Chat Box

This project is a simple C-based chat application that compiles and runs using gcc. It consists of several source files, and the build process is managed through a Makefile.

Project Structure

The project is organized into the following directories:

• src/ — Contains the source code (.c files) for the application.
• include/ — Contains the header files (.h files) used in the project.
• build/ — This is the directory where the compiled executable will be stored.

Source Files

• main.c — Entry point of the application.
• chats.c — Logic for handling chat-related functionality.
• messages.c — Logic for handling messages within the chat.

Requirements

• A C compiler like gcc should be installed on your system.
• make utility should be installed.

Installing make

macOS

1. Install Homebrew if you don't have it already:

   /bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

2. Install make using Homebrew:

   brew install make

Ubuntu/Debian-based Systems

1. Update your package list:

   sudo apt-get update

2. Install make:

   sudo apt-get install build-essential

Fedora/RHEL-based Systems

1. Install make using dnf:

   sudo dnf install make

Windows

1. Install Git for Windows, which includes make as part of the Git Bash environment. Download it from Git for Windows.
2. During installation, ensure that "Git Bash Here" and "Use Git from the Windows Command Prompt" options are selected.

Build Instructions

1. Clone or download the project to your local machine.

2. Open a terminal and navigate to the project directory.

3. Run the following command to build and run the project:

   make

   This will compile the source files and run the resulting executable.

4. To clean up the build files, run:

   make clean

Makefile Overview

The Makefile consists of several targets:

• all: Compiles the source files and builds the executable.
• run: Runs the executable after a successful build.
• clean: Removes the compiled executable.

How to Use the Application

Once the project is compiled and executed, the chat application will run. You can interact with it as per the features implemented in chats.c and messages.c