ChatSSH/README.md

Terminal Chat

A feature-rich terminal-based chat application built with Python and Textual, supporting channels, direct messages, and real-time communication.

Features

• Global and custom channels - Create public or private channels
• Direct messaging - Private conversations between users
• Color-coded users - Each user gets a unique color
• Rich terminal UI - Built with Textual framework
• Command-based interface - Easy-to-use slash commands
• Live user list - See who's online in real-time
• Private channels - Invite-only channels with access control

Installation

1. Clone the repository:

git clone <repository-url>
cd ChatSSH

2. Install dependencies:

pip install -r requirements.txt

Usage

Basic Usage

Run the chat application:

python main.py

Or use the legacy entry point:

python server.py

You can optionally specify a username:

python main.py --username YourName

Hosting as a Server

To host the chat server that others can connect to via SSH:

python main.py --ssh --host 0.0.0.0 --port 8022

Options:

• --ssh - Enable SSH server mode
• --host - Host address to bind to (default: 0.0.0.0, listens on all interfaces)
• --port - Port number for SSH server (default: 8022)
• --username - Username for local client mode (not used in SSH mode)

Connecting to the SSH Server

Once the server is running, users can connect using SSH:

ssh -p 8022 username@server-address

Authentication:

• Password: Any password will be accepted (or just press Enter)
• For demo purposes, authentication is permissive
• In production, implement proper authentication in ssh_server.py

Example:

# Connect to localhost
ssh -p 2222 alice@localhost
# When prompted for password, type anything or press Enter

# Connect from another machine
ssh -p 8022 bob@192.168.1.100

Available Commands

Command	Shortcut	Description
/dm <user> [msg]	/d	Send a direct message or switch to DM view
/create <name> [private]	/new	Create a new channel (optionally private)
/join <name>	/j	Join an existing channel
/leave <name>	/l	Leave a channel
/invite <channel> <user>	/inv	Invite a user to a channel
/delete <name>	/del	Delete a channel you created
/switch <name>	/s	Switch to a different channel
/channels	/ch	List all your channels
/users	/u	List all online users
/clear	/c	Clear local chat history
/quit	/q	Exit the application
/help	/h	Show help message

Project Structure

ChatSSH/
├── constants.py      # Color palettes and system constants
├── models.py         # Data models (Channel, DirectMessage, UserConnection)
├── chat_server.py    # Core chat server logic and state management
├── ui.py             # Terminal UI components (Textual app)
├── main.py           # Main entry point
├── server.py         # Backwards-compatible wrapper
└── requirements.txt  # Python dependencies

Module Overview

constants.py

Defines color schemes for users and system messages.

models.py

Contains data models:

• Channel - Represents a chat channel with members and messages
• DirectMessage - Manages DM conversations between two users
• UserConnection - Handles user connection and message queuing

chat_server.py

Core server logic:

• ChatServer - Central server managing users, channels, and messages
• User management (add/remove users, assign colors)
• Channel operations (create, delete, join, leave, invite)
• Message routing (channel messages, DMs, broadcasts)

ui.py

Terminal user interface:

• TerminalChatApp - Main Textual application
• ChatHistory - Custom widget for displaying chat messages
• Command processing and view switching
• Real-time message updates

main.py

Application entry point with command-line argument parsing.

Requirements

• Python 3.10+
• textual
• asyncio (built-in)

See requirements.txt for full dependency list.

Development

The application uses a modular architecture for easy maintenance and extension:

1. Constants - Centralized configuration
2. Models - Clean data structures
3. Server Logic - Business logic separate from UI
4. UI Layer - Textual-based interface

To extend functionality:

• Add new commands in ui.py (process_command method)
• Implement server-side logic in chat_server.py
• Define data models in models.py

Keyboard Shortcuts

• Ctrl+C or Ctrl+D - Quit application
• Ctrl+H - Show help
• Enter - Send message

Tips

• Start in the #global channel by default
• Use /dm <user> to switch to direct message mode
• Private channels require an invitation to join
• Channel creators can delete their channels
• Maximum 500 messages stored per channel/DM

Future Enhancements

• SSH server support for remote connections
• Message persistence (database storage)
• User authentication
• File sharing
• Message reactions and threads
• Search functionality

License

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Contributing

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