Java Socket client example - Connect to a Multi Threaded Socket Server

A socket client is one of the endpoints of a two-way communication link between computers on the network where the other end is the socket server. A socket server is bound to a port number for a given IP address and the client can connect to that specific IP address and port to communicate messages back and forth. This example covers the following topics

• How to open a client-side socket
• How to write data to a remote server
• How to listen and read the reply from the remote server

package com.as400samplecode;

import java.net.*; 
import java.io.*; 

// A client for our Multithreaded SocketServer. 
public class SocketClient
{ 
  
    public static void main(String[] args)
    { 
        // First parameter has to be Server host name or IP address 
        if(args.length == 0) 
        { 
            System.out.println("Usage : SocketClient <serverName>"); 
            return; 
        } 
       
        Socket s = null; 
        
        // Create the socket connection to the MultiThreadedSocketServer port 11111 
        try 
        { 
            s = new Socket(args[0], 11111); 
        }        
        catch(UnknownHostException uhe) 
        { 
            // Server Host unreachable 
            System.out.println("Unknown Host :" + args[0]); 
            s = null; 
        } 
        catch(IOException ioe) 
        { 
            // Cannot connect to port on given server host 
            System.out.println("Cant connect to server at 11111. Make sure it is running."); 
            s = null; 
        } 
        
        if(s == null) 
            System.exit(-1); 
        
        BufferedReader in = null; 
        PrintWriter out = null; 
        
        try 
        { 
            // Create the streams to send and receive information 
            in = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(s.getInputStream())); 
            out = new PrintWriter(new OutputStreamWriter(s.getOutputStream())); 
            
            // Since this is the client, we will initiate the talking. 
            // Send a string data and flush 
            out.println("What is going on Server?"); 
            out.flush(); 
            // Receive the reply. 
            System.out.println(in.readLine()); 
            
            // Send the special string to tell server to quit. 
            out.println("Quit"); 
            out.flush(); 
        } 
        catch(IOException ioe) 
        { 
            System.out.println("Exception during communication. Server probably closed connection."); 
        } 
        finally 
        { 
            try 
            { 
                // Close the input and output streams 
                out.close(); 
                in.close(); 
                // Close the socket before quitting 
                s.close(); 
            } 
            catch(Exception e) 
            { 
                e.printStackTrace(); 
            }                
        }        
    } 
}