Chat-Application

A simple real-time chat application built with Python using the socket module for backend communication and (optionally) Flask for the web interface.

Features

• Real-time messaging between multiple users
• Command-line client for chat
• Easy to set up and run locally
• Uses Python's standard socket module for networking

Communication Sequence

To help you understand how the chat server works, here’s a visual overview of the communication sequence:

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How This Project Works

Server Side

• The server is started using python server.py.
• It listens for incoming client connections on 127.0.0.1 and the specified port.
• For each client, it receives a username, validates it, and starts a new thread to handle messages from that client.
• When a client sends a message, the server broadcasts it to all connected clients and prints it on the server terminal.

Client Side

• The client is started using python clinet.py.
• The user is prompted to enter a username.
• The client connects to the server and sends the username.
• The client can send messages to the server, which are then broadcast to all other clients.
• The client also listens for messages from the server and displays them in real time.

Client-Server Communication Sequence

Below is a visual representation of how the client communicates with the server:

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Example: Terminal Working

Below is an example screenshot showing the server and client running in separate terminals:

Left: Server terminal showing received messages. Right: Client terminal for sending and receiving messages.

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Requirements

• Python 3.x

Installation

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/yourusername/Chat-Application.git
   cd Chat-Application

2. (Optional) Install Flask if you plan to use a web interface later:

   pip install Flask

Usage

1. Find a Free Port (Optional)

If you want to use a different port, you can run the provided script to find a free port:

python to_find_a_free_port.py

Update the PORT variable in both server.py and clinet.py if you change the port.

2. Start the Chat Server

python server.py

3. Start the Client(s)

Open a new terminal for each client and run:

python clinet.py

Make sure the HOST and PORT in clinet.py match those in server.py.

4. Chat!

Each client will connect to the server and can send/receive messages in real time.

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Project Structure

Chat-Application/
├── server.py                              # Chat server using sockets
├── clinet.py                              # Command-line chat client
├── to_find_a_free_port.py                 # Utility to find a free port
├── static/                                # (For future Flask web interface)
├── templates/                             # (For future Flask web interface)
├── chat_server_communication_sequence.png # Server communication diagram
├── client_server_communication_sequence.png # Client communication diagram
├── terminal_working_example.png           # Screenshot of terminal working
└── README.md

Notes

• The server listens on 127.0.0.1 (localhost), so only clients on the same machine can connect.
• You can extend this project by adding a Flask web interface in the future.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License.