Network Programming in C: Develop Reliable Client/Server Applications

Course details

Are you a C programmer looking to explore networking programming? In this course, instructor Dan Gookin provides an overview of network communications, terms, strategies, and concepts. Dan explores this complex topic in a step-by-step progression, exploring networking in Linux, macOS, or Windows 10/11 running the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL). Included are relevant parts of the operating system and how to access local networking features. The core of the course deals with socket programming at the client/server level. The IPv4 and IPv6 protocols are covered, as are TCP and UDP connections. Dan shows you how to program a client and server for both types of connections. The course finishes with a challenge: Code a Linux, text-mode real time chat server that accepts multiple connections, tracks conversations, and logs connections.

Concepts

0. Introduction

01 - Network with the world
02 - What you need for this course
03 - Traps and pitfalls

1. Network Communications

04 - View the big network picture
05 - Configure the firewall
06 - Understand the Internet Protocol (IP)
07 - Explore network addresses and ports
08 - Access local network details
09 - Discover local interfaces
10 - Review the client server roles

2. Network Programming

11 - Understand socket programming
12 - Explore the getaddrinfo() function
13 - Open a socket
14 - Bind and connect
15 - Listen and accept
16 - Challenge - Check for errors
17 - Solution - Check for errors

3. TCP Connections

18 - Create a TCP server
19 - Call a TCP server
20 - Code a dual stack configuration
21 - Challenge - A generic TCP client
22 - Solution - A generic TCP client

4. UDP Connections

23 - Code a UDP server
24 - Code a UDP client
25 - Challenge - Code a UDP client and server
26 - Solution - Code a UDP client and server

5. A Chat Server

27 - Obtain the client's address
28 - Maintain the connection
29 - Accept multiple connections
30 - Managing multiple connections
31 - Challenge - Write a chat server
32 - Solution - Write a chat server

Conclusion

33 - Next Steps

Network Programming in C: Develop Reliable Client/Server Applications

Authors

Dan Gookin