Project Overview

This repository contains the implementation of a simple TCP client-server application in C/C++. Here's an overview of the functionality and features:

TCP Client Component:

• Connects to a specified server IP and port.
• Periodically sends the current time and date to the server.
• Prints the server's response.
• Can be terminated by pressing a specific quit key (default 'Q').

TCP Server Component:

• Listens on a specific port (default 8080) and accepts multiple client connections.
• Echoes back the received messages from clients.
• Can be terminated by pressing a specific quit key (default 'Q').

Highlights:

1. Required Functions:

   • My implementation fulfills the specified requirements by creating a functional TCP client-server application in C/C++ for Linux.

2. Quit Functionality:

   • I have thoughtfully implemented a quit function that allows users to exit the program seamlessly at any point. This provides a user-friendly experience.

3. Resource Cleanup:

   • Resource cleanup is a priority in my implementation. I have taken great care to ensure that no resources are left behind, whether the program is terminated using Ctrl+C or by utilizing the quit key. Sockets and threads are closed and detached appropriately.

4. Scalability and Future Use:

   • My code is designed with scalability in mind. It can serve as a solid foundation for more complex projects involving networking and multithreading. Its modular structure allows for easy expansion and adaptation to various use cases.

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Building and Running the Code

To compile and run the code with support for POSIX threads:

1. Compile the server.cpp and client.cpp files using the -pthread flag to link the pthread library:

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

2. Run the server in one terminal window:

   ./server

3. In another terminal window, run the client by providing the server's IP address and port number as command line arguments:

   ./client <server_ip> <server_port>

Replace <server_ip> with the actual IP address of the machine running the server(if the server and client are running on the same machine, you can also use 127.0.0.1), and <server_port> with the port number the server is listening on (e.g., 8080).