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IRC HEADER

The irc.h file in the Bitcoin v0.01 ALPHA software is a testament to the early methods of network discovery used in Bitcoin. It contains the declarations for the functions used to connect to an Internet Relay Chat (IRC) server.

In the early days of Bitcoin, IRC was used as a means for nodes to discover each other. When a node started, it would connect to an IRC server and join a specific channel. The node would then see other nodes in the channel, obtain their IP addresses, and establish connections with them.

The irc.h file provides the declarations for the functions necessary to interact with an IRC server. It includes declarations for functions to connect to the server, join a channel, and parse the list of users in the channel.

This file is a testament to the innovative solutions that were employed in the early stages of Bitcoin’s development. It underscores the importance of network discovery in the operation of the Bitcoin network.