Open Source IRC Client
A multiple-document interface IRC client for Windows and Linux

• Downloads
• Summary
• Running MERK on Windows
• Making MERK Portable on Windows
• Running MERK with Python
• Python Requirements
• Features
• Screenshots
• Usage
• Commands
• Example commandline usage
• Why does MERK exist?
• What does MERK mean?
• Does MERK need any help?

Downloads

All files are packed in ZIP archive files, unless otherwise noted. If you're having trouble downloading any of the files, here is a mirror of all files on Dropbox.

Type	Platform	Download
Zip Archive	Cross-platform	Download MERK 0.040.056 (3.53 MB)
Zip Archive	Windows	Download MERK 0.040.056 (49.65 MB)
Windows Installer	Windows	Download MERK 0.040.056 (36.77 MB)
Single Executable	Windows	Download MERK 0.040.056 (49.24 MB)

Summary

MERK is a graphical open source Internet relay chat client. The current development version is 0.040.056. It uses a multiple-document interface, much like the popular Windows IRC client mIRC. MERK is written in Python 3, using the PyQt5 and Twisted libraries, and runs on both Windows and Linux. MERK is updated frequently with new features and bugfixes.

MERK is still in development, but it works, and can be used for most IRC activities.

For those that don't want to install Python or all the requirements, you can download the MERK installer for Windows.

Join me on the official MERK IRC channel, #merk on the Libera Chat network! Connect to Libera in the client as one of the built-in server suggestions, or at irc.libera.chat, port 6667 (you can also connect via SSL on port 6697). Honestly, I work a lot, so I'm almost always idle, but I pop in and chat a few times a day!

Running MERK on Windows

If you're running Windows, you can run MERK without having to install Python or its requirements! First, download the Windows installer of MERK 0.040.056. Extract the downloaded zip file and double click on merk-setup.exe to install MERK to wherever you'd like.

For a "portable" version of MERK, download the zip file of MERK 0.040.056 for Windows. Extract the zip archive where ever you want, and double click on merk.exe to run MERK!

For an even easier "install", download the "standalone" executable of MERK 0.040.056 to wherever you want, extract the zipped executable, and double click it to run MERK!

The Windows version of MERK is being built with PyInstaller.

A note: all commandline arguments, as documented below, work on the standalone version of MERK.

Making MERK Portable on Windows

If you want to run MERK from a USB stick, and save all configuration and user data to the USB stick (or wherever you're running MERK from), it's really easy. First, download the zip file of MERK 0.040.056 for Windows, and extract it to your USB stick. Then, open Notepad, and enter this into a new document:

merk.exe --config-local

Save this file to wherever you extracted MERK to. You can give it any name you'd like, as long as the file extension you save the file to is BAT. So, if you'd like to name the file "MyMerk", you'd save the file with the name MyMerk.bat. You're done! You've made MERK portable.

Whenever you want to run MERK off of your USB stick, double click the .bat file you created instead of merk.exe. This will run MERK completely normally, only all configuration files will be saved to the same directory MERK "lives" in. So, you can take MERK with you on your USB stick, and it will keep all the configuration files and logs on the USB stick.

Running MERK with Python

First, make sure that all the requirements are installed. Next, download MERK. Extract the zipfile to a directory of your choice using your favorite archive/zip program. Open a command prompt, navigate to the directory you extracted MERK to, and type:

python merk.py

Python Requirements

MERK requires Python 3, PyQt5, and Twisted. PyQt5 and Twisted can be installed by using pip:

pip install pyqt5
pip install Twisted

To connect to IRC servers via SSL, two additional libraries may be needed:

pip install pyOpenSSL
pip install service_identity

MERK is being developed with Python 3.13 on Windows 11 and Linux Mint.

If you're running Windows, and you're getting errors when trying to run MERK, you may have to install another library, pywin32. You can also install this with pip:

pip install pywin32

To run properly on Linux, the latest version of all required software is recommended.

There are three libraries that comes bundled with MERK:

• qt5reactor
• pyspellchecker
• emoji

Features

• Runs on Windows and Linux
• Supports multiple connections (you can chat on more than one IRC server at a time)
• Open source (GPL 3)
• Uses a multiple document interface, much like popular Windows IRC client mIRC
  • Multiple channel and server windows can be open for viewing and chatting at once
  • All chat windows are contained in a single "parent" window
• If you're using Windows, you can run MERK without installing Python!
• Dark mode!
  • Dark mode can be enabled from the commandline, or from the settings dialog
  • If dark mode is enabled from the settings dialog, an application restart is required
• Audio notifications
  • Audio notifications are turned off by default
  • Can be triggered by seven different events, with each one able to be turned on and off
  • Uses any WAV file as the notification sound, and can be set in the GUI
• Very configurable, without having to manually edit a configuration file
  • Control application behavior, logging, features, and more!
  • Over 100 different settings can be changed, allowing you to customize MERK to look and function exactly the way you want it to look and function.
  • Almost all settings can be changed in the settings dialog without a restart. Have fun testing different options!
  • Configuration data is stored in JSON
• Extensive commandline options
  • Set defaults and settings
  • Connect to one or multiple servers automatically on start-up
  • Almost everything about how MERK starts up can be customized
• A built-in list of over 80 IRC servers to connect to
• All text colors (and backgrounds) can be customized
  • Text customization can be saved to importable files
  • Individual channels can have their own color schemes
  • Styles are saved and loaded automatically
    • Channel styles are saved and loaded by network, so they work no matter what server you connect to.
  • Easy to use GUI text style editor is built-in
  • Changes to text style are immediate, without having to restart!
• Built-in spell checker (supports English, Spanish, French, and German)
• Emoji support
  • Insert emojis into chat by using shortcodes (such as :joy: 😂, :yum: 😋, etc.)
  • A list of supported emoji short codes can be found here
• Command/nickname/channel auto-completion
• Full IRC color support
• Full scripting engine
  • Includes a built in script editor, with scripting macros and syntax highlighting
  • Automatically execute scripts on connection (to join channels, login in ChanServ, etc.)
• Multithreaded
• Automatic logging of channel and private chats
  • Includes a utility to export logs to JSON, CSV, or your own custom format
  • Logs are stored in JSON, so parsing/scraping your own logs in easy

Screenshots

MERK connected to Libera and EFnet, on Windows 11, using the "fusion" widget set.

MERK connected to DALnet, Freenode, and Libera on Linux Mint 20.2 in "dark mode", using the "windows" widget set.

The MERK connection dialog, the first thing users see when running MERK. All settings are saved automatically, including the connection script. The extra text describing how the individual settings work can be removed in settings.

The text style dialog. The text style can be edited for all windows/channels, or for specific channels. Styles are saved by network, so they are applied no matter what server you're connected to. Changes, once saved, are automatically and instantly applied.

The first "page" of the settings dialog. MERK features over 100 settings that can be tweaked until MERK looks and works exactly like you want it to. All settings (except for "dark mode") are applied instantly.

The settings menu also includes many commonly used settings that can be toggled directly, without opening the settings dialog. All settings in this menu are applied instantly.

The channel list dialog, listing all visible channels on a server. The list can be searched and filtered by user count. This screenshot shows the channel list for the Libera network.

Usage

usage: python merk.py [-h] [--ssl] [-p PASSWORD] [-c CHANNEL[:KEY]] [-n NICKNAME]
                      [-C SERVER:PORT[:PASSWORD]] [-S SERVER:PORT[:PASSWORD]]
                      [-u USERNAME] [-a NICKNAME] [-r REALNAME] [-d] [-x] [-o]
                      [-t] [-R] [--config-name NAME] [-Q NAME] [-D] [-L]
                      [--config-directory DIRECTORY] [--config-local]
                      [--scripts-directory DIRECTORY] [--user-file FILENAME]
                      [--config-file FILENAME]
                      [SERVER] [PORT]

Connection:
  SERVER                Server to connect to
  PORT                  Server port to connect to (6667)
  --ssl, --tls          Use SSL/TLS to connect to IRC
  -p, --password PASSWORD
                        Use server password to connect
  -c, --channel CHANNEL[:KEY]
                        Join channel on connection
  -C, --connect SERVER:PORT[:PASSWORD]
                        Connect to server via TCP/IP
  -S, --connectssl SERVER:PORT[:PASSWORD]
                        Connect to server via SSL/TLS

User Information:
  -n, --nickname NICKNAME
                        Use this nickname to connect
  -u, --username USERNAME
                        Use this username to connect
  -a, --alternate NICKNAME
                        Use this alternate nickname to connect
  -r, --realname REALNAME
                        Use this realname to connect

Options:
  -h, --help            Show help and usage information
  -d, --donotsave       Do not save new user settings
  -x, --donotexecute    Do not execute connection script
  -t, --reconnect       Reconnect to servers on disconnection
  -R, --run             Don't ask for connection information on start
  -o, --on-top          Application window always on top

Files and Directories:
  --config-name NAME    Name of the configuration file directory (default: .merk)
  --config-directory DIRECTORY
                        Location to store configuration files
  --config-local        Store configuration files in install directory
  --scripts-directory DIRECTORY
                        Location to look for script files
  --user-file FILENAME  File to use for user data
  --config-file FILENAME
                        File to use for configuration data

Appearance:
  -Q, --qtstyle NAME    Set Qt widget style (default: Windows)
  -D, --dark            Run in dark mode
  -L, --light           Run in light mode

Commands

All of these commands can be issued from the text input widget, or from scripts.

Commands	Description
/help	Displays command usage information
/me MESSAGE...	Sends a CTCP action message to the current chat
/msg TARGET MESSAGE...	Sends a message
/notice TARGET MESSAGE...	Sends a notice
/join CHANNEL [KEY]	Joins a channel
/part CHANNEL [MESSAGE]	Leaves a channel
/nick NEW_NICKNAME	Changes your nickname
/topic CHANNEL NEW_TOPIC	Sets a channel topic
/mode TARGET MODE...	Sets a mode on a channel or user
/invite NICKNAME CHANNEL	Sends a channel invitation
/kick CHANNEL NICKNAME [MESSAGE]	Kicks a user from a channel
/whois NICKNAME [SERVER]	Requests user information from the server
/who NICKNAME [o]	Requests user information from the server
/whowas NICKNAME [COUNT] [SERVER]	Requests information about previously connected users
/quit [MESSAGE]	Disconnects from the current IRC server
/oper USERNAME PASSWORD	Logs into an operator account
/away [MESSAGE]	Sets status as "away"
/back	Sets status as "back"
/raw TEXT...	Sends unprocessed data to the server
/time	Requests server time
/version [SERVER]	Requests server version
/connect SERVER [PORT] [PASSWORD]	Connects to an IRC server
/connectssl SERVER [PORT] [PASSWORD]	Connects to an IRC server via SSL
/xconnect SERVER [PORT] [PASSWORD]	Connects to an IRC server & executes connection script
/xconnectssl SERVER [PORT] [PASSWORD]	Connects to an IRC server via SSL & executes connection script
/print TEXT...	Prints text to the current window
/focus [SERVER] WINDOW	Switches focus to another window
/maximize [SERVER] WINDOW	Maximizes a window
/minimize [SERVER] WINDOW	Minimizes a window
/restore [SERVER] WINDOW	Restores a window
/cascade	Cascades all subwindows
/tile	Tiles all subwindows
/clear [WINDOW]	Clears a window's chat display
/settings	Opens the settings dialog
/style	Edits the current window's style
/alias TOKEN TEXT...	Creates an alias that can be referenced by $TOKEN
/alias	Prints a list of all current aliases
/script FILENAME	Executes a list of commands in a file
/edit [FILENAME]	Opens a script in the editor
/play FILENAME	Plays a WAV file
/list [TERMS]	Lists or searches channels on the server; use "*" for multi-character wildcard and "?" for single character
/refresh	Requests a new list of channels from the server
/knock CHANNEL [MESSAGE]	Requests an invitation to a channel
/wait SECONDS	Pauses script execution for SECONDS; can only be called from scripts

Example Commandline Usage

In the following examples, the first commandline is how you would do the task using MERK as a Python script, and second commandline is how you would do it using the MERK Windows executable. Note that the commandlines, other than the initial executable, are the same!

Let's assume that you want to use the commandline to connect MERK to the 2600.net network and join the #linux channel:

python merk.py --channel "#linux" irc.2600.net 6667

merk.exe --channel "#linux" irc.2600.net 6667

Easy, right? Now let's try something a little more complex. Let's say you want to connect the the Libera network, which uses SSL/TLS. You want to use a different nickname than you normally use; you want to use the nickname merker, but you don't want to save this nickname as your default. When you join the network, you want to join two channels: #python and #merk:

python merk.py --donotsave -n merker -c "#python" -c "#merk" --ssl irc.libera.chat 6697

merk.exe --donotsave -n merker -c "#python" -c "#merk" --ssl irc.libera.chat 6697

You can do some things with the commandline that you can't do with the GUI. Let's say that you're using MERK on a computer that someone else also uses for MERK. You want to store your configuration files in a different folder, just for your use. You always want to use light mode, no matter what the configuration file says, and you've stored some MERK scripts in the "C:\Merk_Scripts" folder. You don't want MERK to ask you for a server to connect to, you just want it to start up, and you can choose a server from the "IRC" menu:

python merk.py --light --config-name .mymerk --scripts-directory "C:\Merk_Scripts" --run

merk.exe --light --config-name .mymerk --scripts-directory "C:\Merk_Scripts" --run

Now, let's try something that commonly done with other IRC clients: connecting to multiple servers automatically on startup. You want to use your standard settings, but connect to three different IRC servers as soon as you run MERK: you want to connect to the 2600 network and DALNet, using standard TCP/IP,and Libera, using SSL:

python merk.py -C irc.2600.net:6667 -S irc.libera.chat:6697 -C us.dal.net:6667

merk.exe -C irc.2600.net:6667 -S irc.libera.chat:6697 -C us.dal.net:6667

This command will start up MERK and connect to three of these servers without any extra effort!

You can do a lot of things from the commandline. For a really complicated example, let's try this scenario. Here's what this commandline will do:

• Connect to Libera via SSL/TLS
• Connect to DALnet via TCP/IP
• Make sure that we reconnect automatically if we get disconnected from either of these servers
• Join the #merk and #python channels on both networks
• Make sure that we don't execute any connection scripts we have set up
• Run in "light mode", regardless of what the configuration settings say

Here's the set of arguments that will make all of that happen:

python merk.py -Ltx -S irc.libera.chat:6697 -C us.dal.net:6667 -c "#python" -c "#merk"

merk.exe -Ltx -S irc.libera.chat:6697 -C us.dal.net:6667 -c "#python" -c "#merk"

All commandline options are what they say on the tin: optional. Just running the script with no commandline options will initally open up the connection dialog, and you can do just about everything completely inside the GUI.

Why does MERK exist?

It's simple. I don't currently like any of the other IRC clients. I've used many, many other IRC clients for Windows and Linux, and they just didn't feel right. They weren't customizable enough, didn't have features that I wanted, or just plain looked ancient. I wanted a GUI IRC client that looked and felt modern, and could be heavily customized. My previous IRC client was called Ərk, and although I liked developing it and working on it, I honestly didn't use it that much. I fell out of love with the "single window" interface that so many other IRC clients use, and decided to try something "new" (and by "new" I mean 30 years old). I remembered using mIRC back when I was younger, and decided to try and write a new client that used the multiple-document interface style I remember fondly. And thus, MERK was born!

What does MERK mean?

Well, if you were to pronounce "IRC" as a word and not an acronym, it would probably be pronounced /Ərk/. Since the client allows a user to connect to multiple IRC servers at the same time, well, that might be what the "M" stands for. Either that, or "multiple-document interface". "MDIIRC" doesn't exactly roll off the tongue, so we combined the "M" with the word-pronunciation of IRC, and came up with MERK!

Does MERK need any help?

Yes! MERK is being written by me, Dan Hetrick, a software developer that can not do everything that this piece of software needs. There's few things I need help with!

• Icons and other graphics work. I am not a graphic designer, and I think that that shows in this project, heh. I need help with creating better icons, and a better logo for MERK. I'm doing my best, here, but I'm a computer programmer, not an artist!
• Packaging. MERK now has a PyInstaller-based distribution! However, I can't seem to get PyInstaller working on a Linux binary for reasons that are beyond me. I'd love some help on getting packaging for Linux, be it with PyInstaller or anything else that's easy for end-users to use. I also know next to nothing about making Python packages for use with pip, but that's another thing I'd love help with!
• Using MERK and giving me feedback. Let me know what you love about MERK and what you hate about MERK! Got ideas for ways you'd like to customize the client? Features you'd like? Let me know! I can't guarantee that I'll put in everything that you want, but I love hearing new ideas, and I love hearing about how people are using MERK!

Contacting me is easy! Drop me an email or say hi in the official MERK IRC channel: #merk on the Libera network (irc.libera.chat, port 6667 for TCP/IP and port 6697 for SSL). I work a lot, so I'm not always active, but I idle in #merk everyday, and pop in to talk to people when I have a spare minute.