Hands-On Network Programming with C: Learn socket programming in C and write secure and optimized network code

Book Description

Network programming enables processes to communicate with each other over a computer network, but it is a complex task that requires programming with multiple libraries and protocols. With its support for third-party libraries and structured documentation, C is an ideal language to write network programs.

Complete with step-by-step explanations of essential concepts and practical examples, this C network programming book begins with the fundamentals of Internet Protocol, TCP, and UDP. You’ll explore client-server and peer-to-peer models for information sharing and connectivity with remote computers. The book will also cover HTTP and HTTPS for communicating between your browser and website, and delve into hostname resolution with DNS, which is crucial to the functioning of modern web. As you advance, you’ll gain insights into asynchronous socket programming and streams, and explore debugging and error handling. Finally, you’ll study network monitoring and implement security best practices.

By the end of this book, you’ll be ready to overcome challenges in network programming with the powerful C language.

The code in this book is compatible with the older C99 version as well as the latest C18 and C 17 standards. You’ll work with robust, reliable, and secure code that is portable across operating systems, including Winsock sockets for Windows and POSIX sockets for Linux and macOS.

What you will learn

• Uncover cross-platform socket programming APIs
• Implement techniques for supporting IPv4 and IPv6
• Understand how TCP and UDP connections work over IP
• Discover how hostname resolution and DNS work
• Interface with web APIs using HTTP and HTTPS
• Explore Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) for electronic mail transmission
• Apply network programming to the Internet of Things (IoT)

Who this book is for

If you’re a developer or a system administrator who wants to get started with network programming, this book is for you. Basic knowledge of C programming is assumed.

Table of Contents

1. Introducing Networks and Protocols
2. Getting to Grips with Socket APIs
3. An In-Depth Overview of TCP connections
4. Establishing UDP Connections
5. Hostname Resolution and DNS
6. Building a Simple Web Client
7. Building a Simple Web Server
8. Making Your Program Send Emails
9. Loading Secure Web Pages with HTTPS and OpenSSL
10. Implementing a Secure Web Server
11. Establishing SSH Connections
12. Network Monitoring and Security
13. Socket Programming Tips and Pitfalls
14. Web Programming for the Internet of Things
15. Answers to Questions
16. Setting Up Your C Compiler on Windows
17. Setting Up Your C Compiler on Linux
18. Setting Up Your C Compiler on macOS
19. Example Programs