PcapPlusPlus is a multiplatform C++ library for capturing, parsing, and crafting network packets.
The library addresses the need to work with network packet data across different operating systems and packet processing engines. Rather than requiring developers to work directly with low-level APIs, PcapPlusPlus provides C++ wrappers around popular packet processing engines including libpcap, Npcap, WinPcap, DPDK, AF_XDP, and PF_RING. This abstraction allows developers to write packet processing code once and run it across Linux, macOS, and Windows while choosing the underlying engine that best fits their performance and deployment requirements.
Developers should choose this library if they need to build network analysis tools, packet capture applications, or network forensics utilities in C++. It suits projects that require cross-platform compatibility or the flexibility to swap between different packet processing backends. The library is particularly valuable for those who want to avoid the complexity of directly interfacing with multiple packet capture APIs while maintaining the performance characteristics needed for high-throughput packet processing.
The project shows consistent maintenance with regular updates addressing bugs and adding features. Development activity demonstrates responsiveness to user issues and pull requests. The codebase maintains broad platform support across Windows, macOS, and Linux with active work to keep compatibility current. The project sustains documentation and example code alongside core library development.
