What it does
iproute2 is a Linux networking utility collection whose releases track the kernel while retaining a documented range of backward compatibility.
For a socket question, use ss with explicit protocol and state filters. Its default view omits listening sockets; listening/all options, numeric output and timer, memory or process details change what is shown. A named network namespace can be selected, and some data, such as socket BPF filters, is restricted to administrators. The raw TCP diagnostic dump is a different output from the readable listing. Keep observation separate from actions such as ss -K, which closes supported sockets. iproute2’s own README warns that new attributes can be ignored or rejected by older kernels, while older utilities cannot expose newer kernel features. Record both versions and the namespace when interpreting a result.
Strengths
- Maintained alongside kernel releases
- Explicit compatibility guidance
Watch out for
- Feature behavior depends on both utility and kernel versions