diff --git a/index.html b/index.html
index e0880c0..6594bc9 100644
--- a/index.html
+++ b/index.html
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@
             <a ng-click="setActiveBuffer(key)">{{ content.full_name }}</a>
           </span>
           <div ng-repeat="bufferline in activeBuffer.lines">
-            <span class="timestamp color-dark-gray">{{ bufferline.timestamp  | date: 'h:mm:ss'}}</span>
+            <span class="timestamp color-dark-gray">{{ bufferline.date | date: 'H:mm:ss'}}</span>
             <span ng-repeat="part in bufferline.content" class="text {{ part.fg }}">
               {{ part.text }}
             </span>
diff --git a/js/websockets.js b/js/websockets.js
index 6344fa9..d89748a 100644
--- a/js/websockets.js
+++ b/js/websockets.js
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ weechat.factory('colors', [function($scope) {
 
 
     return {
-        
+
         setAttrs: setAttrs,
         getColor: getColor,
         prepareCss: prepareCss,
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ weechat.factory('pluginManager', ['youtubePlugin', 'urlPlugin', 'imagePlugin', f
     }
 
     var contentForMessage = function(message) {
-        
+
         var content = [];
         for (var i = 0; i < plugins.length; i++) {
             var pluginContent = plugins[i].contentForMessage(message);
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ weechat.factory('pluginManager', ['youtubePlugin', 'urlPlugin', 'imagePlugin', f
                 }
             }
         }
-        
+
         return content;
     }
 
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ weechat.factory('handlers', ['$rootScope', 'colors', 'pluginManager', function($
 
         /*
          * Parse the text elements from the buffer line added
-         * 
+         *
          */
         function parseLineAddedTextElements(message) {
             var prefix = colors.parse(message['objects'][0]['content'][0]['prefix']);
@@ -220,11 +220,11 @@ weechat.factory('handlers', ['$rootScope', 'colors', 'pluginManager', function($
                 return text_element;
             });
             return text_elements;
-        }        
+        }
 
 
         var buffer = message['objects'][0]['content'][0]['buffer'];
-        var timestamp = parseInt(message['objects'][0]['content'][0]['date']) * 1e3;
+        var date = message['objects'][0]['content'][0]['date'];
         var text = colors.parse(message['objects'][0]['content'][0]['message']);
         var content = parseLineAddedTextElements(message);
         var additionalContent = pluginManager.contentForMessage(text[0]['text']);
@@ -232,7 +232,7 @@ weechat.factory('handlers', ['$rootScope', 'colors', 'pluginManager', function($
         return {
             metadata: additionalContent,
             content: content,
-            timestamp: timestamp,
+            date: date,
             buffer: buffer
         }
 
@@ -240,9 +240,9 @@ weechat.factory('handlers', ['$rootScope', 'colors', 'pluginManager', function($
 
     var handleBufferLineAdded = function(message) {
         var buffer_line = {}
-        
+
         message = new BufferLine(message);
-     
+
         if (!_isActiveBuffer(message.buffer)) {
             $rootScope.buffers[message.buffer]['notification'] = true;
         }
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@ weechat.factory('handlers', ['$rootScope', 'colors', 'pluginManager', function($
         var fullName = message['objects'][0]['content'][0]['full_name']
         var buffer = message['objects'][0]['content'][0]['pointers'][0]
         $rootScope.buffers[buffer] = { 'id': buffer, 'lines':[], 'full_name':fullName }
-        
+
     }
 
     /*
@@ -292,7 +292,7 @@ weechat.factory('handlers', ['$rootScope', 'colors', 'pluginManager', function($
         }
         $rootScope.buffers = buffers;
     }
-   
+
     var handleEvent = function(event) {
         if (_.has(eventHandlers, event['id'])) {
             eventHandlers[event['id']](event);
@@ -311,7 +311,7 @@ weechat.factory('handlers', ['$rootScope', 'colors', 'pluginManager', function($
 
     var eventHandlers = {
         bufinfo: handleBufferInfo,
-        _buffer_closing: handleBufferClosing, 
+        _buffer_closing: handleBufferClosing,
         _buffer_line_added: handleBufferLineAdded,
         _buffer_opened: handleBufferOpened
     }
@@ -328,7 +328,7 @@ weechat.factory('connection', ['$rootScope', '$log', 'handlers', 'colors', funct
     var websocket = null;
 
 
-    // Sanitizes messages to be sent to the weechat relay    
+    // Sanitizes messages to be sent to the weechat relay
     var doSend = function(message) {
         msgs = message.replace(/[\r\n]+$/g, "").split("\n");
         for (var i = 0; i < msgs.length; i++) {
@@ -337,18 +337,25 @@ weechat.factory('connection', ['$rootScope', '$log', 'handlers', 'colors', funct
         }
         websocket.send(message);
     }
-    
+
     // Takes care of the connection and websocket hooks
-    var connect = function (hostport, proto, password) {
+    var connect = function (hostport, proto, passwd) {
         websocket = new WebSocket("ws://" + hostport + "/weechat");
         websocket.binaryType = "arraybuffer"
 
         websocket.onopen = function (evt) {
             // FIXME: does password need to be sent only if protocol is not weechat?
             if (proto == "weechat") {
-                if (password) {
-                    doSend("init compression=off,password=" + password + "\n(bufinfo) hdata buffer:gui_buffers(*) full_name\nsync\n");
-                }
+                doSend(WeeChatProtocol.formatInit({
+                    password: passwd,
+                    compression: 'off'
+                }));
+                doSend(WeeChatProtocol.formatHdata({
+                    id: 'bufinfo',
+                    path: 'buffer:gui_buffers(*)',
+                    keys: ['full_name']
+                }));
+                doSend(WeeChatProtocol.formatSync({}));
             } else {
 
             }
@@ -381,8 +388,10 @@ weechat.factory('connection', ['$rootScope', '$log', 'handlers', 'colors', funct
     }
 
     var sendMessage = function(message) {
-        message = "input " + $rootScope.activeBuffer['full_name'] + " " + message + "\n"
-        doSend(message);
+        doSend(WeeChatProtocol.formatInput({
+            buffer: $rootScope.activeBuffer['full_name'],
+            data: message
+        }));
     }
 
     return {
diff --git a/js/weechat-protocol.js b/js/weechat-protocol.js
index b2829ae..362763e 100644
--- a/js/weechat-protocol.js
+++ b/js/weechat-protocol.js
@@ -1,4 +1,12 @@
+/**
+ * WeeChat protocol handling.
+ *
+ * This object parses messages and formats commands for the WeeChat
+ * protocol. It's independent from the communication layer and thus
+ * may be used with any network mechanism.
+ */
 var WeeChatProtocol = function() {
+    // specific parsing for each message type
     this._types = {
         'chr': this._getChar,
         'int': this._getInt,
@@ -10,8 +18,13 @@ var WeeChatProtocol = function() {
         'tim': this._getTime,
         'buf': this._getString,
         'arr': this._getArray,
-        'htb': this._getHashTable
+        'htb': this._getHashTable,
+        'inl': function() {
+            this._warnUnimplemented('infolist');
+        }
     };
+
+    // string value for some message types
     this._typesStr = {
         'chr': this._strDirect,
         'str': this._strDirect,
@@ -20,6 +33,13 @@ var WeeChatProtocol = function() {
         'ptr': this._strDirect
     };
 };
+
+/**
+ * Unsigned integer array to string.
+ *
+ * @param uia Unsigned integer array
+ * @return Decoded string
+ */
 WeeChatProtocol._uia2s = function(uia) {
     var str = [];
 
@@ -29,36 +49,352 @@ WeeChatProtocol._uia2s = function(uia) {
 
     return decodeURIComponent(escape(str.join('')));
 };
+
+/**
+ * Merges default parameters with overriding parameters.
+ *
+ * @param defaults Default parameters
+ * @param override Overriding parameters
+ * @return Merged parameters
+ */
+WeeChatProtocol._mergeParams = function(defaults, override) {
+    for (var v in override) {
+        defaults[v] = override[v];
+    }
+
+    return defaults;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Formats a command.
+ *
+ * @param id Command ID (null for no ID)
+ * @param name Command name
+ * @param parts Command parts
+ * @return Formatted command string
+ */
+WeeChatProtocol._formatCmd = function(id, name, parts) {
+    var cmdIdName;
+    var cmd;
+
+    cmdIdName = (id !== null) ? '(' + id + ') ' : '';
+    cmdIdName += name;
+    parts.unshift(cmdIdName);
+    cmd = parts.join(' ');
+    cmd += '\n';
+
+    return cmd;
+};
+
+/**
+ * Formats an init command.
+ *
+ * @param params Parameters:
+ *      password: password (optional)
+ *      compression: compression ('off' or 'zlib') (optional)
+ * @return Formatted init command string
+ */
+WeeChatProtocol.formatInit = function(params) {
+    var defaultParams = {
+        password: null,
+        compression: 'off'
+    };
+    var keys = [];
+    var parts = [];
+
+    params = WeeChatProtocol._mergeParams(defaultParams, params);
+    keys.push('compression=' + params.compression);
+    if (params.password !== null) {
+        keys.push('password=' + params.password);
+    }
+    parts.push(keys.join(','));
+
+    return WeeChatProtocol._formatCmd(null, 'init', parts);
+};
+
+/**
+ * Formats an hdata command.
+ *
+ * @param params Parameters:
+ *      id: command ID (optional)
+ *      path: hdata path (mandatory)
+ *      keys: array of keys (optional)
+ * @return Formatted hdata command string
+ */
+WeeChatProtocol.formatHdata = function(params) {
+    var defaultParams = {
+        id: null,
+        keys: null
+    };
+    var parts = [];
+
+    params = WeeChatProtocol._mergeParams(defaultParams, params);
+    parts.push(params.path);
+    if (params.keys !== null) {
+        parts.push(params.keys.join(','));
+    }
+
+    return WeeChatProtocol._formatCmd(params.id, 'hdata', parts);
+};
+
+/**
+ * Formats an info command.
+ *
+ * @param params Parameters:
+ *      id: command ID (optional)
+ *      name: info name (mandatory)
+ * @return Formatted info command string
+ */
+WeeChatProtocol.formatInfo = function(params) {
+    var defaultParams = {
+        id: null
+    };
+    var parts = [];
+
+    params = WeeChatProtocol._mergeParams(defaultParams, params);
+    parts.push(params.name);
+
+    return WeeChatProtocol._formatCmd(params.id, 'info', parts);
+};
+
+/**
+ * Formats a nicklist command.
+ *
+ * @param params Parameters:
+ *      id: command ID (optional)
+ *      buffer: buffer name (optional)
+ * @return Formatted nicklist command string
+ */
+WeeChatProtocol.formatNicklist = function(params) {
+    var defaultParams = {
+        id: null,
+        buffer: null
+    };
+    var parts = [];
+
+    params = WeeChatProtocol._mergeParams(defaultParams, params);
+    if (params.buffer !== null) {
+        parts.push(params.buffer);
+    }
+
+    return WeeChatProtocol._formatCmd(params.id, 'nicklist', parts);
+};
+
+/**
+ * Formats an input command.
+ *
+ * @param params Parameters:
+ *      id: command ID (optional)
+ *      buffer: target buffer (mandatory)
+ *      data: input data (mandatory)
+ * @return Formatted input command string
+ */
+WeeChatProtocol.formatInput = function(params) {
+    var defaultParams = {
+        id: null
+    };
+    var parts = [];
+
+    params = WeeChatProtocol._mergeParams(defaultParams, params);
+    parts.push(params.buffer);
+    parts.push(params.data);
+
+    return WeeChatProtocol._formatCmd(params.id, 'input', parts);
+};
+
+/**
+ * Formats a sync or a desync command.
+ *
+ * @param params Parameters (see _formatSync and _formatDesync)
+ * @return Formatted sync/desync command string
+ */
+WeeChatProtocol._formatSyncDesync = function(cmdName, params) {
+    var defaultParams = {
+        id: null,
+        buffers: null,
+        options: null
+    };
+    var parts = [];
+
+    params = WeeChatProtocol._mergeParams(defaultParams, params);
+    if (params.buffers !== null) {
+        parts.push(params.buffers.join(','));
+        if (params.options !== null) {
+            parts.push(params.options.join(','));
+        }
+    }
+
+    return WeeChatProtocol._formatCmd(params.id, cmdName, parts);
+}
+
+/**
+ * Formats a sync command.
+ *
+ * @param params Parameters:
+ *      id: command ID (optional)
+ *      buffers: array of buffers to sync (optional)
+ *      options: array of options (optional)
+ * @return Formatted sync command string
+ */
+WeeChatProtocol.formatSync = function(params) {
+    return WeeChatProtocol._formatSyncDesync('sync', params);
+};
+
+/**
+ * Formats a desync command.
+ *
+ * @param params Parameters:
+ *      id: command ID (optional)
+ *      buffers: array of buffers to desync (optional)
+ *      options: array of options (optional)
+ * @return Formatted desync command string
+ */
+WeeChatProtocol.formatDesync = function(params) {
+    return WeeChatProtocol._formatSyncDesync('desync', params);
+};
+
+/**
+ * Formats a test command.
+ *
+ * @param params Parameters:
+ *      id: command ID (optional)
+ * @return Formatted test command string
+ */
+WeeChatProtocol.formatTest = function(params) {
+    var defaultParams = {
+        id: null
+    };
+    var parts = [];
+
+    params = WeeChatProtocol._mergeParams(defaultParams, params);
+
+    return WeeChatProtocol._formatCmd(params.id, 'test', parts);
+};
+
+/**
+ * Formats a quit command.
+ *
+ * @return Formatted quit command string
+ */
+WeeChatProtocol.formatQuit = function() {
+    return WeeChatProtocol._formatCmd(null, 'quit', []);
+};
+
+/**
+ * Formats a ping command.
+ *
+ * @param params Parameters:
+ *      id: command ID (optional)
+ *      args: array of custom arguments (optional)
+ * @return Formatted ping command string
+ */
+WeeChatProtocol.formatPing = function(params) {
+    var defaultParams = {
+        id: null,
+        args: null
+    };
+    var parts = [];
+
+    params = WeeChatProtocol._mergeParams(defaultParams, params);
+    if (params.args !== null) {
+        parts.push(params.args.join(' '));
+    }
+
+    return WeeChatProtocol._formatCmd(params.id, 'ping', parts);
+};
+
 WeeChatProtocol.prototype = {
+    /**
+     * Warns that message parsing is not implemented for a
+     * specific type.
+     *
+     * @param type Message type to display
+     */
+    _warnUnimplemented: function(type) {
+        console.log('Warning: ' + type + ' message parsing is not implemented');
+    },
+
+    /**
+     * Reads a 3-character message type token value from current
+     * set data.
+     *
+     * @return Type
+     */
     _getType: function() {
         var t = this._getSlice(3);
 
+        if (!t) {
+            return null;
+        }
+
         return WeeChatProtocol._uia2s(new Uint8Array(t));
     },
+
+    /**
+     * Runs the appropriate read routine for the specified message type.
+     *
+     * @param type Message type
+     * @return Data value
+     */
     _runType: function(type) {
         var cb = this._types[type];
         var boundCb = cb.bind(this);
 
         return boundCb();
     },
+
+    /**
+     * Reads a "number as a string" token value from current set data.
+     *
+     * @return Number as a string
+     */
     _getStrNumber: function() {
         var len = this._getByte();
         var str = this._getSlice(len);
 
         return WeeChatProtocol._uia2s(new Uint8Array(str));
     },
+
+    /**
+     * Returns the passed object.
+     *
+     * @param obj Object
+     * @return Passed object
+     */
     _strDirect: function(obj) {
         return obj;
     },
+
+    /**
+     * Calls toString() on the passed object and returns the value.
+     *
+     * @param obj Object to call toString() on
+     * @return String value of object
+     */
     _strToString: function(obj) {
         return obj.toString();
     },
+
+    /**
+     * Gets the string value of an object representing the message
+     * value for a specified type.
+     *
+     * @param obj Object for which to get the string value
+     * @param type Message type
+     * @return String value of object
+     */
     _objToString: function(obj, type) {
         var cb = this._typesStr[type];
         var boundCb = cb.bind(this);
 
         return boundCb(obj);
     },
+
+    /**
+     * Reads an info token value from current set data.
+     *
+     * @return Info object
+     */
     _getInfo: function() {
         var info = {};
         info.key = this._getString();
@@ -66,6 +402,12 @@ WeeChatProtocol.prototype = {
 
         return info;
     },
+
+    /**
+     * Reads an hdata token value from current set data.
+     *
+     * @return Hdata object
+     */
     _getHdata: function() {
         var self = this;
         var paths;
@@ -95,14 +437,32 @@ WeeChatProtocol.prototype = {
 
         return objs;
     },
+
+    /**
+     * Reads a pointer token value from current set data.
+     *
+     * @return Pointer value
+     */
     _getPointer: function() {
         return this._getStrNumber();
     },
+
+    /**
+     * Reads a time token value from current set data.
+     *
+     * @return Time value (Date)
+     */
     _getTime: function() {
         var str = this._getStrNumber();
 
-        return new Date(parseInt(str));
+        return new Date(parseInt(str) * 1000);
     },
+
+    /**
+     * Reads an integer token value from current set data.
+     *
+     * @return Integer value
+     */
     _getInt: function() {
         var parsedData = new Uint8Array(this._getSlice(4));
 
@@ -111,14 +471,32 @@ WeeChatProtocol.prototype = {
             ((parsedData[2] & 0xff) << 8) |
             (parsedData[3] & 0xff);
     },
+
+    /**
+     * Reads a byte from current set data.
+     *
+     * @return Byte value (integer)
+     */
     _getByte: function() {
         var parsedData = new Uint8Array(this._getSlice(1));
 
         return parsedData[0];
     },
+
+    /**
+     * Reads a character token value from current set data.
+     *
+     * @return Character (string)
+     */
     _getChar: function() {
         return String.fromCharCode(this._getByte());
     },
+
+    /**
+     * Reads a string token value from current set data.
+     *
+     * @return String value
+     */
     _getString: function() {
         var l = this._getInt();
 
@@ -131,6 +509,12 @@ WeeChatProtocol.prototype = {
 
         return "";
     },
+
+    /**
+     * Reads a message header from current set data.
+     *
+     * @return Header object
+     */
     _getHeader: function() {
         var len = this._getInt();
         var comp = this._getByte();
@@ -140,9 +524,21 @@ WeeChatProtocol.prototype = {
             compression: comp,
         };
     },
+
+    /**
+     * Reads a message header ID from current set data.
+     *
+     * @return Message ID (string)
+     */
     _getId: function() {
         return this._getString();
     },
+
+    /**
+     * Reads an arbitrary object token from current set data.
+     *
+     * @return Object value
+     */
     _getObject: function() {
         var self = this;
         var type = this._getType();
@@ -154,6 +550,12 @@ WeeChatProtocol.prototype = {
             };
         }
     },
+
+    /**
+     * Reads an hash table token from current set data.
+     *
+     * @return Hash table
+     */
     _getHashTable: function() {
         var self = this;
         var typeKeys, typeValues, count;
@@ -166,12 +568,18 @@ WeeChatProtocol.prototype = {
         for (var i = 0; i < count; ++i) {
             var key = self._runType(typeKeys);
             var keyStr = self._objToString(key, typeKeys);
-            var value = self.runType(typeValues);
+            var value = self._runType(typeValues);
             dict[keyStr] = value;
         }
 
         return dict;
     },
+
+    /**
+     * Reads an array token from current set data.
+     *
+     * @return Array
+     */
     _getArray: function() {
         var self = this;
         var type;
@@ -188,16 +596,40 @@ WeeChatProtocol.prototype = {
 
         return values;
     },
+
+    /**
+     * Reads a specified number of bytes from current set data.
+     *
+     * @param length Number of bytes to read
+     * @return Sliced array
+     */
     _getSlice: function(length) {
+        if (this.dataAt + length > this._data.byteLength) {
+            return null;
+        }
+
         var slice = this._data.slice(this._dataAt, this._dataAt + length);
 
         this._dataAt += length;
 
         return slice;
     },
+
+    /**
+     * Sets the current data.
+     *
+     * @param data Current data
+     */
     _setData: function (data) {
         this._data = data;
     },
+
+    /**
+     * Parses a WeeChat message.
+     *
+     * @param data Message data (ArrayBuffer)
+     * @return Message value
+     */
     parse: function(data) {
         var self = this;