RustNet is a terminal user interface for per-process network monitoring that displays live TCP, UDP, and QUIC connections with deep packet inspection capabilities.
The tool solves the problem of gaining real-time visibility into network activity at the process level without requiring complex setup or elevated privileges. It works by monitoring connections directly from the terminal, showing which processes own each connection and what protocol they are using. The interface is built with Ratatui and provides a live view of network activity as it happens.
RustNet is designed for developers and system administrators who need to understand network behavior on their machines without resorting to tools like tcpdump or complex debugging setups. It suits any environment where you want sandboxed, cross-platform network visibility. The tool runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, FreeBSD, and Android, with platform-specific sandboxing mechanisms: eBPF and Landlock on Linux, Seatbelt on macOS, and native APIs on other platforms. This makes it useful for both local development and production monitoring scenarios where you need to see what your processes are actually doing on the network.
The project shows active development with regular updates and maintenance across its codebase. The maintainer responds to issues and incorporates feedback into the tool. The project maintains cross-platform support as a core concern, with dedicated effort to ensure functionality works consistently across different operating systems. Documentation is provided in multiple languages, indicating attention to accessibility for a broader user base.
