rfcs/rfcs/rfc2.md

---
title: Standardising IRC Bot Behavior
author: Robert Miles <khuxkm@tilde.team>
status: Accepted
number: 2
---
## 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](https://tildegit.org/khuxkm/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](https://tilde.town/wiki/bots/ircbots.html), 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.

## 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](https://tildegit.org/team/teambot) will be updated to set usermode +B.