# Getting Started

## Prerequisites

- [.NET 10 SDK](https://dotnet.microsoft.com/download)

Or grab a self-contained binary from [Releases](https://github.com/HueByte/EchoHub/releases) -- no runtime needed.

## Run the Server

```bash
dotnet run --project src/EchoHub.Server
```

On first run, the server automatically:

1. Creates `appsettings.json` from the example config
2. Generates a secure JWT secret
3. Creates the SQLite database with a `#general` channel

## Run the Client

```bash
dotnet run --project src/EchoHub.Client
```

Connect to a server, register an account, and start chatting.

## Connect via IRC

Enable the IRC gateway in the server's `appsettings.json`:

```json
{
  "Irc": {
    "Enabled": true,
    "Port": 6667
  }
}
```

Then connect with any standard IRC client:

```bash
irssi -c localhost -p 6667 -w <password> -n <username>
```

IRC users must have an existing EchoHub account. Authentication works via `PASS`/`NICK`/`USER` or SASL PLAIN. Messages flow bidirectionally between IRC and TUI clients.

For TLS, set `TlsEnabled: true`, `TlsPort: 6697`, and provide a PKCS#12 certificate path.

See the [Architecture](architecture.md) page for details on how the IRC gateway integrates with the chat service.

## Configuration

Server configuration is in `appsettings.json` (auto-generated on first run). See the [example config](https://github.com/HueByte/EchoHub/blob/master/src/EchoHub.Server/appsettings.example.json) for all available options.

To list your server on the [public directory](https://echohub.voidcube.cloud/servers), set `Server:PublicServer` to `true` and `Server:PublicHost` to your server's public address.

## Build from Source

```bash
dotnet build src/EchoHub.slnx
```