Simple TCP 1 to 1 chat in Node

node-tcp-chat.md

Simple TCP 1 to 1 chat on Node

Can be used to establish a 1 to 1 chat across any TCP network with static IP addresses, such as a LAN or WAN.

Usage

Open a terminal

• Start the server
• node --harmony tcp-chat-server.js
• Give it your name
• Wait for a connection
• Start chatting

In another termal

• Start the client
• node --harmony tcp-chat-client.js
• Give it your name
• Start chatting

Options

Server

A port can be specified as the first command line argument:
node --harmony tcp-chat-server.js 3000

Client

An IP address can be specified on the client as the first command line argument:
node --harmony tcp-chat-client.js 192.168.1.11

A port can be specified on the client as the second command line argument, but if so an IP must be specified:
node --harmony tcp-chat-client.js 192.168.1.11 3000

tcp-chat-client.js

'use strict';

let
  net = require('net'),
  readline = require('readline'),
  host = process.argv[2] || 'localhost',
  port = process.argv[3] || 5000,
  client = null,
  myNick = null;

function startClient(){
  client = net.connect({port: port, host: host}, function(){
    client.write("Hello, I'm "+ myNick);
  });

  client.on('data', function(data){
    data = data.toString();
    console.log(data);
  });

  client.on('end', function(){
    console.log('Server has disconnected.');
    process.exit();
  });
}

function getNick(){
  console.log("What's your name?");
}

readline.createInterface({
  input: process.stdin,
  output: process.stdout
}).on('line', function(line){
  if(!myNick){
    line = line.trim();
    if(line.length < 1){
      getNick();
    } else {
      myNick = line;
      startClient();
    }
  } else {
    client.write(myNick + ": " + line);
  }
});

getNick();

tcp-chat-server.js

'use strict';

let
  net = require('net'),
  readline = require('readline'),
  port = process.argv[2] || 5000,
  socket = null,
  myNick = null;

function startServer(){
  net.createServer(function (s) {
    if(socket) return s.end("Sorry this chat is full");

    socket = s;
    socket.write("Welcome to the chat, I'm " + myNick);

    socket.on('data', function (data) {
      data = data.toString();
      console.log(data);
    });

    socket.on('end', function(){
      console.log('Client has disconnected');
      socket = null;
    });

  }).listen(port);

  console.log("Chat server running at port "+port);
}

function getNick(){
  console.log("What's your name?");
}

readline.createInterface({
  input: process.stdin,
  output: process.stdout
}).on('line', function(line){
  if(!myNick){
    line = line.trim();
    if(line.length < 1){
      getNick();
    } else {
      myNick = line;
      startServer();
    }
  } else {
    socket.write(myNick + ": " + line);
  }
});
;

getNick();

Thank you! I'm a node noobie and this is really helpful.

Thanks, bro