[PATCH v1 01/21] ethdev: add flow graph API

[Burakov, Anatoly]

On 8/25/2026 3:55 PM, Thomas Monjalon wrote:
> 20/08/2026 16:00, Anatoly Burakov:
>> This commit adds a flow graph parsing API. This is a helper API intended to
>> help ethdev drivers implement rte_flow parsers, as common usages map to
>> graph traversal problem very well.
>>
>> Features provided by the API:
>> - Flow graph, edge, and node definitions
>> - Graph traversal logic
>> - Declarative validation against common flow item types
>> - Per-node validation and state processing callbacks
> [...]
>>   lib/ethdev/rte_flow_graph.h                 | 532 ++++++++++++++
> 
> Are we sure about the name? Why not "parsing" instead of "graph"?
> 

Because it is intended to help build *protocol graphs*, not *generic 
flow parsing*. I.e. only things that lend themselves to be represented 
by a graph would work with this - things like conntrack wouldn't. So, I 
feel like "graph" is a more accurate name for this, because this is only 
for enabling the protocol graph walk, not for full flow parsing.

> Is it only for drivers? In this case, no need to make it a public API.
> 

Yes, it is for drivers. It is not a public API, it is not installed into 
public headers. If there is anything I forgot to do to remove it from 
being public, please let me know.

-- 
Thanks,
Anatoly