The following tables compare general and technical information between a number of notable IRC client programs which have been discussed in independent, reliable prior published sources.
Clients listed on a light purple background are no longer in active development.
The operating systems on which the clients can run natively (without emulation).
Unix and Unix-like operating systems: What IRC related protocols and standards are supported by each client.
Once established, DCC connections bypass the IRC network and servers, allowing for all sorts of data to be transferred between clients including files and direct chat sessions.