updated:** 2026-05-07T23:09:02Z - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - znc (cli) - znc-buildmod (cli) - znc (alias) - znc-buildmod (alias) ## Dependencies - boost - cctz - icu4c@78 - openssl@3 - python@3.14 ## Build dependencies - cmake - gettext - pkgconf ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Service: declared - Bottle: available on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 1.10.2 - Package-manager updated: 2026-05-07 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://wiki.znc.in/ZNC - info: Release/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories. ## Project history and usage ZNC is a long-running IRC bouncer: it stays connected to IRC networks on a user's behalf, lets clients disconnect and reconnect, replays buffers, and exposes a module system and web administration interface around that persistent session. ### Project history ZNC's own history page records an early commit date of 2004-07-20, and secondary summaries describe it as developing from July 2004 as an alternative to psyBNC. The GitHub repository was created later, in 2010, as the project moved into the modern public-forge era. The project is written primarily in C++ and presents itself as an advanced IRC bouncer. Its README documents the core operating model: data under ~/.znc by default, znc.conf under configs, module data below the data directory, and extra modules loadable from user or installation paths. ZNC's module system became one of its defining features. The README documents C++ modules built with znc-buildmod plus Perl and Python module support through ModPerl and ModPython. That gave administrators a way to extend a bouncer into web administration, logging, notifications, and network-specific behavior. ### Adoption history ZNC became a standard answer to IRC's ephemerality. IRC clients traditionally only see messages while connected; a bouncer keeps the server-side session alive and lets one or more clients attach later. Opensource.com describes ZNC as a relatively popular and well-understood IRC bouncer for this problem. ZNC's history is tied to changes in IRC client expectations. As clients and extensions improved buffer playback and timestamps, ZNC moved from simply keeping a nickname online toward preserving a multi-client chat session that felt less transient. It also remained relevant for bridges, where users wanted Matrix or other systems to connect through an existing IRC identity. ### How it is used A user runs znc as a daemon, creates one or more users and networks, then points IRC clients at the ZNC listener instead of directly at the IRC network. The client authenticates to ZNC, and ZNC connects onward, maintains channels, and replays buffered messages after reconnects. Administrators commonly manage it through webadmin or controlpanel rather than editing znc.conf while the daemon is live. The same config file may contain network credentials, which is why the package's configuration and credential locations overlap. ### Why package nerds care ZNC is one of the archetypal always-on Unix userland daemons: small enough for a shell account or VPS, old enough to carry IRC culture, and modular enough to become personal infrastructure. It matters to package nerds because it captures the pre-SaaS habit of solving chat persistence with a daemon you own, a config file in your home directory, and a client protocol that still works with many front ends. ### Timeline - 2004-07-20: ZNC history records the first commit timestamp. - 2000s: ZNC develops as an alternative to earlier IRC bouncers such as psyBNC. - 2010-01-09: The znc/znc GitHub repository is created. - 2010s: ZNC's module ecosystem, web administration, SSL/TLS use, and client buffer behavior become central to everyday IRC bouncer use. - 2020s: ZNC remains a maintained IRC bouncer and a common bridge point for persistent IRC sessions. ### Related projects - psyBNC is the older IRC bouncer ZNC is often compared with historically. - soju, IRCCloud, Quassel, The Lounge, and Heisenbridge occupy adjacent persistent-chat, bouncer, or bridge roles. - HexChat, WeeChat, mIRC, and other IRC clients are common front ends that can connect through ZNC. ### Sources - - - - - - ## Security Notes formula declares a Homebrew service. - **Geiger risk:** orange / medium - formula declares a Homebrew service ## 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 - Unix: ~/.znc/configs/znc.conf ## Credential files - Unix: ~/.znc/configs/znc.conf ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** znc - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 0 - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Debian apt - znc - 1.9.1-2+b3: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: znc from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | advanced modular IRC bouncer | https://www.znc.in/ - Debian apt - znc-backlog - 0.20180824+1.9.1-2+b3: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: znc-backlog from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | module for requesting backlog from znc bouncer | https://github.com/FruitieX/znc-backlog - Debian apt - znc-dev - 1.9.1-2+b3: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: znc-dev from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | advanced modular IRC bouncer (development headers) | https://www.znc.in/ - Debian apt - znc-perl - 1.9.1-2+b3: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: znc-perl from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | advanced modular IRC bouncer (Perl extension) | https://www.znc.in/ - Debian apt - znc-push - 1.0.0+git20190521.78d0385+1.9.1-2+b3: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: znc-push from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | znc plugin to send push notification to various services | https://github.com/jreese/znc-push - Debian apt - znc-python - 1.9.1-2+b3: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: znc-python from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | advanced modular IRC bouncer (Python extension) | https://www.znc.in/ - Debian apt - znc-tcl - 1.9.1-2+b3: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: znc-tcl from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | advanced modular IRC bouncer (Tcl extension) | https://www.znc.in/ - Nix - znc: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: znc from https://raw.githubusercontent.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/master/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix - Ubuntu apt - znc - 1.9.0-2build3: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: znc from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | advanced modular IRC bouncer | https://www.znc.in/ - Ubuntu apt - znc-backlog - 0.20180824+1.9.0-2build3: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: znc-backlog from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | module for requesting backlog from znc bouncer | https://github.com/FruitieX/znc-backlog - Ubuntu apt - znc-dev - 1.9.0-2build3: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: znc-dev from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | advanced modular IRC bouncer (development headers) | https://www.znc.in/ - Ubuntu apt - znc-perl - 1.9.0-2build3: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: znc-perl from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | advanced modular IRC bouncer (Perl extension) | https://www.znc.in/ - Ubuntu apt - znc-push - 1.0.0+git20190521.78d0385+1.9.0-2build3: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: znc-push from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | znc plugin to send push notification to various services | https://github.com/jreese/znc-push - Ubuntu apt - znc-python - 1.9.0-2build3: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: znc-python from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | advanced modular IRC bouncer (Python extension) | https://www.znc.in/ - Ubuntu apt - znc-tcl - 1.9.0-2build3: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: znc-tcl from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | advanced modular IRC bouncer (Tcl extension) | https://www.znc.in/ - apk - znc - 1.10.2-r0: normalized package name match | Alpine Linux edge package indexes: znc from https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/edge/community/x86_64/APKINDEX.tar.gz | Advanced IRC bouncer | https://wiki.znc.in/ZNC ## 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. - [Documentation packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/documentation-tools/) - Matched documentation, manual, or publishing metadata. - [cctz](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/cctz/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [openssl@3](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/openssl-3/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [python@3.14](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/python-3-14/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [cmake](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/cmake/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [gettext](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/gettext/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [pkgconf](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/pkgconf/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [catgirl](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/catgirl/) - 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. - [irssi](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/irssi/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: chat, cli, irc, networking. - [ngircd](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ngircd/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: chat, cli, irc, networking, server. - [epic5](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/epic5/) - 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. - [ii](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ii/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: chat, cli, irc, networking. - [ircd-hybrid](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/ircd-hybrid/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: chat, cli, irc, networking, server. - [weechat](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/weechat/) - Both packages touch the same language runtime or ecosystem. Shared terms: chat, cli, irc, networking, python. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/znc.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/znc.yml) ## Sources - Nucleus package database - Geiger risk classifier - package-page enrichment - curated configuration and credential file locations - 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