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IRC Documentation · Intermediate

MODE command: read and modify IRC modes

MODE consults or modifies properties of a user or channel. The available letters, their arguments, and the necessary rights depend on the server. You must read the target and network information before interpreting a sequence of modes.

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Syntax and Parameters #

Protocol syntax, without the client's '/'
MODE <pseudo-ou-salon> [<modes> [<paramètres>...]]
ParameterMeaning
targetNickname for user modes, or channel name for channel modes.
modesLetters preceded by + or -, for example +m or -m.
parametersArguments corresponding to modes; some require them always, only on addition, or not at all.

Commented Example #

IRC Exchange: C = client, S = server
C: MODE #atelier +m
S: :Alice!alice@cloak.example MODE #atelier +m
C: MODE #atelier +v Bob
S: :Alice!alice@cloak.example MODE #atelier +v Bob

Nicknames, hosts, and text in this exchange are fictional. The client may display responses in a more readable format than the presented frames.

Possible Responses and Errors #

ResponseUnderstanding
324Common channel modes.
221User modes.
367 / 368Ban entries and end of list, depending on the request.
MODEChange broadcast to concerned clients.
ErrorTypical Cause
482Insufficient rights on the channel.
472Unknown channel mode letter.
501 / 502Unknown user mode or modification of another user prohibited.

Rights, Compatibility, and Precautions #

On many networks, +m restricts speech and +v grants voice to a member. Voice does not equal operator status. Prefixes and rank modes are announced by PREFIX; CHANMODES helps classify the arguments of other modes.

Do not copy a table of modes as a universal standard. The same letter can designate different functions: owner/protect/halfop ranks and their symbols are not present everywhere. The IRCd guides and network rules take precedence.

The 005 ISUPPORT response announces server properties; this is not a CAP negotiation. A client must be able to handle modes it does not know without inventing their effects.

Frequently Asked Questions #

Can I become operator with MODE #channel +o MyNickname? Not without already having the appropriate rights. The command does not grant permissions by itself.

How to view modes without modifying them? Request MODE with the target alone, or a permitted list letter according to the network's documentation.

Sources & Verification

Examples use pseudonyms and fictional domains, except for explicitly documented connection points. Network-specific extensions and settings are noted in the text.