This document describes IRCX, a set of extensions to the Internet Relay Chat (IRC) protocol defined in RFC 1459[1]. Only client-server interactions are defined. The added functionality includes user authentication for multiple security providers, support for UNICODE[2] characters, multilayer security, and a unified property mechanism. Chat server implementations can support channel or server services with full control over all messages and events. These services communicate with the core server over an extended IRC connection.

All changes to the IRC protocol are designed such that existing clients will continue to work against servers implementing the extensions. Support for the extended protocol can be queried by clients to take advantage of the added functionality or to conform to the basic protocol as defined in RFC1459.