• Created and managed TCP sockets, handling both connection setup and graceful shutdowns

• Implemented username validation with length limits and server-side handshake

• Sent and received messages via send_with_length and recv_with_length protocols, ensuring null-terminated string handling

• Used fd_set and select() to multiplex input from both stdin and the network socket, enabling simultaneous user input and server message reception

• Robust checks for invalid IPs, ports, and failed system calls, with clear error reporting

• Supported commands like bye to exit gracefully, along with detecting server disconnects or crashes