SHSelfHostIndex

InspIRCd vs UnrealIRCd

A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted chat & communication options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.

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InspIRCd Modular C++ Internet Relay Chat daemon VS UN UnrealIRCd Highly configurable open-source IRC server
FeatureInspIRCdUnrealIRCd
Deploy effortUnder-an-hour setupRead-the-docs project
Health score84 · Excellent75 · Good
CategoryChat & CommunicationChat & Communication
LicenseGPL-2.0GPL-2.0
LanguageC++C
Setup difficultyMediumMedium
Min. RAM64 MB128 MB
Deploymentdocker, bare-metal, sourcebare-metal, source
GitHub stars★ 1,347★ 521
First released20021999
ReplacesSlack, DiscordSlack, Discord

What are InspIRCd and UnrealIRCd?

InspIRCd

InspIRCd is a modular, high-performance IRC server written in C++. Its plugin-based architecture lets administrators enable only the features they need for their network.

  • Modular plugin architecture
  • Lightweight and fast
  • Supports large IRC networks
  • Cross-platform

UnrealIRCd

UnrealIRCd is a long-established IRC server daemon known for its rich feature set, advanced security controls, and module system. It is one of the most widely deployed IRCd implementations.

  • Extensive module system
  • Advanced anti-abuse features
  • TLS and IRCv3 support
  • Highly configurable

InspIRCd vs UnrealIRCd: key differences

InspIRCd is written in C++, while UnrealIRCd is built with C. InspIRCd is the lighter option, starting around 64 MB of RAM against 128 MB for UnrealIRCd. UnrealIRCd is the more established project (first released 1999), while InspIRCd arrived in 2002. InspIRCd has the considerably larger community, at 1,347 GitHub stars versus 521. InspIRCd lists first-class Docker deployment; UnrealIRCd does not.

Why pick each one

Choose InspIRCd if…

  • Released under the GPL-2.0 license
  • First-class Docker support for quick deployment
  • Active community (1.3k GitHub stars)
  • Written in C++

Watch out for

  • Configuration is XML-based
  • IRC-only
InspIRCd details

Choose UnrealIRCd if…

  • Released under the GPL-2.0 license
  • Written in C
  • Tiny footprint — runs in 128 MB RAM
UnrealIRCd details

Frequently asked questions

Is InspIRCd or UnrealIRCd better?

Neither is universally better. InspIRCd has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.

Are InspIRCd and UnrealIRCd free and open-source?

Yes. InspIRCd is licensed under GPL-2.0 and UnrealIRCd under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run InspIRCd and UnrealIRCd with Docker?

InspIRCd: yes. UnrealIRCd: check the project docs for container support.

Which is lighter on resources, InspIRCd or UnrealIRCd?

InspIRCd has the smaller minimum footprint at 64 MB of RAM, compared to about 128 MB for UnrealIRCd. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.

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