Smuxi

Smuxi is a cross-platform IRC client for the GNOME desktop inspired by Irssi. It pioneered the concept of separating the frontend client from the backend engine which manages connections to IRC servers inside a single graphical application.

Architecture

Smuxi is based on the client–server model: The core application exists in the Smuxi back-end server which is connected to the Internet around-the-clock. The user interacts with one or more Smuxi front-end clients which are connected to the Smuxi back-end server. This way, the Smuxi back-end server can maintain connections to IRC servers even when all Smuxi front-end clients have been closed.

The combination of screen and Irssi served as an example of this architecture. The Quassel IRC client has a similar design.

Smuxi also supports the regular single application mode. This behaves like a typical IRC client with no separation of back-end and front-end. It utilizes a local IRC engine that is used by the local front-end client.

Features

Smuxi supports nick colors which are identical across channels and networks, a Caret Mode as seen in Firefox that allows to navigate through the messages using the keyboard, theming with colors and fonts, configurable tray-icon support, optional stripping of colours and formattings and convenience features like CTCP support, channel search and nickname completion. It has a tabbed document interface, tabbed user interface, and support for multiple servers. Smuxi can attach to a local backend engine or a remote engine utilizing the Engine drop down menu (similar to screen used with irssi). It also includes, in client-server operation, a visual marker showing the user's last activity in an open session, and ignore filtering.