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+# [ngIRCd](https://ngircd.barton.de) - Internet Relay Chat Server
+
+## Introduction
+
+*ngIRCd* is a free, portable and lightweight *Internet Relay Chat* ([IRC])
+server for small or private networks, developed under the terms of the GNU
+General Public License ([GPL]); please see the file `COPYING` for licensing
+information.
+
+The server is simple to configure, can cope with dynamic IP addresses, and
+supports IPv6 as well as SSL. It is written from scratch and not based on the
+original IRCd.
+
+The name ngIRCd means *next generation IRC daemon*, which is a little bit
+exaggerated: *lightweight Internet Relay Chat server* most probably would have
+been a better name :-)
+
+Please see the `INSTALL.md` document for installation and upgrade information,
+online available here: <https://ngircd.barton.de/doc/INSTALL.md>!
+
+## Status
+
+ngIRCd should be quite feature complete and stable to be used as daemon in
+real world IRC networks.
+
+It is not the goal of ngIRCd to implement all the nasty behaviors of the
+original ircd, but to implement most of the useful commands and semantics
+specified by the RFCs that are used by existing clients.
+
+## Features (or: why use ngIRCd?)
+
+- Well arranged (lean) configuration file.
+- Simple to build, install, configure, and maintain.
+- Supports IPv6 and SSL.
+- Can use PAM for user authentication.
+- Lots of popular user and channel modes are implemented.
+- Supports "cloaking" of users.
+- No problems with servers that have dynamic IP addresses.
+- Freely available, modern, portable and tidy C source.
+- Wide field of supported platforms, including AIX, A/UX, FreeBSD, HP-UX,
+  IRIX, Linux, macOS, NetBSD, OpenBSD, Solaris, and Windows with Cygwin.
+- ngIRCd is being actively developed since 2001.
+
+## Documentation
+
+The **homepage** of the ngIRCd project is <https://ngircd.barton.de>.
+
+More documentation can be found in the `doc/` directory and
+[online](https://ngircd.barton.de/documentation).
+
+## Downloads & Source Code
+
+You can find the latest information about the ngIRCd and the most recent
+stable release on the [news](https://ngircd.barton.de/news) and
+[downloads](https://ngircd.barton.de/download) pages of the homepage.
+
+Visit our source code repository at [GitHub](https://github.com) if you are
+interested in the latest development code: <https://github.com/ngircd/ngircd>.
+
+## Problems, Bugs, Patches
+
+Please don't hesitate to contact us if you encounter problems:
+
+- On IRC: <irc://irc.barton.de/ngircd>
+- Via the mailing list: <ngircd-ml@ngircd.barton.de>
+
+See <http://ngircd.barton.de/support> for details.
+
+If you find any bugs in ngIRCd (which most probably will be there ...), please
+report them to our issue tracker at GitHub:
+
+- Bug tracker: <https://github.com/ngircd/ngircd/issues>
+- Patches, "pull requests": <https://github.com/ngircd/ngircd/pulls>
+
+[IRC]: https://wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_Relay_Chat
+[GPL]: https://wikipedia.org/wiki/GNU_General_Public_License