CChatApp

CChatApp is a lightweight chat application built from scratch in C. It supports real-time communication between multiple computers using a client-server architecture. The project begins as a Command-Line Interface (CLI) application and is designed to evolve into a GUI-based chat platform.

Features

• Phase 1: Basic client-server messaging over TCP/IP.
• Phase 2: Multi-client support with user identification.
• Phase 3: Optional GUI integration using GTK or Qt.
• Phase 4: Additional features like message encryption and file transfer.

Getting Started

Prerequisites

• GCC or Clang compiler
• Basic understanding of C programming
• Knowledge of socket programming (helpful, but not mandatory)

Installation

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/your-username/CChatApp.git
   cd CChatApp

2. Compile the application:

   gcc socket_client/main.c utils/utils.c -o client -lpthread
   gcc socket_server/main.c utils/utils.c -o server -lpthread

3. Run the server:

   ./server

4. Run the client (on the same or another machine):

   ./client

Project Phases

Phase 1: CLI-Based Chat Application

• Basic client-server communication
• Support for sending and receiving messages
• Error handling and user validation

Phase 2: Multi-Client Support

• Threaded server to handle multiple clients
• Broadcast messages to all connected clients
• User disconnection handling

Phase 3: GUI Integration

• Design a simple GUI using GTK or Qt
• Add message input/output areas
• Integrate GUI with networking logic

Phase 4: Advanced Features

• Message encryption using OpenSSL
• File transfer support
• Chat themes and user preferences

Directory Structure

CChatApp/  
├── LICENSE
├── README.md
├── client
├── server
├── socket_client
│   ├── a.out
│   ├── client.h
│   └── main.c
├── socket_server
│   ├── main.c
│   └── server.h
└── utils
    ├── utils.c
    └── utils.h

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please follow these steps:

1. Fork the repository.
2. Create a new branch:

   git checkout -b feature-name

3. Commit your changes:

   git commit -m "Add feature-name"

4. Push to the branch:

   git push origin feature-name

5. Open a pull request.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License. See the LICENSE file for details.

Acknowledgments

• Beej's Guide to Network Programming for socket programming resources.
• The C programming community for their valuable tools and libraries.

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