eBPF: Programmable Linux Kernel Without Kernel Modules

Extended Berkeley Packet Filter (eBPF) has fundamentally changed how we interact with the Linux kernel. After years of building monitoring systems and dealing with the limitations of traditional kernel modules, I can say eBPF represents one of the most significant innovations in Linux kernel technology in the past decade.

Let’s break this down: eBPF allows you to safely run custom programs directly in the kernel, without writing kernel modules or risking system stability. The implications are massive for observability, security, and networking.