snabbfilter

Snabbfilter is an open-source software component designed to apply fast, rule-based filtering to streaming data. It is commonly used in data-processing pipelines, network function virtualization, and real-time analytics to drop, forward, or transform items according to user-defined criteria. The goal of snabbfilter is to deliver low-latency filtering with predictable throughput across a range of hardware and environments.

Architecture and interface

Snabbfilter exposes an API that lets developers define filter rules and attach them to data streams. Rules are expressed in a compact declarative form and can reference metadata, headers, or payload patterns. The implementation emphasizes a streaming architecture with backpressure-aware queues and, where possible, zero-copy data paths to minimize copying overhead and reduce latency. The design typically supports modular adapters so the filter can operate with various input and output backends.

Features and capabilities

Key features include support for rule-based predicates, configurable matching strategies (such as exact, range, or pattern matching), and the ability to combine rules using logical operators. Snabbfilter is designed to be integrated into broader data-path frameworks, offering profiling hooks and lightweight telemetry to monitor performance. It aims to be portable across common operating systems and to work with multiple I/O backends or data sources.

Usage and ecosystem

Snabbfilter is intended to be embedded into larger pipelines rather than used as a standalone tool. It commonly interacts with other components that handle data capture, transport, and higher-level processing. The project is distributed under an open-source license, with documentation and example configurations to help users bootstrap filter pipelines.

Operational considerations

When deploying snabbfilter, users should evaluate the rule-set size, memory footprint, and potential rule conflicts. Proper benchmarking and testing are recommended to ensure the filter meets latency and throughput targets in the target environment.