TerminalTalk TCP Server 💬

A lightweight, multi-threaded terminal chat application built with C++ and TCP sockets

Features • Quick Start • Installation • Usage • Documentation

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🎯 About

TerminalTalk is a real-time, multi-client chat application that runs entirely in your terminal. Built from scratch using C++ and POSIX sockets, it demonstrates advanced networking concepts including multi-threading, socket programming, and concurrent client handling[web:11][web:20].

🚀 Why TerminalTalk?

• ⚡ Blazing Fast - Pure C++ implementation with minimal overhead
• 🧵 Multi-Threaded - Handle unlimited clients simultaneously
• 🔒 Thread-Safe - Mutex-protected shared resources
• 📦 Zero Dependencies - Only standard C++ libraries
• 🎓 Educational - Clean, well-documented code for learning
• 🛠️ Easy Build - One command compilation with Makefile

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✨ Features

Core Functionality

• ✅ Real-Time Messaging - Instant message delivery via TCP
• ✅ Multi-Client Support - Connect unlimited users simultaneously
• ✅ Username System - Unique usernames for each participant
• ✅ Broadcast Messages - All messages sent to every connected client
• ✅ Join/Leave Notifications - Server announces user activity
• ✅ Graceful Disconnect - Clean exit with /quit or /exit commands
• ✅ Automatic Cleanup - Handles disconnections and crashes elegantly

Technical Features

• Multi-threaded server architecture
• POSIX socket programming
• Mutex-based synchronization
• Thread-safe client management
• Non-blocking I/O operations
• Automatic port reuse

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⚡ Quick Start

NOTE: Final Update From Me!

Clone the repository

git clone https://github.com/suadatbiniqbal/TerminalTalk-TCP-Servewr.git cd TerminalTalk-TCP-Servewr Build everything

make Terminal 1: Start server

./server Terminal 2: Connect first client

./client Terminal 3: Connect second client

./client

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That's it! Start chatting 🎉

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🔧 Prerequisites

• OS: Linux, macOS, or WSL2
• Compiler: GCC/G++ 4.8.1+ with C++11 support
• Build Tool: Make (optional but recommended)

Verify Installation

g++ --version # Should show 4.8.1 or higher make --version # Check if Make is installed

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📥 Installation

Method 1: Using Makefile (Recommended)

Clone repository

git clone https://github.com/suadatbiniqbal/TerminalTalk-TCP-Servewr.git cd TerminalTalk-TCP-Servewr Build both server and client

make

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Method 2: Manual Compilation

Compile server

g++ -std=c++11 -pthread server.cpp -o server Compile client

g++ -std=c++11 -pthread client.cpp -o client

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Method 3: System-Wide Installation

Build and install to /usr/local/bin

make install Now run from anywhere

server # Start server client # Connect client

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🚀 Usage

Starting the Server

make run-server OR

./server

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Output:

[SERVER] Server is listening on port 5555 [SERVER] Waiting for connections...

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Connecting Clients

Terminal 2:

make run-client OR

./client

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You'll see:

Enter your username: Alice [CLIENT] Connected to server at 127.0.0.1:5555 [CLIENT] Type /quit or /exit to disconnect

[SERVER] Welcome Alice! You are now connected. Alice:

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Example Chat Session

Alice:

Alice: Hey everyone! 👋 [SERVER] Bob has joined the chat! Bob: Hi Alice! How's it going? Alice: Great! Welcome Bob!

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Bob:

Enter your username: Bob [SERVER] Welcome Bob! You are now connected. Alice: Hey everyone! 👋 Bob: Hi Alice! How's it going? Alice: Great! Welcome Bob!

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📝 Makefile Commands

Command	Description
make	Build both server and client
make all	Same as make
make server	Build server only
make client	Build client only
make clean	Remove all build files
make rebuild	Clean and rebuild everything
make run-server	Build and run server
make run-client	Build and run client
make install	Install system-wide (requires sudo)
make uninstall	Remove system installation
make help	Show all available commands

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🎮 Chat Commands

Command	Description	Example
/quit	Disconnect from server	/quit
/exit	Disconnect (alternative)	/exit
Ctrl+C	Force disconnect	-

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🏗️ Architecture

System Design

text ┌─────────────────────┐ │ TCP Server │ │ Port: 5555 │ │ Multi-threaded │ └──────────┬──────────┘ │ ┌───────────┼───────────┬───────────┐ │ │ │ │

┌───▼───┐ ┌──▼───┐ ┌───▼───┐ ┌──▼───┐ │Client1│ │Client2│ │Client3│ │Client4│ │ Alice │ │ Bob │ │ Charlie│ │ David│ └───────┘ └───────┘ └────────┘ └───────┘

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Data Flow

1. Connection: Client connects to server (port 5555)
2. Authentication: Server requests username
3. Registration: Client sends username, added to active list
4. Broadcasting: Server announces new user to all clients
5. Messaging: User sends message → Server broadcasts to all
6. Disconnection: User leaves → Server notifies everyone

File Structure

TerminalTalk-TCP-Servewr/ ├── server.cpp # Server implementation ├── client.cpp # Client implementation ├── Makefile # Build automation ├── README.md # This file └── LICENSE # MIT License

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⚙️ Configuration

Change Server Port

Edit server.cpp and client.cpp:

#define PORT 8080 // Change to your preferred port

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Change Server IP (Remote Connection)

Edit client.cpp:

#define SERVER_IP "192.168.1.100" // Your server's IP address

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Adjust Maximum Clients

Edit server.cpp:

#define MAX_CLIENTS 50 // Increase for more users

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Adjust Buffer Size

Edit both files:

#define BUFFER_SIZE 2048 // For longer messages

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Then rebuild:

make rebuild

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🔍 Troubleshooting

❌ Connection Refused

Problem: [ERROR] Connection failed. Make sure the server is running.

Solution:

Ensure server is running first

./server Check if port is available

netstat -tuln | grep 5555

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❌ Port Already in Use

Problem: [ERROR] Bind failed

Solution:

Find process using port 5555

lsof -i :5555 Kill the process

kill -9 Or use make to rebuild

make rebuild

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❌ Compilation Errors

Problem: error: 'thread' is not a member of 'std'

Solution:

Ensure C++11 support

make clean make

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❌ Username Too Short

Problem: [ERROR] Username must be at least 2 characters long

Solution: Enter a username with 2+ characters

❌ Permission Denied (Install)

Problem: Permission errors during make install

Solution:

sudo make install

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🤝 Contributing

Contributions make the open-source community an amazing place to learn and create. Any contributions are greatly appreciated!

How to Contribute

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

Feature Ideas 💡

• Private messaging (/msg username message)
• Chat rooms/channels
• Message encryption (TLS/SSL)
• File transfer support
• Message history/logging
• User authentication system
• Admin commands (kick, ban, mute)
• Emoji support
• Message timestamps
• Color-coded messages
• GUI version (Qt/GTK)
• Windows support (Winsock)

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📚 Documentation

Server Functions:

• broadcast_message() - Send message to all clients except sender
• handle_client() - Manage individual client connections
• remove_client() - Clean up disconnected clients

Client Functions:

• receive_messages() - Listen for incoming messages (thread)
• send_messages() - Handle user input and send (thread)
• connect_to_server() - Establish connection with server

Learning Resources

• Beej's Guide to Network Programming
• POSIX Threads Programming
• C++ Socket Programming Tutorial

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📄 License

Free Open Source

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👤 Author

Suadat Bin Iqbal

• GitHub: @suadatbiniqbal
• Project: TerminalTalk-TCP-Servewr

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🙏 Acknowledgments

• GeeksforGeeks - Socket programming tutorials
• Beej's Guide - Network programming guide
• POSIX Threads - Threading tutorials
• Shields.io - README badges
• Best-README-Template - README inspiration

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📊 Project Stats

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Made with Hate BY suadat

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