Textual

The application provides a native macOS client for connecting to Internet Relay Chat (IRC) networks, allowing users to join and participate in multiple chatrooms simultaneously. It supports modern IRCv3 features, IPv6, client‑side certificate authentication, and a range of proxy options, enabling reliable connections across diverse network environments.

Designed for everyday users and power users alike, it offers an address book for tracking contacts, nickname and command auto‑completion, and extensive formatting options such as bold, italic, color, and underline. Privacy‑focused features include Off‑the‑Record (OTR) messaging and SASL authentication, while a built‑in speech synthesizer aids visually impaired users. Customization is possible through style sheets and add‑ons written in several scripting languages, and the client integrates with bouncers like ZNC.

The interface can be switched between light and dark appearances, and it provides fuzzy search, keyboard shortcuts, and rule‑based ignore filters for efficient navigation. Media such as images, video, and YouTube links are displayed inline, and the client supports emoji conversion and simultaneous viewing of multiple channels.