Socket Chat App 💬

A simple yet efficient real-time chat application implemented in C++ using socket programming. This application consists of a server and client component that enables multiple users to communicate in real-time over a network.

🌟 Features

• Real-time Communication: Direct TCP socket communication between server and clients
• Multi-client Support: Server can handle multiple simultaneous client connections
• Cross-platform Compatibility: Works on Linux, Windows, and macOS
• Lightweight: Minimal resource usage with native C++ implementation
• Console-based Interface: Simple terminal-based chat interface
• Thread-safe Operations: Proper handling of concurrent client connections

🚀 Technologies Used

• Language: C++
• Networking: TCP Sockets (Berkeley sockets / Winsock)
• Threading: POSIX threads (pthread) / Windows threads
• Build System: Make / CMake (depending on your setup)

📋 Prerequisites

Linux/macOS

• GCC compiler (g++) version 7.0 or higher
• POSIX-compliant system
• Make utility

Windows

• MinGW-w64 or Visual Studio with C++ support
• Windows SDK (for Winsock)

⚡ Quick Start

1. Clone the Repository

git clone https://github.com/Dipukumar1997/SocketChatApp.git
cd SocketChatApp

2. Compile the Programs

Linux/macOS:

# Compile server
g++ -o server server.cpp -lpthread

# Compile client
g++ -o client client.cpp -lpthread

Windows (MinGW):

# Compile server
g++ -o server.exe server.cpp -lws2_32

# Compile client
g++ -o client.exe client.cpp -lws2_32

3. Run the Application

Start the Server:

./server
# or on Windows: server.exe

Connect Clients:

./client
# or on Windows: client.exe

📁 Project Structure

SocketChatApp/
├── server.cpp            # Server implementation
├── client.cpp            # Client implementation
├── README.md             # Project documentation
└── LICENSE               # License file 

💻 Usage

Starting the Chat System

1. Start the Server First:

   ./server

   The server will start listening on a default port (usually 8080 or as configured).

2. Connect Multiple Clients:

   ./client

   Each client will prompt for connection details and username.

3. Start Chatting:

   • Type messages in any client terminal
   • Messages will be broadcasted to all connected clients
   • Use special commands (if implemented) like /quit to exit

Configuration

Server Configuration

The server typically uses these default settings:

• Port: 8080 (see the console for {PORT})
• Max Connections: 10 (or as configured)
• Buffer Size: 1024 bytes (or as defined)

Client Configuration

• Server IP: localhost/127.0.0.1 (default)
• Server Port: Must match server port
• Username: Prompted during connection

🔧 Customization

Modifying Connection Parameters

In server.cpp:

#define PORT 8080           // Change server port
#define MAX_CLIENTS 10      // Maximum concurrent clients
#define BUFFER_SIZE 1024    // Message buffer size

In client.cpp:

#define SERVER_IP "127.0.0.1"  // Server IP address
#define PORT 8080              // Server port (must match server)
#define BUFFER_SIZE 1024       // Message buffer size

🧪 Testing

Basic Functionality Test

1. Single Client Test:

   # Terminal 1
   ./server
   
   # Terminal 2
   ./client

2. Multiple Clients Test:

   # Terminal 1: Server
   ./server
   
   # Terminal 2: Client 1
   ./client
   
   # Terminal 3: Client 2
   ./client
   
   # Terminal 4: Client 3
   ./client

3. Network Test:

   • Run server on one machine
   • Connect clients from different machines on the same network
   • Update client.cpp with server's actual IP address

🐛 Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Connection Refused:

• Ensure server is running before starting clients
• Check if the port is already in use
• Verify firewall settings

Compilation Errors:

# Linux: Install build essentials
sudo apt-get install build-essential

# Missing pthread library
sudo apt-get install libc6-dev

Windows Socket Errors:

• Ensure Winsock2 is properly linked (-lws2_32)
• Check Windows Defender firewall settings

Debug Mode

Compile with debug flags for troubleshooting:

g++ -g -DDEBUG -o server server.cpp -lpthread
g++ -g -DDEBUG -o client client.cpp -lpthread

🚀 Deployment

Local Network Deployment

1. Configure Server IP:

   • Find server machine's IP address: ifconfig (Linux/Mac) or ipconfig (Windows)
   • Update client.cpp with the server's IP address

2. Firewall Configuration:

   • Open the port used by the server (default 8080)
   • Allow incoming connections for the server application

3. Run Across Network:

   # On server machine
   ./server
   
   # On client machines
   ./client

📚 Code Architecture

Server Architecture

• Main Thread: Accepts incoming connections
• Client Threads: Handle individual client communication
• Broadcast Function: Sends messages to all connected clients
• Connection Management: Maintains list of active clients

Client Architecture

• Main Thread: Handles user input
• Receive Thread: Listens for incoming messages from server
• Send Function: Sends user messages to server

🤝 Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Here's how you can help:

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch:

   git checkout -b feature/new-feature

3. Make your changes:
   • Follow C++ best practices
   • Add comments for complex logic
   • Test thoroughly on different platforms
4. Commit your changes:

   git commit -m "Add new feature: description"

5. Push and create a Pull Request

Coding Standards

• Use consistent indentation (4 spaces or tabs)
• Follow C++ naming conventions
• Add error handling for socket operations
• Include comments for complex algorithms
• Test on both Linux and Windows if possible

🔮 Future Enhancements

• GUI interface using Qt or GTK
• Private messaging between specific users
• File transfer capabilities
• Message encryption (SSL/TLS)
• User authentication system
• Chat rooms/channels
• Message history logging
• Configuration file support
• IPv6 support
• Reconnection handling

📄 License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

👨‍💻 Author

Dipu Kumar

• GitHub: @Dipukumar1997

• Email: [[email protected]]

🙏 Acknowledgments

• C++ Socket Programming tutorials and documentation
• POSIX threading documentation
• Winsock API documentation
• Open source community for inspiration and best practices

📞 Support

If you encounter issues:

1. Check the Issues section
2. Create a new issue with:
   • Operating system and version
   • Compiler version
   • Error messages or unexpected behavior
   • Steps to reproduce the problem

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