Real-Time Chat Application with Node.js and Socket.IO

This project is a simple yet powerful demonstration of a real-time, multi-user chat application. It utilizes the power of WebSockets via the Socket.IO library to establish a persistent, bidirectional connection between the client and the server, enabling instant message delivery.

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Features

• Real-Time Messaging: Instantaneous message transmission and receipt for all connected users.
• Multi-User Support: Easily handles multiple simultaneous connections.
• Join/Leave Notifications: Alerts all active users when someone joins or leaves the chat.
• Bidirectional Communication: Server and client can send (emit) or listen (on) for events at any time.
• Event-Driven: Uses custom events like send, receive, and new-user-joined for clean, scalable logic.
• Client Interface: Clean and responsive frontend design using HTML and CSS.
• Message Alert: Plays a sound notification for incoming messages.

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Technologies Used

Category	Technology	Purpose
Backend	Node.js	JavaScript Runtime Environment for the server.
Real-Time	Socket.IO	Library for low-latency, two-way communication (WebSockets).
Frontend	HTML5	Structure and content of the chat interface.
Styling	CSS3	Styling and layout of the application.
Logic	JavaScript	Client-side logic and DOM manipulation.

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Prerequisites

Before running this project, ensure you have the following installed on your machine:

• Node.js (LTS recommended)
• npm (Node Package Manager)

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Installation & Setup

Follow these steps to get the chat application running locally:

1. Clone the Repository

2. Install Dependencies

Navigate into the server folder and install the required packages (primarily Socket.IO):

npm install

3. Start the Server

Run the main server file (index.js). The server will typically run on port 8000.

node index.js
# OR, if you have nodemon installed:
nodemon index.js

The server is now running and waiting for client connections.

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Usage

To use the chat application:

1. Open the Client: Open the index.html file in your web browser.
2. Enter Name: You will be prompted to enter a name. Use a unique name to join the chat.
3. Multi-User Simulation: Open multiple browser tabs, windows, or even different browsers, and enter a different name in each to simulate several users chatting.
4. Chat: Type a message in the input box and click Send or hit Enter.
   • Your sent messages will appear on the right side of your chat window.
   • Messages received from other users will appear on the left side of your chat window, accompanied by a notification sound.