HTTP Client-Server Chat Application

A simple real-time chat application using Python's built-in HTTP server capabilities. No external dependencies required!

📁 Files

File	Description
server.py	HTTP server that handles messages and serves a web UI
client.py	Command-line chat client
INSTRUCTIONS.md	This file

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🚀 Quick Start

Step 1: Start the Server

Open a terminal and run:

python3 server.py

You should see:

╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║              HTTP Chat Server Started                    ║
╠══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣
║  Server running at: http://localhost:8080                ║
...

Step 2: Connect Clients

You have two options to chat:

Option A: Web Browser (Recommended)

1. Open your browser
2. Go to: http://localhost:8080
3. Enter a username and start chatting!

Option B: Command-Line Client

Open a new terminal and run:

python3 client.py

Follow the prompts to enter your username and start chatting.

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💬 Using the Command-Line Client

Available Commands

Command	Description
/name <username>	Change your display name
/status	Check server connection status
/history	View all messages
/clear	Clear the terminal screen
/quit or /exit	Exit the client

Example Session

Enter your username (or press Enter for 'Anonymous'): Alice

👋 Welcome, Alice!

Alice> Hello everyone!
Alice> /status
✅ Server: online
📊 Messages: 1
Alice> /quit

👋 Goodbye!

---

🌐 API Endpoints

The server exposes these HTTP endpoints:

Method	Endpoint	Description
GET	/	Web-based chat interface
GET	/messages	Get all messages (JSON)
GET	/messages?since=N	Get messages after index N
GET	/status	Server status check
POST	/send	Send a new message

Example API Usage with cURL

Send a message:

curl -X POST http://localhost:8080/send \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"username": "Bob", "message": "Hello from cURL!"}'

Get all messages:

curl http://localhost:8080/messages

Check server status:

curl http://localhost:8080/status

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🔧 Customization

Change the Port

Edit server.py and modify the run_server() call at the bottom:

if __name__ == '__main__':
    run_server(port=3000)  # Change to your preferred port

Connect to a Remote Server

python3 client.py http://192.168.1.100:8080

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📋 Requirements

• Python 3.6+ (No external packages needed!)
• Works on macOS, Linux, and Windows

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🏗️ Architecture

┌─────────────────┐         HTTP         ┌─────────────────┐
│                 │◄────────────────────►│                 │
│  Chat Server    │    GET /messages     │  Web Browser    │
│  (server.py)    │    POST /send        │  (localhost)    │
│                 │                      │                 │
└────────┬────────┘                      └─────────────────┘
         │
         │  HTTP
         │
┌────────▼────────┐
│                 │
│  CLI Client     │
│  (client.py)    │
│                 │
└─────────────────┘

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⚠️ Notes

• Messages are stored in memory and will be lost when the server stops
• This is designed for learning purposes, not production use
• The web UI polls for new messages every 2 seconds

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🎉 Have Fun Chatting!

Open multiple terminals or browser tabs to simulate multiple users chatting with each other.