TCP File Service – Client/Server Application

Overview

This project is a Java-based TCP client–server application that implements a simple file service over a reliable byte-stream connection. The system allows a client to remotely interact with files stored on a server through a custom-designed file transfer protocol.

This project was completed for CS316 – Project 3: Design & Implementation of a TCP File Service and demonstrates core networking concepts using TCP sockets.

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Learning Objectives

• Implement a client–server architecture using TCP
• Design and implement a file transfer protocol
• Apply the TCP byte-stream model for reliable communication
• Handle user input, command parsing, and error conditions

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Features

The client supports five file service commands, all processed by the server:

• List – Display all files available on the server
• Delete – Remove a specified file from the server
• Rename – Rename an existing file on the server
• Download – Download a file from the server to the client
• Upload – Upload a file from the client to the server

For the delete, rename, and upload commands, the server returns a status code indicating success or failure. Status codes are not required for the list or download commands.

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How It Works

1. The server starts and listens for incoming TCP connections.
2. The client connects using the server’s IP address and port number.
3. The user enters a command in the client program.
4. The client sends a formatted request message to the server.
5. The server processes the request and performs the file operation.
6. The server sends a response or status code back to the client.
7. The client displays the result and closes the connection.