Simple Chat Application

Overview

This repository contains a basic implementation of a chat client-server application using Java. The project demonstrates networking concepts, including socket communication and multithreading.

Components

1. Client: A GUI-based chat client that allows users to send messages to a server.
2. Server: A multi-threaded server that accepts connections from multiple clients and handles incoming messages.
3. ReaderJob: A Runnable task that reads messages from the client socket and prints them to the console.

Files

Client.java

This file contains the implementation of the chat client. The client GUI includes a text field for input and a send button to transmit messages to the server.

Key Features:

• Establishes a connection to the server using a SocketChannel.
• Sends messages typed in the text field to the server.
• Utilizes Swing components for the GUI.

public class Client {
    // GUI components and networking setup
}

ReaderJob.java

This file defines a Runnable task that reads messages from a BufferedReader and prints them to the console. It is used by the server to handle incoming messages from clients.

Key Features:

• Continuously reads messages from the client socket.
• Closes the reader upon completion or error.

public class ReaderJob implements Runnable {
    // Reads messages from a BufferedReader and prints them
}

Server.java

This file contains the implementation of the chat server. The server listens for incoming client connections and spawns a new ReaderJob thread for each connection to handle message reading.

Key Features:

• Binds to a specified port and accepts client connections.
• Uses a thread pool to manage multiple client connections concurrently.
• Reads messages from clients and can be extended to broadcast messages to all connected clients.

public class Server {
    // Server setup and client connection handling
}

How to Run

Server:

• Compile and run Server.java.
• The server will start and listen for connections on port 7213.

Client:

• Compile and run Client.java.
• A GUI window will appear where you can type and send messages.

Dependencies

• Java SE Development Kit (JDK) 8 or higher.

Future Improvements

• Implement message broadcasting to all connected clients.
• Add a GUI component to display incoming messages on the client side.
• Improve error handling and user feedback in the GUI.
• Enhance security features such as authentication and encryption.