---
layout: documentation
title: Getting started
order: 1
---

Welcome to The Lounge, web-based [IRC](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_Relay_Chat) client for the modern world! ❤️

For an optimal experience, The Lounge must be installed on a server that runs 24/7. Once configured and started, users can access it from their browser or mobile device. Learn more about this in the [install and upgrade section](/docs/install-and-upgrade.html).

**In private mode**, The Lounge acts like a bouncer and a client combined, in order to offer an experience similar to other modern chat applications outside the IRC world. Users can then access and resume their session without being disconnected from their channels.

**In public mode**, it acts as an open chat available to anyone without registration.

The Lounge is entirely free and open source. Its source code lives in a [GitHub repository](https://github.com/thelounge/thelounge). You can report an issue in our [issue tracker](https://github.com/thelounge/thelounge/issues).

The Lounge started as a fork of [Shout](https://github.com/erming/shout), authored by **[Mattias Erming](https://github.com/erming)**. We owe him a lot and thank him very much for his work!

Enjoy The Lounge, and make sure to join us on our **official Freenode channel `#thelounge`**!

*[IRC]: Internet Relay Chat

---
layout: documentation
title: Getting started
order: 1
---

Welcome to The Lounge, a web-based [IRC](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_Relay_Chat) client for the modern world! ❤️

For an optimal experience, The Lounge must be installed on a server that runs 24/7. Once configured and started, users can access it from their browser or mobile device. Learn more about this in the [install and upgrade section](/docs/install-and-upgrade.html).

**In private mode**, The Lounge acts like a bouncer and a client combined, in order to offer an experience similar to other modern chat applications outside the IRC world. Users can then access and resume their session without being disconnected from their channels.

**In public mode**, it acts as an open chat available to anyone without registration.

The Lounge is entirely free and open source. Its source code lives in a [GitHub repository](https://github.com/thelounge/thelounge). You can report an issue in our [issue tracker](https://github.com/thelounge/thelounge/issues).

The Lounge started as a fork of [Shout](https://github.com/erming/shout), authored by **[Mattias Erming](https://github.com/erming)**. We owe him a lot and thank him very much for his work!

Enjoy The Lounge, and make sure to join us on our **official Freenode channel `#thelounge`**!

*[IRC]: Internet Relay Chat

Fix typo in Getting Started page
Fix typo in Getting Started page
