Version 5.6.1 of package Erc has just been released in GNU ELPA. You can now find it in M-x list-packages RET.
Erc describes itself as: =================================== An Emacs Internet Relay Chat client =================================== More at https://elpa.gnu.org/packages/erc.html ## Summary: ERC is a powerful, modular, and extensible IRC client for Emacs. For more information, visit the ERC page at <https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/erc.html>. Configuration: Use M-x customize-group RET erc RET to get an overview of all the variables you can tweak. Usage: To connect to an IRC server, do M-x erc RET or M-x erc-tls RET to connect over TLS (encrypted). Once you are connected to a server, you can use C-h m or have a look at the ERC menu. ## Recent NEWS: ERC NEWS Copyright (C) 2006-2025 Free Software Foundation, Inc. See the end of the file for license conditions. Please send ERC bug reports to '[email protected]', and Cc the '[email protected]' mailing list as well. If possible, use 'M-x erc-bug' or 'M-x report-emacs-bug'. This file is about changes in ERC, the powerful, modular, and extensible IRC (Internet Relay Chat) client distributed with GNU Emacs since Emacs version 22.1. * Changes in ERC 5.6.1 ** Option 'erc-truncate-padding-size' controls truncation frequency. In fast-moving channels and in queries with long-winded bots, the 'truncate' module has historically been asked to work overtime, mostly on account of a rather stingy buffering threshold of 512 characters. Now configurable, its default has been relaxed eightfold to 4096. ** Option 'erc-modules' no longer autoloaded. This cornerstone of ERC's configuration system was autoloaded globally in 5.6 to allow users the freedom of running 'customize-option' without first having to load the package. Unfortunately, this also had the side effect of arranging for ERC to load on startup whenever someone customized the variable. ** New option determines 'keep-place-indicator's influence on 'truncate'. Option 'erc-keep-place-indicator-truncation' manages the tension between truncation and place keeping, prioritizing one or the other. ** Stray key binding removed from 'erc-fill-wrap-mode-map'. The command 'erc-fill-wrap-cycle-visual-movement' was mistakenly given the key binding "C-c a" in an inadvertent holdover from development. It has been removed. ** The 'fill-wrap' module no longer depends on 'scrolltobottom'. This change also affects the option 'erc-fill-function' when it's set to 'erc-fill-wrap'. ** Updated defaults for the 'track' module's face-list options. The default values of options 'erc-track-faces-priority-list' and 'erc-track-faces-normal-list' have both gained a face for buttonized speaker names, with the latter option also gaining 'erc-notice-face'. This was done to provide a more frequent and practical indication of channel activity in keeping with the module's original design. ** Command 'erc-track-clear' resets the mode-line activity indicator. Clear ERC's mode-line area with a single stroke, effectively marking all ERC buffers as having been read. ** An arguably less distracting 'erc-nicks-track-faces' variant. Setting this option to t tells the 'track' module to have the mode-line indicator stick with the most recent speaker's face, even when they're monologuing, instead of alternating between it and the highest ranked 'erc-track-faces-normal-list' member in a given message. ** Module 'querypoll' has left 'goodies' and moved in with 'notify'. The 'querypoll' module was initially placed in 'erc-goodies' even though a far more sensible home existed in 'erc-notify'. Given the similarity of concerns and the newer module's "experimental" status, the migration was deemed worth any potential disruption, despite this being a point release. ERC appreciates your understanding in this matter. ** Option 'erc-server-reconnect-function' has a new default. ERC 5.6 added 'erc-server-delayed-check-reconnect', whose "probing" strategy worked better for most users. While compatibility concerns prevented it from becoming the new 'erc-server-reconnect-function' outright, a new solution has emerged that defers to it when sensible. ** Entry-point command 'erc-tls' once again considers option 'erc-port'. In its zeal to enforce a preference for TLS connections, ERC 5.5 went a bit far in disregarding the useful user option 'erc-port'. When called from Lisp code without a ':port' keyword, 'erc-tls' once again respects the option. ** Changes in the library API. *** Reliable library access for ban lists. Say goodbye to continually running "/BANLIST" for programmatic purposes. Modules can instead use the function 'erc-sync-banlist' to guarantee that the variable 'erc-channel-banlist' remains synced for the remainder of an IRC session. ... ...
