STRUCT NFT_CTX(9)

💅 struct nft_ctx(9) — nf_tables rule/set context 🎀

okay bestie, so this is a page from the Kernel API Manual, and it's literally all about struct nft_ctx — the little context bundle that nf_tables carries around when it's doing rule/set stuff. it's giving "backstage pass for netfilter" and honestly? iconic. 🌸

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✨ NAME ✨

struct nft_ctx — nf_tables rule/set context, no cap 💖

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🦋 SYNOPSIS 🦋

here's the whole struct, bestie, copied exactly so you don't have to squint at a weirdly rendered header file:

struct nft_ctx {
    struct net                      *net;
    struct nft_table                *table;
    struct nft_chain                *chain;
    const struct nlattr * const     *nla;
    u32 portid;
    u32 seq;
    u16 flags;
    u8 family;
    u8 level;
    bool report;
    unsigned long reg_inited[BITS_TO_LONGS( NFT_REG32_NUM)];
};

look at her. all those fields. main character energy fr fr 👑

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🎀 Members 🎀

every single one, with zero skips, periodt:

• net — the net namespace. that's her home turf 🌈
• table — the table the chain is contained in, i.e. the table that lowkey holds everything 💜
• chain — the chain the rule is contained in. the rule lives here, no cap 🫶
• nla — netlink attributes ✨
• portid — the netlink portID of the original message, so we know who sent it 💌
• seq — the netlink sequence number, for keeping track of the convo 🔥
• flags — modifiers to new request. little toggles, big vibes 🎛️
• family — the protocol family 🌐
• level — the depth of the chains, like how deep down the chain rabbit hole we are 🕳️
• report — notify via unicast netlink message. yes, she tells you things 💬
• reg_inited — bitmap of initialised registers. which registers are awake and ready, basically ⭐

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👑 SEE ALSO 👑

so the Kernel file is ./include/net/netfilter/nf_tables.h — go read it, it's the whole squad:

• struct nft_verdict(9)
• struct nft_regs(9)
• struct nft_userdata(9)
• struct nft_set_elem(9)
• enum nft_iter_type(9)
• struct nft_set_desc(9)
• enum nft_set_class(9)
• struct nft_set_estimate(9)
• struct nft_expr(9)
• struct nft_set_ops(9)
• struct nft_set_type(9)
• struct nft_set(9)
• struct nft_set_binding(9)
• enum nft_set_extensions(9)
• struct nft_set_ext_type(9)
• struct nft_set_ext_tmpl(9)
• struct nft_set_ext(9)
• struct nft_expr_type(9)
• struct nft_expr_ops(9)
• struct nft_rule(9)
• struct nft_chain_validate_state(9)
• struct nft_chain(9)
• struct nft_chain_type(9)
• struct nft_base_chain(9)
• struct nft_table(9)
• struct nft_object_hash_key(9)
• struct nft_object(9)
• struct nft_object_type(9)
• struct nft_object_ops(9)
• struct nft_flowtable(9)
• struct nft_traceinfo(9)
• struct nft_trans(9)
• struct nft_trans_hook(9)
• struct nft_trans_binding(9)

like, the entire friend group. go say hi 🧚💖

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ngl bestie, this is kernel API territory — read it properly before you start poking at it, k? 🫶

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and that's the page!! this one ships out of ./include/net/netfilter and it's dated October 2026, filed under struct nft_ctx(9) — mwah, slay, bye 💅🍓