TCP Server-Client implementation in C
Last Updated :
11 Jul, 2025
Prerequisites - Socket Programming in C/C++, TCP and UDP server using select, UDP Server-Client implementation in C
If we are creating a connection between client and server using TCP then it has a few functionalities like, TCP is suited for applications that require high reliability, and transmission time is relatively less critical. It is used by other protocols like HTTP, HTTPs, FTP, SMTP, Telnet. TCP rearranges data packets in the order specified. There is absolute guarantee that the data transferred remains intact and arrives in the same order in which it was sent. TCP does Flow Control and requires three packets to set up a socket connection before any user data can be sent. TCP handles reliability and congestion control. It also does error checking and error recovery. Erroneous packets are retransmitted from the source to the destination.
The entire process can be broken down into the following steps:
The entire process can be broken down into following steps:
TCP Server -
- using create(), Create TCP socket.
- using bind(), Bind the socket to server address.
- using listen(), put the server socket in a passive mode, where it waits for the client to approach the server to make a connection
- using accept(), At this point, connection is established between client and server, and they are ready to transfer data.
- Go back to Step 3.
TCP Client -
- Create TCP socket.
- connect newly created client socket to server.
TCP Server:
C
#include <stdio.h>
#include <netdb.h>
#include <netinet/in.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <string.h>
#include <sys/socket.h>
#include <sys/types.h>
#include <unistd.h> // read(), write(), close()
#define MAX 80
#define PORT 8080
#define SA struct sockaddr
// Function designed for chat between client and server.
void func(int connfd)
{
char buff[MAX];
int n;
// infinite loop for chat
for (;;) {
bzero(buff, MAX);
// read the message from client and copy it in buffer
read(connfd, buff, sizeof(buff));
// print buffer which contains the client contents
printf("From client: %s\t To client : ", buff);
bzero(buff, MAX);
n = 0;
// copy server message in the buffer
while ((buff[n++] = getchar()) != '\n')
;
// and send that buffer to client
write(connfd, buff, sizeof(buff));
// if msg contains "Exit" then server exit and chat ended.
if (strncmp("exit", buff, 4) == 0) {
printf("Server Exit...\n");
break;
}
}
}
// Driver function
int main()
{
int sockfd, connfd, len;
struct sockaddr_in servaddr, cli;
// socket create and verification
sockfd = socket(AF_INET, SOCK_STREAM, 0);
if (sockfd == -1) {
printf("socket creation failed...\n");
exit(0);
}
else
printf("Socket successfully created..\n");
bzero(&servaddr, sizeof(servaddr));
// assign IP, PORT
servaddr.sin_family = AF_INET;
servaddr.sin_addr.s_addr = htonl(INADDR_ANY);
servaddr.sin_port = htons(PORT);
// Binding newly created socket to given IP and verification
if ((bind(sockfd, (SA*)&servaddr, sizeof(servaddr))) != 0) {
printf("socket bind failed...\n");
exit(0);
}
else
printf("Socket successfully binded..\n");
// Now server is ready to listen and verification
if ((listen(sockfd, 5)) != 0) {
printf("Listen failed...\n");
exit(0);
}
else
printf("Server listening..\n");
len = sizeof(cli);
// Accept the data packet from client and verification
connfd = accept(sockfd, (SA*)&cli, &len);
if (connfd < 0) {
printf("server accept failed...\n");
exit(0);
}
else
printf("server accept the client...\n");
// Function for chatting between client and server
func(connfd);
// After chatting close the socket
close(sockfd);
}
TCP Client:
C
#include <arpa/inet.h> // inet_addr()
#include <netdb.h>
#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <string.h>
#include <strings.h> // bzero()
#include <sys/socket.h>
#include <unistd.h> // read(), write(), close()
#define MAX 80
#define PORT 8080
#define SA struct sockaddr
void func(int sockfd)
{
char buff[MAX];
int n;
for (;;) {
bzero(buff, sizeof(buff));
printf("Enter the string : ");
n = 0;
while ((buff[n++] = getchar()) != '\n')
;
write(sockfd, buff, sizeof(buff));
bzero(buff, sizeof(buff));
read(sockfd, buff, sizeof(buff));
printf("From Server : %s", buff);
if ((strncmp(buff, "exit", 4)) == 0) {
printf("Client Exit...\n");
break;
}
}
}
int main()
{
int sockfd, connfd;
struct sockaddr_in servaddr, cli;
// socket create and verification
sockfd = socket(AF_INET, SOCK_STREAM, 0);
if (sockfd == -1) {
printf("socket creation failed...\n");
exit(0);
}
else
printf("Socket successfully created..\n");
bzero(&servaddr, sizeof(servaddr));
// assign IP, PORT
servaddr.sin_family = AF_INET;
servaddr.sin_addr.s_addr = inet_addr("127.0.0.1");
servaddr.sin_port = htons(PORT);
// connect the client socket to server socket
if (connect(sockfd, (SA*)&servaddr, sizeof(servaddr))
!= 0) {
printf("connection with the server failed...\n");
exit(0);
}
else
printf("connected to the server..\n");
// function for chat
func(sockfd);
// close the socket
close(sockfd);
}
Compilation -
Server side:
gcc server.c -o server
./server
Client side:
gcc client.c -o client
./client
Output -
Server side:
Socket successfully created..
Socket successfully binded..
Server listening..
server accept the client...
From client: hi
To client : hello
From client: exit
To client : exit
Server Exit...
Client side:
Socket successfully created..
connected to the server..
Enter the string : hi
From Server : hello
Enter the string : exit
From Server : exit
Client Exit...
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