NickServ allows you to "register" a nickname and prevent others from using it. The following commands allow for registration and maintenance of nicknames; to use them, type /msg NickServ command. For more information on a specific command, type /msg NickServ HELP command.

Syntax: /msg NickServ REGISTER password [email]

Registers your nickname in the NickServ database. Once your nick is registered, you can use the SET and ACCESS commands to configure your nick's settings as you like them. Make sure you remember the password you use when registering - you'll need it to make changes to your nick later. (Note that case matters! ANOPE, Anope, and anope are all different passwords!)

Guidelines on choosing passwords:

Passwords should not be easily guessable. For example, using your real name as a password is a bad idea. Using your nickname as a password is a much worse idea ;) and, in fact, NickServ will not allow it. Also, short passwords are vulnerable to trial-and-error searches, so you should choose a password at least 5 characters long. Finally, the space character cannot be used in passwords.

The parameter email is optional and will set the email for your nick immediately. However, it may be required on certain networks. Your privacy is respected; this e-mail won't be given to any third-party person.

This command also creates a new group for your nickname, that will allow you to register other nicks later sharing the same configuration, the same set of memos and the same channel privileges. For more information on this feature, type /msg NickServ HELP GROUP.

Syntax: /msg NickServ GROUP target password

This command makes your nickname join the target nickname's group. password is the password of the target nickname.

Joining a group will allow you to share your configuration, memos, and channel privileges with all the nicknames in the group, and much more!

A group exists as long as it is useful. This means that even if a nick of the group is dropped, you won't lose the shared things described above, as long as there is at least one nick remaining in the group.

You can use this command even if you have not registered your nick yet. If your nick is already registered, you'll need to identify yourself before using this command. Type /msg NickServ HELP IDENTIFY for more information. This last may be not possible on your IRC network.

It is recommended to use this command with a non-registered nick because it will be registered automatically when using this command. You may use it with a registered nick (to change your group) only if your network administrators allowed it.

You can only be in one group at a time. Group merging is not possible.

Note: all the nicknames of a group have the same password.

Syntax: /msg NickServ IDENTIFY password

Tells NickServ that you are really the owner of this nick. Many commands require you to authenticate yourself with this command before you use them. The password should be the same one you sent with the REGISTER command.

Syntax: /msg NickServ LOGOUT

This reverses the effect of the IDENTIFY command, i.e. make you not recognized as the real owner of the nick anymore. Note, however, that you won't be asked to reidentify yourself.

Syntax: /msg NickServ DROP [nickname]

Drops your nickname from the NickServ database. A nick that has been dropped is free for anyone to re-register.
You may drop a nick within your group by passing it as the nick parameter.
In order to use this command, you must first identify with your password (/msg NickServ HELP IDENTIFY for more information).

Syntax: /msg NickServ ACCESS ADD mask
ACCESS DEL mask
ACCESS LIST

Modifies or displays the access list for your nick. This is the list of addresses which will be automatically recognized by NickServ as allowed to use the nick. If you want to use the nick from a different address, you need to send an IDENTIFY command to make NickServ recognize you.

Examples:

ACCESS ADD anyone@*.bepeg.com
Allows access to user anyone from any machine in
the bepeg.com domain.

ACCESS DEL anyone@*.bepeg.com
Reverses the previous command.

ACCESS LIST
Displays the current access list.

Syntax: /msg NickServ SET option parameters

Sets various nickname options. option can be one of:


In order to use this command, you must first identify with your password (/msg NickServ HELP IDENTIFY for more information).

Type /msg NickServ HELP SET option for more information on a specific option.

Syntax: /msg NickServ UPDATE

Updates your current status, i.e. it checks for new memos, sets needed chanmodes (ModeonID) and updates your vhost and your userflags (lastseentime, etc).

Syntax: /msg NickServ RECOVER nickname [password]

Allows you to recover your nickname if someone else has taken it; this does the same thing that NickServ does automatically if someone tries to use a kill-protected nick.

When you give this command, NickServ will bring a fake user online with the same nickname as the user you're trying to recover your nick from. This causes the IRC servers to disconnect the other user. This fake user will remain online for NickServ to ensure that the other user does not immediately reconnect; after that time, you can reclaim your nick. Alternatively, use the RELEASE command (/msg NickServ HELP RELEASE) to get the nick back sooner.

In order to use the RECOVER command for a nick, your current address as shown in /WHOIS must be on that nick's access list, you must be identified and in the group of that nick, or you must supply the correct password for the nickname.

Syntax: /msg NickServ RELEASE nickname [password]

Instructs NickServ to remove any hold on your nickname caused by automatic kill protection or use of the RECOVER command. This holds lasts for NickServ; this command gets rid of them sooner.

In order to use the RELEASE command for a nick, your current address as shown in /WHOIS must be on that nick's access list, you must be identified and in the group of that nick, or you must supply the correct password for the nickname.

Syntax: /msg NickServ GHOST nickname [password]

Terminates a "ghost" IRC session using your nick. A "ghost" session is one which is not actually connected, but which the IRC server believes is still online for one reason or another. Typically, this happens if your computer crashes or your Internet or modem connection goes down while you're on IRC.

In order to use the GHOST command for a nick, your current address as shown in /WHOIS must be on that nick's access list, you must be identified and in the group of that nick, or you must supply the correct password for the nickname.

Syntax: /msg NickServ INFO nickname [ALL]

Displays information about the given nickname, such as the nick's owner, last seen address and time, and nick options. If you are identified for the nick you're getting information for and ALL is specified, you will be shown all the information; regardless of whether it's hidden or not.

Syntax: /msg NickServ LIST pattern

Lists all registered nicknames which match the given pattern, in nick!user@host format. Nicks with the PRIVATE option set will not be displayed.

Examples:

LIST *!joeuser@foo.com
Lists all nicks owned by joeuser@foo.com.

LIST *Bot*!*@*
Lists all registered nicks with Bot in their
names (case insensitive).

LIST *!*@*.bar.org
Lists all nicks owned by users in the bar.org
domain.

Syntax: /msg NickServ ALIST [level]

Lists all channels you have access on. Optionally, you can specify a level in XOP or ACCESS format. The resulting list will only include channels where you have the given level of access.

Examples:
ALIST Founder
Lists all channels where you have Founder
access.

ALIST AOP
Lists all channels where you have AOP
access or greater.

ALIST 10
Lists all channels where you have level 10
access or greater.

Channels that have the NOEXPIRE option set will be
prefixed by an exclamation mark.

Syntax: /msg NickServ GLIST

Lists all nicks in your group.

Syntax: /msg NickServ STATUS nickname...

Returns whether the user using the given nickname is recognized as the owner of the nickname. The response has this format: nickname status-code where nickname is the nickname sent with the command, and status-code is one of the following:

0 - no such user online or nickname not registered
1 - user not recognized as nickname's owner
2 - user recognized as owner via access list only
3 - user recognized as owner via password identification

Up to sixteen nicknames may be sent with each command; the rest will be ignored. If no nickname is given, your status will be returned.

Syntax: /msg NickServ SENDPASS nickname

Send the password of the given nickname to the e-mail address set in the nickname record. This command is really useful to deal with lost passwords.

May be limited to IRC operators on certain networks.

This command is unavailable when encryption is enabled.

Nicknames that are not used anymore are subject to the automatic expiration, i.e. they will be deleted after <num> days if not used.

Services admins can also drop any nickname without needing to identify for the nick, and may view the access list for any nickname (/msg NickServ ACCESS LIST nick).

Syntax: /msg NickServ LOGOUT [nickname [REVALIDATE]]

Without a parameter, reverses the effect of the IDENTIFY command, i.e. make you not recognized as the real owner of the nick anymore. Note, however, that you won't be asked to reidentify yourself.

With a parameter, does the same for the given nick. If you specify REVALIDATE as well, Services will ask the given nick to re-identify. This use limited to Services admins.

Syntax: /msg NickServ DROP [nickname]

Without a parameter, drops your nickname from the NickServ database.

With a parameter, drops the named nick from the database. You may drop any nick within your group without any special privileges. Dropping any nick is limited to Services admins.

Syntax: /msg NickServ LIST pattern [FORBIDDEN] [SUSPENDED] [NOEXPIRE] [UNCONFIRMED]

Lists all registered nicknames which match the given pattern, in nick!user@host format. Nicks with the PRIVATE option set will only be displayed to Services admins. Nicks with the NOEXPIRE option set will have a ! appended to the nickname for Services admins.

If the FORBIDDEN, SUSPENDED, NOEXPIRE or UNCONFIRMED options are given, only nicks which, respectively, are FORBIDDEN, SUSPENDED, UNCONFIRMED or have the NOEXPIRE flag set will be displayed. If multiple options are given, all nicks matching at least one option will be displayed. These options are limited to Services admins.

Examples:

LIST *!joeuser@foo.com
Lists all registered nicks owned by joeuser@foo.com.

LIST *Bot*!*@*
Lists all registered nicks with Bot in their
names (case insensitive).

LIST * NOEXPIRE
Lists all registered nicks which have been set to
not expire.

Syntax: /msg NickServ ALIST [nickname] [level]

With no parameters, lists channels you have access on. With one parameter, lists channels that nickname has access on. With two parameters lists channels that nickname has level access or greater on. This use limited to Services admins.

Syntax: /msg NickServ GLIST [nickname]

Without a parameter, lists all nicknames that are in your group. With a parameter, lists all nicknames that are in the group of the given nick. This use limited to Services admins.

Syntax: /msg NickServ GETPASS nickname

Returns the password for the given nickname. Note that whenever this command is used, a message including the person who issued the command and the nickname it was used on will be logged and sent out as a WALLOPS/GLOBOPS. This command is unavailable when encryption is enabled.

Syntax: /msg NickServ FORBID nickname [reason]

Disallows a nickname from being registered or used by anyone. May be cancelled by dropping the nick. On certain networks, reason is required.

Services admins may use the ALL parameter with any nick.