Getting Started with SocketMeister

This guide walks you through the essential steps to install, configure, and run your first SocketMeister client and server applications.

Prerequisites

  • .NET SDK: .NET Framework 3.5 or higher, .NET Core 3.1, .NET 5/6/7/8
  • IDE or Editor: Visual Studio 2019+, Visual Studio Code, JetBrains Rider, or equivalent
  • NuGet: Integrated in your IDE or via dotnet CLI

1. Install the Package

Add SocketMeister to your project via NuGet:

Install-Package SocketMeister -Version 10.2.4

Or using the .NET CLI:

dotnet add package SocketMeister --version 10.2.4

2. Create the Server

  1. In Visual Studio (or your preferred IDE), create a new Console Application project.
  2. Add using SocketMeister; at the top of Program.cs.
  3. Replace the Main method with:
static void Main(string[] args)
{
    // Listen on port 5000 for any IPv4 address
    var server = new SocketServer("0.0.0.0", 5000);

    server.MessageReceived += (sender, e) =>
    {
        Console.WriteLine($"Received from {e.RemoteEndPoint}: {e.Message}");
        if (e.IsRequest)
        {
            // Automatically respond to request messages
            e.Response = $"Echo: {e.Message}";
        }
    };

    server.Start();
    Console.WriteLine("SocketMeister server running on port 5000. Press Enter to exit.");
    Console.ReadLine();
    server.Stop();
}
  1. Build and run the project. You should see the “SocketMeister server running…” message.

3. Create the Client

  1. In a separate solution or project folder, create another Console Application.
  2. Add the same NuGet package and using SocketMeister;.
  3. Replace the Main method with:
static void Main(string[] args)
{
    // Connect to localhost on port 5000
    var client = new SocketClient("127.0.0.1", 5000);
    client.Connect();

    Console.WriteLine("Connected to server.");
    var message = "Hello, SocketMeister!";
    client.Send(message);
    Console.WriteLine($"Sent: {message}");

    // Receive and display the response
    var response = client.Receive();
    Console.WriteLine($"Received: {response}");

    client.Disconnect();
}
  1. Build and run the client. Watch the server console echo your message back.

4. Explore and Experiment

  • Multiple Endpoints: Pass multiple host/port pairs to SocketClient for round‑robin or failover.
  • Compression: Enable built‑in compression via new SocketClient(hosts, port, enableCompression: true).
  • Events & Requests: Use RequestReceived and ResponseReceived events for richer protocols.

Next Steps

  • Visit the API reference to explore all classes and methods.
  • Check out the architecture overview for insights into threading, scalability, and fault tolerance.
  • Dive into advanced samples under docs/samples/ to see real‑world scenarios.

Happy coding with SocketMeister!

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