Getting Started

This guide will help you get up and running with Patchcord.

Installation

Desktop Application

Windows

1. Download the .msi or .exe installer from Releases
2. Run the installer and follow the prompts
3. Launch Patchcord from the Start Menu

macOS

1. Download the .dmg file from Releases
2. Open the DMG and drag Patchcord to Applications
3. Launch from Applications folder

Note: On first launch, you may need to right-click and select “Open” to bypass Gatekeeper.

Linux

Debian/Ubuntu:

sudo dpkg -i patchcord_*.deb

Fedora/RHEL:

sudo dnf install patchcord_*.rpm

AppImage (Universal):

chmod +x patchcord_*.AppImage
./patchcord_*.AppImage

First Connection

Adding a Server

1. Click the + button in the server sidebar
2. Fill in the server details:
   • Name: Display name for the server
   • Host: IRC server hostname (e.g., irc.libera.chat)
   • Port: Server port (default: 6667, SSL: 6697)
   • SSL/TLS: Enable for secure connection
   • Nickname: Your IRC nickname
   • Username: IRC username
   • Real Name: Your real name or description
3. Click Connect

Auto-Join Channels

You can configure channels to automatically join when connecting:

1. In the server configuration, add channels to Auto-Join Channels
2. Separate multiple channels with commas (e.g., #linux,#programming)

Basic Usage

Navigating Channels

• Click on a channel in the sidebar to switch to it
• Use Ctrl+Tab to cycle through channels
• Use Ctrl+K to quickly join a channel

Sending Messages

1. Type your message in the input area at the bottom
2. Press Enter to send
3. Use /me <action> for action messages

User List

• View channel members in the right sidebar
• Click on a user to start a direct message
• User prefixes indicate status:
  • @ - Operator
  • + - Voiced

Settings

Access settings with Ctrl+, or by clicking the gear icon.

Appearance

• Theme: Choose from 20+ color themes
• Font: Adjust UI and message fonts
• Sidebar Width: Resize the server sidebar
• User List Width: Resize the user list panel

Notifications

• Desktop Notifications: Enable/disable push notifications
• Tab Flash: Flash window title on mentions
• Sound: Play sound on mentions

Advanced

• Raw Log: View raw IRC protocol messages
• Timestamp Format: Customize message timestamps
• Ignore List: Manage ignored users

Next Steps

• Configuration Guide - Detailed settings
• IRC Commands - Available commands
• Themes - Theme gallery