CLI Chat Application

A simple command-line chat application built with Python using sockets and threading for real-time communication between a server and client.

Features

• Real-time bidirectional communication
• Support for multiple client connections
• Clean exit mechanism with 'bye' command
• Cross-platform compatibility (Windows/Unix)
• Clear console interface
• Graceful handling of unexpected disconnections

Prerequisites

• Python 3.x

Installation

1. Clone the repository:

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

Usage

1. Start the server:

python server.py

2. Start the client in a different terminal:

python client.py

3. Start chatting:

• Type your message and press Enter to send
• Type 'bye' to exit the chat
• The server can shut down all connections by typing 'bye'

How It Works

Server (server.py)

• Listens on port 5000
• Handles multiple client connections using select
• Broadcasts messages to connected clients
• Manages client disconnections gracefully

Client (client.py)

• Connects to the server on localhost:5000
• Uses threading for simultaneous message sending and receiving
• Provides a clean console interface
• Handles server disconnection gracefully

Commands

• bye: Exit the chat (works for both client and server)
• Server's 'bye': Shuts down the server and disconnects all clients
• Client's 'bye': Disconnects the client while keeping the server running

Error Handling

• Handles unexpected client disconnections
• Manages server shutdown gracefully
• Cleans up resources properly
• Clear error messages for common issues

Contributing

1. Fork the repository
2. Create your feature branch (git checkout -b feature/AmazingFeature)
3. Commit your changes (git commit -m 'Add some AmazingFeature')
4. Push to the branch (git push origin feature/AmazingFeature)
5. Open a Pull Request