libpcap Library Reference

Libpcap is an open source library used for network packet capture and analysis. It provides a platform-independent API for capturing network traffic and can be used by developers to create custom network security applications, such as intrusion detection systems, network scanners, and packet analyzers.

The library is commonly used on Unix-like operating systems, such as Linux and macOS, and supports a variety of packet capture formats, including the widely used pcap format. It also supports filtering and analysis of captured packets using the Berkeley Packet Filter (BPF), which allows developers to selectively capture only relevant packets and perform advanced analysis on the captured data.

One of the key benefits of using libpcap is its flexibility and portability, allowing developers to create network security applications that can be easily adapted to different operating systems and network environments. Additionally, the library is well-documented and has a large community of users and contributors, making it a popular choice for network security open source software development.

Overall, libpcap is a powerful tool for developers looking to build network security applications and provides a solid foundation for capturing and analyzing network traffic in a platform-independent and customizable manner.