ZNC is an open source IRC (Internet Relay Chat) bouncer. It always remains connected to the IRC network, and your IRC client (e.g. HexChat, Irssi, Weechat, etc.) connects to the ZNC rather than directly to the IRC network. Its core role is: Stay connected: Even if you turn off your IRC client, ZNC will remain connected to the IRC network. This means you won't miss any messages, and you can still view offline messages when you reconnect to the client. Multi-client support: You can use multiple IRC clients to connect to the same ZNC instance simultaneously. All clients will see the same IRC channels and messages. History: ZNC can record messages on channels you join, even if you are offline. You can view these history when you reconnect. Bouncer function: ZNC acts as a relay, receiving messages sent by the IRC server and sending them to your clients. Vice versa, it sends messages sent by your client to the IRC server. Modularity: ZNC supports modular extensions and can add additional functions. Reduce the impact of network outages: If your network connection is unstable, ZNC can automatically restore the connection when you reconnect without you missing a message. Hide the real IP: The IP address your IRC server sees is the IP address of ZNC, not the IP address of your client, which protects your privacy to a certain extent.
