Backend Matrix Coverage
Case
- Understand how ptcpdump behaves across the supported eBPF backends—
tc,cgroup-skb,tp-btf, andsocket-filter—mirroring the GitHub Actions matrix. - Validate compatibility against various kernels.
- Determine which eBPF backend is the most performant for a specific workload on your system.
- Troubleshoot capture issues that may be specific to a certain kernel version or eBPF backend.
- Select the most appropriate backend for your environment based on kernel version and required features.
Command
Each backend is exercised with the same suite of smoke tests:
sudo ptcpdump -i any --backend tc -c 2
sudo ptcpdump -i any --backend cgroup-skb -c 2
sudo ptcpdump -i any --backend tp-btf -c 2
sudo ptcpdump -i any --backend socket-filter -c 2
Pair these with representative scenarios, such as the loopback ICMP or curl SYN captures.
In CI, little-vm-helper provisions kernels ranging from 4.19 to bpf-next;
consult .github/workflows/test.yml to see which tests run on which backend.
This reference page ties the matrix back to actionable commands.
For more details on each backend, see the Backend Guide.