chat_server

💬💻 Minimalist Chat Server in C

This is a minimalist chat server-client setup written in C using socket programming and the poll() system call to handle multiple file descriptors, allowing the server to receive and send messages between connected clients.

📂 Files

• server.c: Source code for the server that listens for incoming connections and handles communication between clients.
• client.c: Source code for the client that connects to the server and participates in the chat.

🚀 How to Use

1. Compile the Server and Client:

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

2. Run the Server and Client in different windows:

./server
./client

The server will start and listen for incoming client connections on port 9999.

The client will connect to the server, and you can start sending and receiving messages.

3. Chat Interaction

• The server will print messages sent by the client.
• The client will display messages sent by the server.
• Both client and server can type messages in their respective terminals, and the messages will be relayed to each other.

⚙️ How It Works

Key Functions in server.c and client.c:

• socket(): Creates a socket for communication.
• bind(): Binds the socket to a specific IP address and port (server-side).
• listen(): Listens for incoming client connections (server-side).
• accept(): Accepts a new client connection (server-side).
• connect(): Connects to the server (client-side).
• poll(): Monitors multiple file descriptors (stdin and socket) for incoming data.
• read(): Reads input from the standard input (keyboard) or socket.
• send(): Sends messages to the other party (client or server).
• recv(): Receives messages from the other party.

Polling Mechanism:

Both the server and client use poll() to monitor two file descriptors:

1. stdin (Standard Input) for user input.
2. The socket for incoming messages from the other party.

When a file descriptor is ready (either user input or data from the socket), the appropriate action is taken (read from stdin or receive/send data from/to the socket).

📋 Notes

• The server and client both operate in an infinite loop, continuously polling for new data and handling messages.
• This is a minimalist chat application designed for simplicity and demonstration purposes. It can be expanded to handle multiple clients or incorporate more advanced features like message broadcasting or encryption.