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Connecting to twitch via IRC with SSL

This short how-to is geared toward Linux users.
This includes WSL2.

I highly recommend you use weechat's encrypted storage to store your access token.

Table of Contents

Install Weechat

Use your package manager to install weechat. 

sudo apt-get install weechat -y

Get OAuth Token

Get your oauth token here.
The Access Token is the OAuth token you need to connect.

Connecting to twitch with weechat

Adding the twitch server

/server add <name> adds a server with a given name. Let's add the twitch server. You'll need your OAuth token, so be sure you generated one!

/server add twitch irc.chat.twitch.tv/6697 -ssl -ssl_verify -password=oauth:youraccesstoken -nicks=yourusername

Breakdown:

  • twitch: The name you give to the server. This is what you will /connect to.
  • irc.chat.twitch.tv/6697: The link/port to the server. 6697 is the secure port.
  • -ssl: Enables SSL/TLS for a secure connection.
  • -ssl_verify: Enables SSL certificate verification for security.
  • -password=oauth:youraccesstoken: The password that will be used to connect to the server.
    • This must contain the oauth: part.
    • NOTE: This stores your key in plaintext.
    • See this section for encrypted storage of your oauth token.
  • -nicks=username: The username of your twitch account.

Optionally, you can add -autoconnect to connect to this server when weechat launches.

You can utilize Weechat's secure encrypted storage to lock your Twitch token behind a passphrase.

Use /secure set to set a "secure variable."

/secure set twitch_token oauth:YOUR_TOKEN
Once that's done, change the twitch password to read from this variable. 
/set irc.server.twitch.password "${sec.data.twitch_token}"

Set your passphrase. 

/set passphrase my passphrase here

  • NOTE: If you don't set up a passphrase, the token will be stored in PLAIN TEXT in ~/.config/weechat/sec.conf.

Then /save.

/save

In your irc.conf (default ~/.config/weechat/irc.conf), you should see this in the Twitch settings: 

twitch.password = "${sec.data.twitch_token}"

Verify it worked by relaunching weechat and connecting to twitch.

Connect & Disconnect Commands for Twitch IRC

Use /connect twitch and /disconnect twitch as necessary.

  • Connect to twitch: 

    /connect twitch

  • Then join any given channel with /join #channelName: 

    /join #rwxrob

  • Save your configuration: 

    /save

    • Just be aware, this will save your oauth token in plaintext in ~/.config/weechat/irc.conf.
    • Go here if you ever need to revoke the token.

Some Useful Keybinds and Commands

  • /autojoin add #channel_name: Add a channel to auto-join when weechat starts.

    • Remember to /save after doing this.

  • Use Alt-<NUM> to switch channels (channels are numbered, shown on left).

    • Alt-1 to show the main system buffer.
  • /quit to close weechat
  • /part to disconnect from a channel.
  • /close to close a buffer (the channel window).

  • To set up autoconnect after adding the server, use /set: 

    /set irc.server.twitch.autoconnect on

  • WeeChat supports tab completion for commands.

tl;dr, just gimme the commands

  • Generate an oauth token here.

    • Grab the Access Token

  • Install and launch: 

    sudo apt-get install weechat -y
weechat

  • Add the Twitch server (inside weechat) 

    /server add irc.chat.twitch.tv/6697 -ssl -ssl_verify -nicks=YOUR_USERNAME -password=oauth:YOUR_TOKEN -autoconnect

    • You must include the oauth: in the -password.

  • Connect to a Twitch channel 

    /connect #rwxrob

  • To leave a channel: 

    /part
/close

  • To quit weechat: 

    /quit

Now you've got a minimal weechat setup for twitch!