MQTT Chat Application

A Python-based chat application using MQTT for real-time messaging and file transfer capabilities.

Features

• Real-time messaging between users
• File transfer support
• Message queueing for offline users
• Client address discovery
• Direct messaging capabilities

Prerequisites

• Python 3.7+
• paho-mqtt

Installation

1. Clone the repository:

git clone [repository-url]
cd mqtt-chat-app

2. Create and activate a virtual environment:

python -m venv .venv
source .venv/bin/activate  # On Windows: .venv\Scripts\activate

3. Install dependencies:

pip install paho-mqtt

Usage

Starting the Server

To start the chat server:

python src/chat_app.py server

The server will start and listen for incoming connections on the default MQTT port (1883).

Starting a Client

To start a chat client with a username:

python src/chat_app.py [username]

Replace [username] with your desired username.

Available Commands

Once connected as a client, the following commands are available:

1. Send Message: Sends a message to the specified user.

   send <username> <message>
   

   Example: send alice Yooo, wassaup homie?

2. Send File: Sends a file to the specified user.

   file <username> <filepath>
   

   Example: file bob /path/to/document.pdf

3. Request User Address: Requests the client ID for the specified username.

   address <username>
   

   Example: address charlie

4. Quit Application: Exits the chat application.

   quit