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https://github.com/bursasha/py-multithread-tcp-robot-server

A multithreaded TCP server in Python for client-robot authentication, navigation, and message retrieval 🤖
https://github.com/bursasha/py-multithread-tcp-robot-server

computer-networks custom-protocol multithreaded-server network-programming python-server python3 socket-programming tcp-client-server

Last synced: 3 months ago
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A multithreaded TCP server in Python for client-robot authentication, navigation, and message retrieval 🤖

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README 

        
# **Multithreaded Python TCP Robot Server** 🤖



## **Repository Overview** 📄

This repository contains a _multithreaded_ **TCP** server implementation designed to control remote robots, 

allowing them to authenticate, navigate to a target coordinate, and retrieve a secret message. 

The project is implemented in **Python** and adheres to the specifications provided by the university **Computer Networks** course.



## **Repository Structure** 📂

- **`main.py`**: The main server program implementing the multithreaded TCP server.

- **`README.md`**: This README file providing an overview and usage instructions.

- **`tester-arm`**: The tester executable for ARM architecture to validate the server implementation against predefined tests.



## **Course Description and Task Overview** 📚

The **Computer Networks** course includes practical and theoretical tasks focusing on network communication protocols. 

The specific task is to create a _multithreaded_ server for **TCP/IP** communication that can handle multiple clients (robots) simultaneously. 

Each robot starts at a random coordinate and must navigate to the origin **[0,0]** to pick up a secret message.



### **Detailed Specification** 🔍



#### **Communication Protocol** 🔐

Communication between the server and robots is conducted via a pure textual protocol with commands ending in a special sequence **`"\a\b"`**.



#### **Server Messages** 📩

- `SERVER_MOVE`: Command to move one position forward.

- `SERVER_TURN_LEFT`: Command to turn left.

- `SERVER_TURN_RIGHT`: Command to turn right.

- `SERVER_PICK_UP`: Command to pick up the message.

- `SERVER_LOGOUT`: Command to terminate the connection after a successful message discovery.

- `SERVER_KEY_REQUEST`: Command to request Key ID for authentication.

- `SERVER_OK`: Positive acknowledgment.

- `SERVER_LOGIN_FAILED`: Authentication failed.

- `SERVER_SYNTAX_ERROR`: Incorrect message syntax.

- `SERVER_LOGIC_ERROR`: Message sent in an incorrect situation.

- `SERVER_KEY_OUT_OF_RANGE_ERROR`: Key ID out of the expected range.



#### **Client Messages** 📨

- `CLIENT_USERNAME`: Message with the username.

- `CLIENT_KEY_ID`: Message with the Key ID.

- `CLIENT_CONFIRMATION`: Message with the confirmation code.

- `CLIENT_OK`: Confirmation of performed movement, including robot coordinates.

- `CLIENT_RECHARGING`: Robot starts recharging.

- `CLIENT_FULL_POWER`: Robot has recharged and resumes operations.

- `CLIENT_MESSAGE`: Text of the discovered secret message.



#### **Authentication Process** 🔒

1. **Client sends username.**

2. **Server requests Key ID.**

3. **Client sends Key ID.**

4. **Server sends a confirmation code calculated using the username and server key.**

5. **Client sends its confirmation code.**

6. **Server verifies the confirmation code and responds with `SERVER_OK` or `SERVER_LOGIN_FAILED`.**



#### **Robot Navigation** 📡

The server guides the robot to the origin **[0,0]** using a series of `SERVER_MOVE`, `SERVER_TURN_LEFT`, and `SERVER_TURN_RIGHT` commands. 

The robot responds with its current coordinates after each move.



#### **Secret Message Discovery** 🎁

Once at **[0,0]**, the server sends `SERVER_PICK_UP` to retrieve the secret message from the robot. 

The server then sends `SERVER_LOGOUT` to terminate the connection.



#### **Recharging Process** 🔋

Robots notify the server when they start recharging (`CLIENT_RECHARGING`) and resume operations with `CLIENT_FULL_POWER`.



### **Special Situations and Error Handling** ⛔️

- **Timeouts**: Connections are terminated if messages are not received within specified intervals.

- **Syntax Errors**: The server responds with `SERVER_SYNTAX_ERROR` for incorrect message formats.

- **Logic Errors**: Errors during the recharging process result in `SERVER_LOGIC_ERROR`.



## **Technologies and Concepts Used** 🛠️

- **Python**:

    - _Multithreading_ with the `Thread` class from the `threading` module.

    - _Socket programming_ using the `socket` module.

    - Exception handling for robust error detection and response.

- **TCP/IP Communication**:

    - Implementing a _custom communication protocol_ over TCP.

    - Managing _concurrent client connections_ using threads.



## **Launching the Server and Client** 🚀



### **Running the Server**

1. **Ensure Python is installed on your system.**

2. **Navigate to the project directory.**

3. **Run the server using the following command:**

```sh

python3 main.py

```



### **Running the Tester**

1. **Ensure the tester executable is available in the project directory.**

2. **Launch the tester in a compatible environment (e.g., VirtualBox with Tiny Core Linux).**

3. **Run the tester with the appropriate parameters:**

   ```sh

   tester   [test number(s)]

   ```

    - Example:

      ```sh

      tester 4321 127.0.0.1 2 3 8 | less

      ```



## **Conclusion** 📝

This repository provides a comprehensive implementation of a _multithreaded_ **TCP** server for robot control, following the detailed specifications provided by the **Computer Networks** course. 

The project demonstrates practical applications of network programming, multithreading, and custom protocol implementation in Python.