IRC
Information about Lisp IRC channels.

A Note on IRC Etiquette

The main error newbies commit on irc, is to ask a question and then leave. If you want to get an answer to your question, keep your window open; it doesn't cost anything. The second newbie error is to ask to ask. You're here to ask questions, so just ask them and then warmly wait for an answer.

A Note on Web Interface

Libera provides a convenient web interface to log into their network. If you have not used IRC before, this might be the most convenient way to quickly try out IRC. So for example if you want to join the #lisp channel on Libera, you just need to go to https://web.libera.chat/#lisp, enter some arbitrary nick (leave password blank for now) and log in.

Libera.chat

This page is a non-exhaustive listing of most of the Common Lisp-related channels that exist on Libera.chat.

General Channels

#commonlisp

This is the main Common Lisp channel, where the most people hang out. (It was #lisp in freenode). The topic is relatively strictly enforced, and derailing from it is frowned upon. Please keep things related to Common Lisp! If you'd just like to chat, try #lispcafe (see below). The channel is logged [1] [2] [3] and now [4] and inhabits two notable bots: minion (part of cl-irc), responsible for note delivery and frequent questions, and specbot, which helps with Hyperspec references.

#lisp

If you want to discuss general lisp dialects of all shapes and forms, then this is the channel for you. (It was ##lisp in freenode).

#clschool

Common Lisp questions are gladly accepted and answered here. Everyone here is a student and/or a teacher.

#clprojects

Common Lisp community project discussions. Discuss the design or anything about your current active project that might be too focused for #commonlisp.

#lispcafe

A less formal channel for lisp-oriented discussion, socialization, community support at all levels of experience. Gurus and newbie lispers are welcome alike, as is any lisp dialect and probably other languages as well (whereas #lisp is a place for high-level discussion by experienced Lisp programmers). We just ask that you be cool to each other.

Note: #cl-gardeners on freenode, which belonged to the Common Lisp Gardeners Project, is now defunct and has merged with #lispcafe.

#lispweb

Focused on Web Applications developed in lisp.

#lispgames

A friendly channel for LispGameDevelopers using various lisp dialects, including Common Lisp. Among other things, the International Lisp Games Expo is coordinated there.

#lisp-lab

It's like Math Lab or Spanish Lab, but for Lisp (any Lisp) --- connecting lispers of various experience levels for questions-and-answers, tutoring, and general discussion.

#clim

Common Lisp Interface Manager discussion (be it McCLIM, clim2 or other).

#slime

Discussion about SLIME, the Superior Lisp Interaction Mode for Emacs, a popular Lisp programming environment.

Implementation Channels

#abcl

ABCL developer hangout - Combining CL and Java.

#clasp

Clasp developer hangout - Combining CL and C++ for science.

#ccl

CCL developer hangout, more dev than help.

#ecl

ECL channel for questions and answers here! Come on join now!

#sbcl

SBCL developer hangout, more dev than help -- but if #commonlisp can't solve it and it's SBCL specific, we'll try.

#sicl

SICL developer hangout, more dev than help.

Non-English Channels

#lisp.fi

A channel for Finnish Lisp users in IRCNet network. We welcome all Lisp newbies and gurus alike from every dialect of Lisp family to join us and have nice discussions.

#lisp-fr

Un canal pour les utilisateurs de Lisp francophones, sur le réseau IRCNet. Tous les utilisateurs de tous les dialectes de Lisp, aussi bien débutants qu'experts, sont invité se joindre à nos discussions. S'il n'y a personne sur #lisp-fr, vous pouvez appeler quelques francophones sur #lisp ;-)

#lisp-it

A low-traffic channel in italian language on the FreeNode network (irc.freenode.net) either for lisp newbie either for more expert ones. Join and meet us to explain how and why you use any lisp dialect or to ask a technical question.

#lisp-nz

For anyone interested in lisp programming in New Zealand.

#lisp-pt

An even lower-traffic channel for portuguese speakers on the freenode network.

#lisp-pl

A channel dedicated to lisp and generally functional programming discussions in polish language.

#lisp-es

A channel for spanish speaker Lisp users. Join us to chat about every Lisp family dialect. You will be welcome.

Un canal para usuarios de Lisp hispanohablantes (si nadie responde en #lisp-es, puedes llamar a un hispanohablante en #lisp)

#lisp-ja

A low-traffic channel in Japanese.

#lisp-br

A low-traffic channel in pt-br (Brazilian Portuguese).

A Note about Freenode

Freenode (formerly the Open Projects Network) used to be the older home of Lisp channels. But Freenode has been taken over by a new management. Therefore the staff and communities have moved over to the libera.chat irc server. Libera Chat is now the main IRC network for Lisp related channels. See: The Freenode resignation FAQ, or: "what the fuck is going on?"

CLiki pages about IRC

  • beirc - beirc is a CLIM IRC client application using the cl-irc library as a backend, initially written by Gilbert Baumann, now maintained by Dave Murray and others
  • Birch - Birch is a simple IRC client library
  • cl-irc - cl-irc is an IRC library written in Common Lisp
  • Colleen - Colleen is yet another IRC chat bot framework
  • girc - gIRC is a basic IRC client application for the terminal
  • IRC Quotes - Some moments from IRC, preserved for posterity, some humorous
  • irc-logger - irc-logger is a networking library written by Kevin Rosenberg which uses the cl-irc library to provide multichannel Internet Relay Chat (IRC) logging
  • Lisp IRC Bots - There are several IRC bots written in Lisp
  • lispcafe - #lispcafe on www.libera.chat
  • lisppaste - lisppaste sits on a webserver and users can paste text into it
  • Maiden - Maiden is a collection of systems to help you build applications and libraries that interact with chat servers
  • minion - minion is an IRC robot (who prefers the term "electronically composed.") For online help, try /msg minion help
  • trivial-irc - trivial-irc is a small IRC library that provides only very basic facilities for communicating with IRC servers, and has no facilities for extensions like DCC, CTCP etc
  • WeirdIRC - WeirdIRC is a simple IRC client using CLIM
  • X-Chat Common Lisp Plugin - The X-Chat Common Lisp plugin is a plugin for X-Chat version 2 and up (the famous IRC client) that allows you to use Common Lisp scripts to control X-Chat behaviour