Cracking Codes with Style: The Performant Programming_Cipher_App Adventure

Welcome to the covert operations of the PerformantProgramming_Cipher_App, a realm where the ancient art of cipher meets modern programming prowess. Here, Python and C++ join forces in a thrilling mission to encrypt and decrypt messages, challenging the boundaries of performance and unveiling the mysteries of the XOR cipher technique.

For source code please visit the Github repository here: styled-components-basic-webpage

Overview

The PerformantProgramming_Cipher_App is a Python-based application designed to demonstrate the implementation of a cipher algorithm, specifically focusing on XOR cipher techniques. It combines both Python and C programming to illustrate the effectiveness and performance differences across these languages for encrypting and decrypting text.

Repository Structure

• cipher.cpp: C++ implementation of the XOR cipher algorithm. It defines a function cipher that performs the XOR operation on a given message using a specified key.
• cipher.py: Python script that interfaces with the C++ library to perform encryption and decryption. It also includes a GUI built with curses for user interaction.
• docs/Ex3 - Cipher App.pdf: Documentation file that provides an overview and specifications for the cipher application.
• Ex3 - Sample Output.txt: Contains sample output from running the application, showcasing the expected results.
• test.py: A test script demonstrating the basic usage of the cipher function in Python.
• CMakeLists.txt & Makefile: Configuration files for building the C++ component of the project using CMake and Make.
• test.txt: A text file containing sample data used for encryption and decryption testing.
• docs/Ex3-Snippet.py: Provides a Python snippet of the cipher function, illustrating how to perform XOR operations on text.

Key Functionalities

XOR Cipher Algorithm

The core functionality of this application revolves around the XOR cipher, a simple encryption technique that applies the XOR bitwise operation to text using a key. Both cipher.cpp and cipher.py implement this algorithm, showcasing its usage in C++ and Python, respectively.

C++ and Python Integration

• The project illustrates how to compile and integrate C++ code into a Python script using ctypes. This approach allows for performance comparisons between native Python implementations and optimized C++ algorithms.
• cipher.cpp is compiled into a shared library, which cipher.py loads and interacts with to perform encryption and decryption.

User Interface

• The application features a text-based user interface created with the Python curses library. This interface guides users through performing encryption/decryption operations, loading text from files, and comparing the performance of the Python vs. C++ implementations.

Performance Benchmarking

• An integral part of the application is its focus on performance. cipher.py includes functionality to benchmark the encryption and decryption speed of both the Python and C++ implementations, providing insights into the efficiency of using compiled languages for performance-critical tasks.

Getting Started

To use this application:

1. Compile the C++ code into a shared library using CMake or Make.
2. Run cipher.py to start the application and follow the on-screen instructions to encrypt/decrypt text and perform benchmarks.

Conclusion

As our code-breaking odyssey concludes, the PerformantProgramming_Cipher_App stands as a testament to the fusion of old and new, of Python's charm and C++'s might. This expedition through the XOR cipher and beyond serves not just as a lesson in encryption but as a beacon for those who seek to blend performance with flexibility. So arm yourselves with knowledge, for in the world of PerformantProgramming, every character holds the key to infinite mysteries.