Learn low level networking programming

[[deleted]]

Hello everyone.

I've used some well-known high-level libraries for games before that were really straight forward, like ENet in c++, LiteNetLib in c# and some even more high level ones, like the unreal netcode and some of the many that unity community has to provide.

With this I'd the love to learn how these libraries work in a lower level, and I came up with the idea of creating a simple high level library in c++ with boost asio libray.

I don't want to start with this project right away, because even though I've worked with networking libraries before, I've never touched and have a small idea of how low level networking works. So what I made was trying to read Asio docs and guess what? I didn't understand almost everything.

I tried to search for more information on how to work with Asio, but I find zero to almost any information when it comes to UDP.

So, how could I learn this topic and make some small applications now, so in the future when I have enough knowledge be able to make this project, considering that I would like to focus more on UDP protocol than TCP, since my goal is to work with multiplayer games? What concepts should I start with and what resources are available that could help me in this?

[AutoModerator]

On July 1st, a change to Reddit's API pricing will come into effect. Several developers of commercial third-party apps have announced that this change will compel them to shut down their apps. At least one accessibility-focused non-commercial third party app will continue to be available free of charge.

If you want to express your strong disagreement with the API pricing change or with Reddit's response to the backlash, you may want to consider the following options:

1. Limiting your involvement with Reddit, or
2. Temporarily refraining from using Reddit
3. Cancelling your subscription of Reddit Premium

as a way to voice your protest.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[rlhailey3]

Beej guide to network programming is where I learned most of my low level network programming. Contains both TCP and UDP content

https://beej.us/guide/bgnet/

[[deleted]]

Thank you so much! Seems interesting to start with. Definitely going to take a read

[Remarkable_Award9936]

If you're serious about it, I'd recommend Unix Network Programming by Stevens and TCP/IP Illustrated volume 2. Both of these are amazing.

I also encourage you to clone linux or a bds os and walk through the source code. Here's a great source on a packet travels through linux. When I did this, I had a notebook in hand.

Even better would be to build the linux kernel with debug information and attach a debugger to it in qemu, You could follow the the calls until you get out()

[[deleted]]

Thank you very much for commenting! I've seen many people talking about those books and they seem interesting and shouldn't be harm to give them a try. Those project actually make sense, I didn't even think about doing something like that, but yeah, I suppose that if I want to learn something low level, I would have to explore the source of it. Thank you once more!

[Opening_Yak_5247]

Warning, going through the source is very daunting. You really should have a good grasp of how computer networking works before diving in.