libnet ☆

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Description:
C library for creating IP packets

Type: Formula | Tracked Since: Dec 28, 2025

Links: Homepage | formulae.brew.sh

Category: Networking

Tags: networking c-library packet-manipulation developer-tools security

Install: brew install libnet

About:
Libnet is an open-source C library designed for the construction and handling of network packets. It provides a portable API for low-level network operations, abstracting the complexities of packet creation across different operating systems. Its primary value is enabling developers to build custom network applications and tools without writing platform-specific code.

Key Features:

Portable API for packet creation
Supports IPv4 and IPv6
Platform-independent abstraction layer
Low-level network protocol manipulation

Use Cases:

Building custom network scanners
Developing network intrusion detection tools
Creating custom packet generators for testing
Implementing custom network protocols

Alternatives:

libpcap – Libpcap is focused on packet capture and analysis, whereas Libnet specializes in packet creation and injection.
Scapy – Scapy is a Python-based tool for packet manipulation, offering higher-level abstractions but requiring a Python runtime, unlike the C-based Libnet.

Version History

Detected	Version	Rev	Change	Commit
Sep 10, 2025 11:25pm		0	VERSION_BUMP	cfd341d2