-- Basic Commands --

With most windows IRC clients an extensive help file is included. Dont hesitate to try the /help command.

IMPORTANT NOTE : ALL IRC COMMANDS START WITH A "/".

The forward slash is the default command character. Commands on IRC are not case sensitive, and can be abbreviated to their first letters. Anything that does not begin with "/" is assumed to be a message to someone and will be sent to your current channel, or to a person you are chatting with in a private chat (see below).

/HELP [command] Shows general help or help on the given command.

/LIST [[{flags}] {channel mask}] Lists all current channels.
In the list you will see all channels (see below), except for those that are secret, with their number of users and the topic. The displayed list may be quite long, so you can limit it using flags. "/LIST -MIN n" for instance removes channels with less than 'n' users from the output.

/JOIN {#channel} Sets your current channel to the supplied channel.
Upon entering a channel, you are given useful details about it: a list of users talking in that channel, channel mode settings and the topic... Joining a channel does not cause you to leave your previous channel and you can normally join as many channels as your connection can handle or that the IRC server allows.
/JOIN #windows
*** Now talking in #windows

/PART [#channel] Makes you leave a channel. (same as LEAVE)
/PART #windows
*** You have left #windows

/QUIT [reason] Exits your IRC session. (Also BYE and EXIT.)
If a reason is supplied, it is displayed to other people on your channels.
/QUIT Lunch Time!

/NICK {nickname} Changes your nickname to whatever you like.
Everyone who wants to talk to you sees this name. Nicknames are limited to 9 characters max. If your intended nickname clashes with someone else's as you enter IRC, you will not be able to enter until you change it to something else. Duplicate nicknames are not allowed; this is enforced by the IRC servers. Under some circumstances, two individuals may temporarily have the same nick but once discovered, both of them will be killed; a nick collision kill.
/NICK Guru
*** Newbie is now known as Guru

/AWAY [away message] Sets your status as away with some info.
Sets a message explaining that you are not currently paying attention to IRC. Whenever someone sends you a MSG or does a WHOIS on you, they automatically see whatever message you have set. Using AWAY with no parameters marks you as no longer being away.
/AWAY Gone to get a cup of coffee.
*** You have been marked as being away
/AWAY
*** You are no longer marked as being away

/WHOIS {nickname} Shows information about someone.
/WHOIS Guru
*** Guru is master@some.network.net (Nuclear free)
*** on channels: @#Windows @#Windows95 #mIRC
*** on via server irc.server.net (The best server)
*** Guru is away (making dinner)
/WHOIS Newbie
*** Newbie: No such nickname

/INVITE {nickname} {#channel} Invites another user to a channel you are on.
If you want a friend to join your channel you can invite him. He will see a message such as ***Guru invites you to #channel. This is required if your channel is 'invite only'.
/INVITE Friend #windows
*** Inviting Friend to #windows
If you receive an INVITE message, you can type "/JOIN {#channel}".

/KICK {#channel} {nickname} Kicks a user off a given channel.
Well, you guessed it, if there is a way to invite someone on a channel, there is also the ablility to KICK someone out of it. For example ,if a person is behaving in an offensive manner by annoying people or flooding the channel with unwanted information, they can be forced out of the channel. Only 'channel operators' are privileged to use this command.
/KICK #windows Lamer
*** Lamer has been kicked off channel #windows by Guru

/TOPIC {#channel} {topic for channel} Changes the channel's topic.
Channels have topics, that indicate the current topic of conversation. You can change this topic on a channel with the TOPIC command.
/TOPIC #windows Lets discuss OS/2
*** Guru has changed topic to "Lets discuss OS/2"

/ME {action description} Tells people about what you are doing.
At times, you may want to send a description of what you are doing or how you are feeling or just anything concerning you on the current channel or in a query.
/ME slaps Newbie with a large trout.
* Guru slaps newbie with a large trout.

The same goal can be achieved towards a specific nickname or channel using:
/DESCRIBE {nickname|#channel} {action description}