netlink

Package netlink provides low-level access to Linux netlink sockets (AF_NETLINK). MIT Licensed.

For more information about how netlink works, check out my blog series on Linux, Netlink, and Go.

If you have any questions or you'd like some guidance, please join us on Gophers Slack in the #networking channel!

Stability

See the CHANGELOG file for a description of changes between releases.

This package has a stable v1 API and any future breaking changes will prompt the release of a new major version. Features and bug fixes will continue to occur in the v1.x.x series.

This package only supports the two most recent major versions of Go, mirroring Go's own release policy. Older versions of Go may lack critical features and bug fixes which are necessary for this package to function correctly.

Design

A number of netlink packages are already available for Go, but I wasn't able to find one that aligned with what I wanted in a netlink package:

• Straightforward, idiomatic API
• Well tested
• Well documented
• Doesn't use package/global variables or state
• Doesn't necessarily need root to work

My goal for this package is to use it as a building block for the creation of other netlink family packages.

Ecosystem

Over time, an ecosystem of Go packages has developed around package netlink. Many of these packages provide building blocks for further interactions with various netlink families, such as NETLINK_GENERIC or NETLINK_ROUTE.

To have your package included in this diagram, please send a pull request!

flowchart LR
    netlink["github.com/mdlayher/netlink"]
    click netlink "https://github.com/mdlayher/netlink"

    subgraph "NETLINK_CONNECTOR"
        direction LR

        garlic["github.com/fearful-symmetry/garlic"]
        click garlic "https://github.com/fearful-symmetry/garlic"
    end

    subgraph "NETLINK_CRYPTO"
        direction LR

        cryptonl["github.com/mdlayher/cryptonl"]
        click cryptonl "https://github.com/mdlayher/cryptonl"
    end

    subgraph "NETLINK_GENERIC"
        direction LR

        genetlink["github.com/mdlayher/genetlink"]
        click genetlink "https://github.com/mdlayher/genetlink"

        devlink["github.com/mdlayher/devlink"]
        click devlink "https://github.com/mdlayher/devlink"

        ethtool["github.com/mdlayher/ethtool"]
        click ethtool "https://github.com/mdlayher/ethtool"

        go-openvswitch["github.com/digitalocean/go-openvswitch"]
        click go-openvswitch "https://github.com/digitalocean/go-openvswitch"

        ipvs["github.com/cloudflare/ipvs"]
        click ipvs "https://github.com/cloudflare/ipvs"

        l2tp["github.com/axatrax/l2tp"]
        click l2tp "https://github.com/axatrax/l2tp"

        nbd["github.com/Merovius/nbd"]
        click nbd "https://github.com/Merovius/nbd"

        quota["github.com/mdlayher/quota"]
        click quota "https://github.com/mdlayher/quota"

        router7["github.com/rtr7/router7"]
        click router7 "https://github.com/rtr7/router7"

        taskstats["github.com/mdlayher/taskstats"]
        click taskstats "https://github.com/mdlayher/taskstats"

        u-bmc["github.com/u-root/u-bmc"]
        click u-bmc "https://github.com/u-root/u-bmc"

        wgctrl["golang.zx2c4.com/wireguard/wgctrl"]
        click wgctrl "https://golang.zx2c4.com/wireguard/wgctrl"

        wifi["github.com/mdlayher/wifi"]
        click wifi "https://github.com/mdlayher/wifi"

        devlink & ethtool & go-openvswitch & ipvs --> genetlink
        l2tp & nbd & quota & router7 & taskstats --> genetlink
        u-bmc & wgctrl & wifi --> genetlink
    end

    subgraph "NETLINK_KOBJECT_UEVENT"
        direction LR

        kobject["github.com/mdlayher/kobject"]
        click kobject "https://github.com/mdlayher/kobject"
    end

    subgraph "NETLINK_NETFILTER"
        direction LR

        go-conntrack["github.com/florianl/go-conntrack"]
        click go-conntrack "https://github.com/florianl/go-conntrack"

        go-nflog["github.com/florianl/go-nflog"]
        click go-nflog "https://github.com/florianl/go-nflog"

        go-nfqueue["github.com/florianl/go-nfqueue"]
        click go-nfqueue "https://github.com/florianl/go-nfqueue"

        netfilter["github.com/ti-mo/netfilter"]
        click netfilter "https://github.com/ti-mo/netfilter"

        nftables["github.com/google/nftables"]
        click nftables "https://github.com/google/nftables"

        conntrack["github.com/ti-mo/conntrack"]
        click conntrack "https://github.com/ti-mo/conntrack"

        conntrack --> netfilter
    end

    subgraph "NETLINK_ROUTE"
        direction LR

        go-tc["github.com/florianl/go-tc"]
        click go-tc "https://github.com/florianl/go-tc"

        qdisc["github.com/ema/qdisc"]
        click qdisc "https://github.com/ema/qdisc"

        rtnetlink["github.com/jsimonetti/rtnetlink"]
        click rtnetlink "https://github.com/jsimonetti/rtnetlink"

        rtnl["gitlab.com/mergetb/tech/rtnl"]
        click rtnl "https://gitlab.com/mergetb/tech/rtnl"
    end

    subgraph "NETLINK_W1"
        direction LR

        go-onewire["github.com/SpComb/go-onewire"]
        click go-onewire "https://github.com/SpComb/go-onewire"
    end

    subgraph "NETLINK_SOCK_DIAG"
        direction LR

        go-diag["github.com/florianl/go-diag"]
        click go-diag "https://github.com/florianl/go-diag"
    end

    NETLINK_CONNECTOR --> netlink
    NETLINK_CRYPTO --> netlink
    NETLINK_GENERIC --> netlink
    NETLINK_KOBJECT_UEVENT --> netlink
    NETLINK_NETFILTER --> netlink
    NETLINK_ROUTE --> netlink
    NETLINK_SOCK_DIAG --> netlink
    NETLINK_W1 --> netlink

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