A simple Go chat app

A simple, TCP-based chat application implemented in Go. It features both client and server modes, allowing multiple clients to connect, send messages, and interact with each other in real-time. The application supports private messaging between users and basic commands like listing users or exiting the session.

Features

Client-Server Architecture: Clients connect to a central server and can send messages to each other.
Private Messaging: Send messages directly to other users using @username format.
Basic Commands: List available users, get help, or exit the chat.
Thread-Safe Client Management: The server safely handles multiple concurrent clients.

Getting Started

Prerequisites

Go: Ensure you have Go installed. This project uses Go version 1.22.7. You can download it from the official Go website.

Fedora

sudo dnf install go

Installation

Clone the repository:

git clone https://github.com/fuseraft/gochat.git
cd gochat

Build the project:
```
go build -o gochat
```

Usage

You can run the application in two modes: server or client.

Starting the Server

Start the server by specifying the address and port:

./gochat --server <host-address:port>

Example:

./gochat --server 127.0.0.1:8080

The server will listen for incoming connections from clients.

Starting the Client

Connect a client to the server by specifying the address and port of the running server:
```
./gochat --client <host-address:port>
```
Example:
```
./gochat --client 127.0.0.1:8080
```
Once connected, you will be prompted to enter a username:
```
username> yourname
```
You can now start sending messages or using commands.

Commands

@username message: Send a private message to username.
@all message: Send a message to every connected user.
users: List all connected users.
help: Display a help message with available commands.
exit: Exit the chat session.

Example

Running the server:

./gochat --server localhost:12345

Output:

Server is listening on localhost:12345...

Connecting a client:

./gochat --client localhost:12345

Output:

Connected to server.
username> alice
>

Sending a message:
```
@bob Hello Bob!
```
Listing users:
```
users
```
Output:
```
users: alice, bob
```
Exiting the chat:
```
exit
```