orbit/orbit-client-docs
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orbit-client-docs/docs/overview.md

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Section: Getting started Order: 10

Overview

Orbit is a modern web client for IRC — the open chat protocol that has quietly run communities for decades. It runs entirely in the browser: pick a nick and you're talking, with no install and no signup.

It powers tchatou.fr, and is built to be re-pointed at any IRCv3 network and rebranded from a single config.json — without recompiling.

What makes it different

  • Full IRCv3. Orbit negotiates 24 capabilities — SASL, message-tags, reactions, typing indicators, read-markers, multi-line messages, server-side history, account registration, and Web Push. See IRCv3 capabilities.
  • Pluggable at runtime. A static config.json is fetched on startup and sets the server, channels, branding, themes and feature flags. One build can serve any community. See config.json reference.
  • Installable PWA. Mobile-first layout, offline app shell, and notifications when the tab is closed.
  • Self-hostable. A static build behind any web server. The project even runs its own git server with push-to-deploy.
  • Free software. AGPL-3.0 — use it, modify it, self-host it.

Tech

React 19 · TypeScript · Vite · zustand. Tested with Vitest, linted, and built in CI. The codebase is a clean modular tree — see Architecture.

New here? Jump to the Quick start to run your own in a minute.