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HexChat 2.14.3 Released with Fix for Ubuntu’s Yaru Theme

Last updated: December 22, 2019

HexChat Ubuntu 16.04

HexChat IRC client 2.14.3 was released a day ago with important bug-fixes. Here’s how to install it in Ubuntu.

It has been more than one year since the last release. HexChat 2.14.3 was released with following changes:

  • fix various incorrect parsing of IRC messages relating to trailing parameters
  • fix SASL negotiation combined with multi-line cap
  • fix input box theming with Ubuntu’s new default Yaru theme
  • python: Work around Python 3.7 regression causing crash on unload
  • sysinfo: Add support for /etc/os-release
  • sysinfo: Ignore irrelevant mounts when calculating storage size

HexChat with Radiance Theme

How to Install HexChat 2.14.3 in Ubuntu:

The software is available as both Snap and Flatpak packages, unfortunately no PPA with recent .deb packages.

HexChat Snap package (runs in sandbox) maintained by the principal developer is available to install in Ubuntu Software.

Note the snap is still 2.14.2 at the moment, though it will auto-update to 2.14.3 once the new package published.

The official HexChat Flatpak package (also runs in sandbox) has been updated to 2.14.3. You can install it via following steps:

1. Open terminal either by pressing Ctrl+Alt+T on keyboard or from Application launcher.

If you’re first time installing a Flatpak package, run following commands to setup the framework.

  • Install flatpak framework via command: 
    sudo apt install flatpak

  • Then add Flathub, the official repository that hosts a large list of Flatpak packages: 
    flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo

2. Finally install HexChat Flatpak package via command:

flatpak install flathub io.github.Hexchat

After installation, open the software either from application menu or by running command:

flatpak run io.github.Hexchat

(Optional) To remove the Flatpak package, simply run command in terminal:

flatpak uninstall flathub io.github.Hexchat
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Install and Keep HexChat IRC Client Updated via Snap in Ubuntu

Last updated: January 15, 2019

HexChat Ubuntu 16.04

HexChat IRC Client now is available to install via Snap package in Ubuntu 16.04, Ubuntu 18.04, and higher.

HexChat is a free, open-source, and extensible IRC Client based on XChat. It supports features such as: DCC, SASL, proxies, spellcheck, alerts, logging, custom themes, and Lua scripts.

HexChat offers official Snap package, which is a containerized software packages bundles all required libraries, and auto-update itself.

HexChat with Radiance Theme

Install HexChat via Snap in Ubuntu:

For Ubuntu 18.04 and higher, the snap package can be easily installed from Ubuntu Software:

For Ubuntu 16.04, open terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T) and run command to install snapd first:

sudo apt-get install snapd

Then install the HexChat snap package via command:

sudo snap install hexchat

Note if you installed both HexChat legacy and Snap packages, you’ll see two launch icons from software menu. To make sure you’re running HexChat snap package, launch it from terminal via command:

snap run hexchat

Uninstall:

To remove the IRC client, either use Ubuntu Software or run command in terminal:

sudo snap remove hexchat
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How to Install The Latest HexChat IRC Client in Ubuntu 16.04

Last updated: June 7, 2016

HexChat Ubuntu 16.04

This tutorial is going to show you how to install the latest HexChat GTK+ IRC client and receive future software updates along with other system updates.

HexChat is a XChat based IRC client that’s completely free for Windows and Unix-like systems. It features Python and Perl scripting support, a plugin API, multiple server/channel windows, spell checking, multiple authentication methods including SASL, and customizable notifications.

HexChat with Radiance Theme

HexChat is available in official Ubuntu repositories, but Canonical does not provide future updates for this software. While Ubuntu 16.04 provides the old 2.10.2 release, the HexChat website refers to Gwendal LE BIHAN’s PPA (unofficial) for the latest release.

1. Add PPA.

Open terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T) and run the command below:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:gwendal-lebihan-dev/hexchat-stable

Type in password (no visual feedback) when it asks and hit Enter to continue.

hexchat-unofficial-ppa

2. Update system package index by either launching Software Updater and wait checking for updates, or running command:

sudo apt update

3. If you don’t a previous release installed, you can now install HexChat from Ubuntu Software, or via command:

sudo apt install hexchat

or upgrade the client via Software Updater:

upgrade-hexchat

4. (Optional) To remove the PPA, launch System Settings and navigate to Software & Updates -> Other Software.

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How to Install Chat Client Smuxi 1.0 in Ubuntu 15.04, 14.04

Last updated: August 10, 2015

Smuxi 1.0

Smuxi IRC client finally reached the 1.0 release. Here’s how to install or upgrade it in Ubuntu 15.04, Ubuntu 14.04, Ubuntu 12.04 and derivatives, e.g., Linux Mint 13/17.x, Elementary OS Freya and Luna.

Smuxi is an open-source, distributed and user-friendly IRC / Twitter / XMPP / Campfire / JabbR client for Linux, Windows and Mac OS X based on GNOME / GTK+.

The 1.0 release was announced recently when it’s 10 years old and features:

  • Message Persistence – messages sent and received are now stored on the disk in a way they can automatically be retrieved/loaded when you restart Smuxi.
  • new command line tool smuxi-message-buffer allows to convert and export the message history.
  • 4 new plugins:
    • topic-diff: Shows the word differences of the topic after topic changes. (meebey)
    • away-nick: Automatically appends and removes $AWAY_SUFFIX to/from the nick name when you go away using the /away command or by disconnecting all frontends from the smuxi-server. (meebey)
    • system-info: Shows system info. Includes system kernel version, distro name, and CPU vendor information. (AK0)
    • now-playing: This plugin is not new but was rewritten in Python to get rid of the spaghetti code monster which was written in Bash. (jamesaxl)
  • UI, text frontend, twitter and other enhancements. See details

smuxi1-0

Install/Upgrade Smuxi in Ubuntu:

1. Open terminal from the Dash, App Launcher, or via Ctrl+Alt+T shortcut keys. When it opens, run command to add its stable PPA:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:meebey/smuxi-stable

smuxi-ppa

2. If you have an old version installed on your system, just launch Software Updater/Update Manager and upgrade the software after checking for updates.

Or use Synaptic Package Manager (available in Software Center) to check for updates and install Smuxi 1.0:

install-smuxi

For those who are familiar with command line, just run below commands one by one:

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install smuxi
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Relay – A New Fast, Modern, Streamlined IRC Client

Last updated: July 31, 2015

Relay IRC Client

Relay is a new IRC client designed for Elementary OS that aims to be small, fast, and elegant. It’s written in Vala and also works in Ubuntu and other Linux.

Relay uses very few libraries and takes less memory (<30mb usually). The project was created in June of 2015 so as of now it is a young project with functionality rapidly being added to it. So far, it features:

  • drag and drop to Hastebin – drag files to the paste icon will upload all of them and put the URL’s in the output window.
  • A missed message count.
  • Highlighting tabs with activity from IRC servers.
  • Drag and drop reordering of tabs.
  • Automatic IRC channel connecting
  • URL parsing and the ability to open your browser when clicked
  • Highlights the name of your or anyone else when mentioned in a chat
  • Right click tab switching.
  • The ability to switch channels through tabs or the sidebar.
  • It supports languages that use UTF-8 characters.
  • Although Relay was built on Elementary OS it will switch the theme depending on what operating system you are using.
  • The ability to search users
  • The ability to see where you left off since you last visited a tab
  • The ability to control many settings and set colors in the UI
  • Click a user name to have their name placed in the text entry
  • Private messaging and ability to block users
  • The ability to turn on or off joining or exiting messages
  • Creates a datestamp every 5 minutes to give you a timeline of what has happened

Screenshots:

Relay IRC start window

Relay IRC client in Elementary OS Freya

Relay IRC client in Unity

Relay Irc client in Gnome

At the moment of writing this tutorial there are two bugs for Ubuntu user and I’ve reported them to the project page:

  1. In Unity desktop, when you try to minimize Relay window by clicking its icon on left Launcher, session crashes immediately and brings you back to login screen. – Bug with Compiz
  2. In Gnome Shell, there’s a reading issue (Picture 4) – Fixed

Install Relay IRC client from PPA:

The developer has created a PPA repository for the project. So far, Ubuntu 15.10, Ubuntu 15.04, Elementary OS Freya are supported.

NOTE: Ubuntu 14.04 needs updated version of libgranite (>= 0.3.0) and GTK+3.0 (>= 3.14). You can get them from Gnome Testing PPA and Elementary Stable PPA. But using the PPAs could break your system or make it unstable! Do it at your own risk!

1. To add the PPA, open terminal from the Dash, Launcher, or via Ctrl+Alt+T shortcut keys. When it opens, run command:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:agronick/relay

relay-irc-client-ppa

2. After added the PPA, install the software via Synaptic Package Manager. Or just run below commands one by one in terminal:

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install relay

For those who don’t want to add PPA, grab the .deb package from the launchpad page.

Feature requests and issues please report at github.com/agronick/Relay

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