Simple C Chat Application (Client/Server)

A basic, single-connection TCP chat application implemented in C that demonstrates fundamental socket programming concepts including creation, binding, listening, connecting, and sending/receiving data using the standard BSD socket API.

📁 Project Structure

File	Description
server.c	Listens on a specified port (8080), accepts a single incoming client connection, and echoes messages from the client
client.c	Connects to the server (on 127.0.0.1:8080) and allows the user to send messages to the server, displaying the server's acknowledgment

⚙️ Compilation

This project is intended for Linux/Unix-like environments. Compile both files using the GCC compiler:

gcc -o server server.c
gcc -o client client.c

🚀 Usage

The server must be started before the client. Both executables require a separate terminal window.

Starting the Server

./server

The server will wait for a connection on port 8080.

Starting the Client

./client

The client will attempt to connect to 127.0.0.1:8080.

Chatting

Once connected, type messages in the client window. The client sends the message, and the server responds with a simple acknowledgment.

Exiting

Type quit in the client window to gracefully close the connection and shut down both applications.

📝 Features

• Protocol: Uses TCP sockets for reliable, stream-based communication
• Port: Runs on port 8080 by default
• Connection: Supports a single, synchronous client connection
• Simple Interface: Basic command-line interaction for testing socket communication

🎯 Limitations

• Single client connection only (no concurrent users)
• No advanced error handling or recovery
• Basic message echoing functionality only

🛠️ Requirements

• Linux/Unix-like environment
• GCC compiler
• Basic knowledge of terminal usage