local-network-chat-app

Simple Chat Application using Network Socket Programming in C#

Project Overview

The goal of this project is to develop a basic chat application in C# that allows communication between a server and multiple clients over a local network. The application will utilize both TCP/IP and UDP protocols to establish connections, enabling automatic server discovery for clients and seamless message exchange.

Key Features

• Server-Client Architecture: The application will offer the flexibility to function as either a server or a client upon startup, providing options for initiating connections or listening for incoming connections.
• Automatic Server Discovery: The server will utilize UDP broadcasting to announce its presence on the local network. Clients will employ UDP listening to automatically discover the server without explicitly specifying its address.
• Message Exchange: Once connected, the server and client(s) will be able to exchange text-based messages in real-time, enabling a basic chat interface.

Technical Implementation

• Socket Programming in C#: Utilize the .NET Socket class for network communication. TCP/IP will be employed for reliable, stream-oriented communication between the server and clients, ensuring message delivery.
• Combining TCP/IP and UDP: TCP/IP will be used for establishing connections and maintaining communication, while UDP will facilitate the initial server discovery process for clients through broadcasting and listening for server announcements.
• Multi-threading: Implement multi-threading to handle simultaneous connections from multiple clients and ensure the responsiveness of the application during message exchange.

Technologies Used

• APP Name: local-network-chat-app
• Material Design in Xaml: http://materialdesigninxaml.net/
• WPF
• C#

Sample Output

Sample output located in: bin/Release/net6.0-windows Tested on Windows 11

Screenshots

Server

Client

Conclusion

This project aims to create a functional chat application using C# and network socket programming techniques, providing a basic yet robust platform for communication between a server and multiple clients over a local network. The combination of TCP/IP for reliable data transfer and UDP for server discovery will ensure seamless connectivity.