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Commands & shortcuts

Type a / at the start of the message box to run a command. Anything that isn't a command is sent as a normal message to the current channel or query.

The /help command

/help is handled entirely inside Cascade — it never touches the server.

  • /help opens a searchable dialog listing every command, grouped by category (Client, Server, CTCP, and any commands added by plugins). You can switch this to print the list straight into the current buffer in Settings.
  • /help <command> prints usage for a single command, by name or alias. For example, /help join shows /join #channel [key] — Join a channel.

Autocomplete

Command completion. Start typing / and a popup appears below the input listing matching commands with their usage and category:

  • ↑ / ↓ to move through the suggestions
  • Enter or Tab to accept the highlighted command
  • Esc to dismiss the popup

Once you type a space after the command, the popup is replaced by a one-line usage hint reminding you of the arguments.

Nickname completion. In a channel, type the start of someone's nick and press Tab. Cascade completes it in place (adding a trailing : in channels), and pressing Tab again cycles through other matches. Nick completion has no popup; it's pure inline text.

Command reference

Many commands have shorter aliases, shown in parentheses.

Channels & messaging

Command Usage Description
/join (/j) #channel [key] Join a channel (with an optional key).
/part (/leave) #channel [reason] Leave a channel.
/msg (/m, /privmsg) target message Message a user or channel.
/query (/q) nickname [message] Open a private conversation.
/me (/action) [target] action text Send an action ("* you wave").
/notice target message Send a notice.
/topic #channel [new topic] View or set the channel topic.
/names [#channel] List the users in a channel.
/close #channel \| nickname Close the current channel or query.

Identity & status

Command Usage Description
/nick newnick Change your nickname.
/away [message] Set or clear your away status.
/whois nickname Look up information about a user.
/whowas nickname Look up a user who has left.
/quit [reason] Disconnect from the server.

Moderation

Command Usage Description
/mode target modes [args] View or change modes.
/op (/hop) / /deop (/dehop) #channel nickname Grant or remove operator status.
/voice (/v) / /devoice (/dev) #channel nickname Grant or remove voice.
/kick #channel nickname [reason] Kick a user from a channel.
/ban / /unban #channel mask Add or remove a channel ban.
/invite nickname #channel Invite a user to a channel.

CTCP & raw

Command Usage Description
/ctcp target command [args] Send a raw CTCP request.
/ping target CTCP-ping a user.
/time target Ask for a user's local time.
/version target Ask for a user's client version.
/clientinfo target Ask which CTCP commands a user supports.
/list [filter] Open the Browse Channels list. An optional filter pre-narrows it by channel name or topic (e.g. /list linux) or by user count (e.g. /list >50).
/quote (/raw) command [args] Send a raw IRC line to the server.

Note

Plugins can register their own commands. Those appear under a Plugin category in the /help dialog. See Using plugins.

Keyboard shortcuts

On macOS use ; on Windows and Linux use Ctrl.

Global

Shortcut Action
⌘/Ctrl + K Open message search
⌘/Ctrl + , Open Settings
⌘/Ctrl + / Toggle the keyboard-shortcuts overlay
⌘/Ctrl + B Toggle the left sidebar (networks & channels)
⌘/Ctrl + Shift + B Toggle the right sidebar (users & pinned messages)
⌘/Ctrl + Shift + N Jump keyboard focus into the network/channel tree
Esc Close any open dialog

In the message box

Shortcut Action
⌘/Ctrl + B Wrap the selected text in *bold*
⌘/Ctrl + I Wrap the selected text in _italic_
⌘/Ctrl + U Wrap the selected text in __underline__
↑ / ↓ Scroll back and forward through your input history
Tab Nickname completion (see above)

⌘/Ctrl + B does two things

With the message box focused and text selected, ⌘/Ctrl + B formats that text as bold. Otherwise it toggles the left sidebar.