RFC 2: Standardising IRC Bot Behavior

Author: Robert Miles <khuxkm@tilde.team>

Status: Accepted

Abstract

IRC bots are programs that communicate with users through Internet Relay Chat. These bots can do a wide assortment of things, from getting weather information to running games. We accept IRC bots on tilde.chat, but we ask that any prospective bot operator follow these rules.

`!botlist` command

The botlist command is our answer to not knowing the functions a bot provides.

All conformant bots MUST respond to !botlist with: (examples from minerbot2, my personal IRC bot)

Maintainer (e.x.; "Maintainer: khuxkm@tilde.team")
Small description (optional) (e.x.; "A utility bot that does some other cool things too!")
Command list (e.x; "Commands: !foo !bar")

For conformance with previous standards on other tilde boxes, bots SHOULD also respond to !rollcall with at least the command list.

Please note that the prefix of ! is constant: no matter the usual prefix of the bot, it MUST respond to !botlist and/or !rollcall with the given prefix.

Usermode +B

All bots on tilde.chat MUST set usermode +B on or near connect.

Rejoin-on-kick

All bots on tilde.chat MUST NOT rejoin a channel automatically after being kicked. If a channel operator wishes to remove your bot from their channel, you must obey.

An exception is made for certain mechanisms to automatically rejoin; specifically, if the channel operator can turn off the auto-rejoin behavior, it is allowed.

Procedural Information

Security Considerations

There are no security considerations to this document.

Configuration Considerations

IRC bots on tilde.chat MUST be updated to follow the botlist convention and set usermode +B on connect.

For bots on tilde.chat coming from tilde.town, maintainer info must be added, as well as an alias from "!botlist" to "!rollcall".

Bots made with teambot will be updated to set usermode +B.