Bash-Chat

This repository contains a simple chat application implemented in Bash using netcat. The application consists of two scripts: client and server.

Requirements

• Bash
• netcat (nc)

Files

• client: Script to connect to the chat server.
• server: Script to host the chat server.

Usage

Server

To start the server, run the server script. You can optionally specify a port number as an argument. If no port is provided, the default port 9999 will be used.

chmod +x server.sh
./server [port]

Example:

chmod +x server.sh
./server 8888

After starting the server, it will prompt for a username. Enter your desired username to start the chat server. The server will then wait for a client to join.

Client

To connect to the chat server, run the client script. It will prompt you to enter the hostname or IP address of the server and the port number.

chmod +x client.sh
./client

Example:

Enter the hostname or IP address: 127.0.0.1
Enter the port number: 8888

After entering the details, the client will connect to the server and you can start chatting.

Features

• Ascii art displayed on both server and client startup.
• Real-time messaging between server and client.
• Color-coded messages for easier readability.

Example

Server Output

 ▄▄▄▄    ▄▄▄        ██████  ██░ ██     ▄████▄   ██░ ██  ▄▄▄     ▄▄▄█████▓
▓█████▄ ▒████▄    ▒██    ▒ ▓██░ ██▒   ▒██▀ ▀█  ▓██░ ██▒▒████▄   ▓  ██▒ ▓▒
▒██▒ ▄██▒██  ▀█▄  ░ ▓██▄   ▒██▀▀██░   ▒▓█    ▄ ▒██▀▀██░▒██  ▀█▄ ▒ ▓██░ ▒░
▒██░█▀  ░██▄▄▄▄██   ▒   ██▒░▓█ ░██    ▒▓▓▄ ▄██▒░▓█ ░██ ░██▄▄▄▄██░ ▓██▓ ░
░▓█   ▀█▓ ▓█   ▓██▒▒██████▒▒░▓█▒░██▓   ▒ ▓███▀ ░░▓█▒░██▓ ▓█   ▓██▒ ▒██▒ ░
░▒▓███▀▒ ▒▒   ▓▒█░▒ ▒▓▒ ▒ ░ ▒ ░░▒░▒   ░ ░▒ ▒  ░ ▒ ░░▒░▒ ▒▒   ▓▒█░ ▒ ░░
▒░▒   ░   ▒   ▒▒ ░░ ░▒  ░ ░ ▒ ░▒░ ░     ░  ▒    ▒ ░▒░ ░  ▒   ▒▒ ░   ░
 ░    ░   ░   ▒   ░  ░  ░   ░  ░░ ░   ░         ░  ░░ ░  ░   ▒    ░
 ░            ░  ░      ░   ░  ░  ░   ░ ░       ░  ░  ░      ░  ░
      ░                               ░
Enter username: host
Starting on port 8888
Waiting for client to join...

---

Client Output

 ▄▄▄▄    ▄▄▄        ██████  ██░ ██     ▄████▄   ██░ ██  ▄▄▄     ▄▄▄█████▓
▓█████▄ ▒████▄    ▒██    ▒ ▓██░ ██▒   ▒██▀ ▀█  ▓██░ ██▒▒████▄   ▓  ██▒ ▓▒
▒██▒ ▄██▒██  ▀█▄  ░ ▓██▄   ▒██▀▀██░   ▒▓█    ▄ ▒██▀▀██░▒██  ▀█▄ ▒ ▓██░ ▒░
▒██░█▀  ░██▄▄▄▄██   ▒   ██▒░▓█ ░██    ▒▓▓▄ ▄██▒░▓█ ░██ ░██▄▄▄▄██░ ▓██▓ ░
░▓█   ▀█▓ ▓█   ▓██▒▒██████▒▒░▓█▒░██▓   ▒ ▓███▀ ░░▓█▒░██▓ ▓█   ▓██▒ ▒██▒ ░
░▒▓███▀▒ ▒▒   ▓▒█░▒ ▒▓▒ ▒ ░ ▒ ░░▒░▒   ░ ░▒ ▒  ░ ▒ ░░▒░▒ ▒▒   ▓▒█░ ▒ ░░
▒░▒   ░   ▒   ▒▒ ░░ ░▒  ░ ░ ▒ ░▒░ ░     ░  ▒    ▒ ░▒░ ░  ▒   ▒▒ ░   ░
 ░    ░   ░   ▒   ░  ░  ░   ░  ░░ ░   ░         ░  ░░ ░  ░   ▒    ░
 ░            ░  ░      ░   ░  ░  ░   ░ ░       ░  ░  ░      ░  ░
      ░                               ░
Enter the hostname or IP address: 127.0.0.1
Enter the port number: 8888
Enter username: client