RetroHexChat enforces a single active session per nickname. Only one browser window or tab can be connected with the same nickname at a time.
How It Works
When you connect with a nickname that is already in use by another session (even your own in another tab or browser), the previous session is immediately disconnected and redirected to the Connect screen with the message:
Session ended — login started in another window
The new session takes over and becomes the active connection.
Session Expiry
If your connection drops unexpectedly, the client attempts to reconnect automatically with exponential backoff (up to 10 attempts). If all attempts fail, the session is considered expired and you are redirected to the Connect screen with the message:
Session expired
You can then reconnect manually.
Why Single Session?
Enforcing one session per nickname prevents:
- Duplicate presence in channels
- Messages being received in multiple windows simultaneously
- State inconsistencies between sessions