TCPChat

TCPChat is a Go-based implementation of a simple chat system using a Server-Client architecture, inspired by the NetCat utility. This project creates a group chat where multiple clients can connect to a server, send messages, and receive updates in real-time.

Objectives

The goal of this project is to recreate the functionalities of NetCat in a chat application that supports the following features:

TCP Connection: Establish a TCP connection between a server and multiple clients (one-to-many relationship). Client Naming: Each client must provide a unique name upon connection. Connection Control: The server should manage a maximum of 10 concurrent connections. Message Handling: Clients can send messages that are timestamped and prefixed with the sender's name. Message Synchronization: New clients joining the chat should receive all previous messages. Join/Leave Notifications: The server should notify all clients when a new client joins or when a client leaves. Non-Empty Messages: Empty messages should not be broadcasted to other clients. Default Port: If no port is specified, the application defaults to port 8989. Requirements Language: Go Concurrency: Utilize Go-routines for handling concurrent connections. Synchronization: Use channels or mutexes to manage concurrent access and communication. Error Handling: Properly handle errors on both server and client sides. Testing: Implement unit tests for both server and client functionalities. Good Practices: Follow Go best practices for clean and maintainable code.

Installation

Clone the Repository:

git clone https://learn.zone01oujda.ma/git/oelhaouc/net-cat.git
cd net-cat

Build the Project:

go build -o TCPchat

Usage Start the Server:

./TCPchat [port]

If no port is specified, the server will listen on port 8989. Connect Clients:

nc [server_ip] [port]

Upon connection, the client will be greeted with a Linux logo and prompted to enter their name. Client Interaction:

Clients can send messages, and they will be displayed to all connected clients in the format:

[YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS][client.name]:[client.message]

Messages are timestamped and include the sender’s name. Join/Leave Notifications:

When a client joins or leaves, the server will notify all other connected clients.

Example

Server:

$ ./TCPchat 2525
Listening on the port :2525

Client 1 (Yenlik):

$ nc localhost 2525
Welcome to TCP-Chat!
         _nnnn_
        dGGGGMMb
       @p~qp~~qMb
       M|@||@) M|
       @,----.JM|
      JS^\__/  qKL
     dZP        qKRb
    dZP          qKKb
   fZP            SMMb
   HZM            MMMM
   FqM            MMMM
 __| ".        |\dS"qML
 |    `.       | `' \Zq
_)      \.___.,|     .'
\____   )MMMMMP|   .'
     `-'       `--'
[ENTER YOUR NAME]: Yenlik
[2020-01-20 16:03:43][Yenlik]:hello
[2020-01-20 16:03:46][Yenlik]:How are you?
[2020-01-20 16:04:10][Yenlik]:
Lee has joined our chat...
[2020-01-20 16:04:15][Yenlik]:
[2020-01-20 16:04:32][Lee]:Hi everyone!
[2020-01-20 16:04:32][Yenlik]:
[2020-01-20 16:04:35][Lee]:How are you?
[2020-01-20 16:04:35][Yenlik]:great, and you?
[2020-01-20 16:04:41][Yenlik]:
[2020-01-20 16:04:44][Lee]:good!
[2020-01-20 16:04:44][Yenlik]:
[2020-01-20 16:04:50][Lee]:alright, see ya!
[2020-01-20 16:04:50][Yenlik]:bye-bye!
[2020-01-20 16:04:57][Yenlik]:
Lee has left our chat...
[2020-01-20 16:04:59][Yenlik]:

Client 2 (Lee):

$ nc localhost 2525
Yenliks-MacBook-Air:simpleTCPChat ybokina$ nc localhost 2525
Yenliks-MacBook-Air:simpleTCPChat ybokina$ nc localhost 2525
Welcome to TCP-Chat!
         _nnnn_
        dGGGGMMb
       @p~qp~~qMb
       M|@||@) M|
       @,----.JM|
      JS^\__/  qKL
     dZP        qKRb
    dZP          qKKb
   fZP            SMMb
   HZM            MMMM
   FqM            MMMM
 __| ".        |\dS"qML
 |    `.       | `' \Zq
_)      \.___.,|     .'
\____   )MMMMMP|   .'
     `-'       `--'
[ENTER YOUR NAME]: Lee
[2020-01-20 16:03:43][Yenlik]:hello
[2020-01-20 16:03:46][Yenlik]:How are you?
[2020-01-20 16:04:15][Lee]:Hi everyone!
[2020-01-20 16:04:32][Lee]:How are you?
[2020-01-20 16:04:35][Lee]:
[2020-01-20 16:04:41][Yenlik]:great, and you?
[2020-01-20 16:04:41][Lee]:good!
[2020-01-20 16:04:44][Lee]:alright, see ya!
[2020-01-20 16:04:50][Lee]:
[2020-01-20 16:04:57][Yenlik]:bye-bye!
[2020-01-20 16:04:57][Lee]:^C

Acknowledgements

Inspired by NetCat and its functionalities. Special thanks to the Go community for their support and libraries.