Chat Thing

Chat Thing is a simple WebSocket-based chat platform designed for local use on the same Wi-Fi network. It allows users on the same network to chat anonymously in real-time.

Table of Contents

• Features
• Getting Started
  • Prerequisites
  • Installation
• Usage
• Server Manager
• Contributing
• License

Features

• Real-time chat with anonymous users on the same Wi-Fi network.
• Simple frontend for starting and stopping the WebSocket server.
• Educational and easy to understand for beginners.

Getting Started

Follow these instructions to get Chat Thing up and running on your local machine.

Prerequisites

You'll need the following software installed on your machine:

• Node.js - JavaScript runtime environment.
• Web browser (for accessing the chat interface).

Installation

1. Clone this repository to your local machine:

   git clone https://github.com/macecailiscool/chat_thing

2. Navigate to the project folder:

   cd chat-thing

3. Install the required Node.js packages:

   npm install

Usage

1. Start the WebSocket server by running the following command:

   node server.js

   The server will be accessible at http://localhost:8080.

2. Open a web browser and visit http://localhost:8080 to access the chat interface. You can open this URL in multiple browser tabs to simulate multiple users on the same Wi-Fi network.

3. Use the chat interface to send and receive messages with other users on the same network.

Server Manager

Chat Thing includes a server manager frontend that allows you to start and stop the WebSocket server. To access the server manager:

1. Open a web browser and visit http://localhost:8080/server-manager.html.

2. Click the "Start Server" button to start the WebSocket server.

3. Click the "Stop Server" button to stop the WebSocket server.

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Feel free to open issues and pull requests to improve Chat Thing.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.