Libpcap
Libpcap (Library for Packet Capture) is a cross-platform C/C++ library that provides a high-level interface for network packet capture and analysis. It allows developers to capture live network traffic directly from network interfaces, filter packets based on criteria like protocol or source/destination, and save packets to files for later inspection. It is widely used in network monitoring, security tools, and protocol analysis applications.
Developers should learn Libpcap when building network diagnostic tools, intrusion detection systems, or protocol analyzers that require low-level access to network packets. It is essential for tasks like sniffing network traffic, debugging network protocols, or implementing custom network security solutions, as it provides a portable and efficient way to capture packets across different operating systems.