What is the difference between iptables and Firewalld firewall in Linux system?

Iptables and Firewalld in Linux systems are both tools used to configure firewall rules. They have some differences in functions and usage:

1. iptables:

   • iptables is the most classic and traditional firewall tool in Linux systems. Early versions of Linux used iptables as the firewall configuration tool by default.
   • Iptables is based on the netfilter framework of the kernel space and filters and processes network data packets by directly operating the iptables rule table in the kernel.
   • iptables uses the concepts of rule chains and tables to organize and manage firewall rules, such as common filter tables, nat tables, and mangle tables.
   • Configuring iptables requires manual writing of rules, and the rules are static. Once the configuration is completed, the rules will not be automatically updated unless reloaded or restarted.

2. Firewalld:

   • Firewalld is a newer firewall management tool, mainly used in systems based on RHEL/CentOS 7 and higher, and has gradually replaced iptables as the default firewall configuration tool.
   • Firewalld adopts a dynamic, service-oriented management method, which is more flexible and easier to manage than iptables.
   • Firewalld provides an abstraction layer to organize and manage firewall configurations by defining concepts such as services, zones, and rules.
   • Firewalld supports real-time dynamic update of firewall rules. Rules can be added, deleted or modified at runtime without restarting or reloading the configuration.

Summarize:

• iptables is a traditional firewall tool based on the netfilter framework and requires manual writing of static rules.
• Firewalld is a newer firewall management tool that uses a dynamic, service-oriented approach to manage rules and supports real-time dynamic updates.

It should be noted that although iptables and Firewalld have some overlapping functions, Firewalld provides a more user-friendly management interface and ease of use, which is especially suitable for configuration management in dynamic environments. Firewalld still uses iptables internally for firewall functionality, but for more granular configuration and control, iptables can be used directly. Therefore, when choosing a firewall configuration tool, decide which tool to use based on your specific needs and environment to ensure network security and effective management.

The above is the detailed content of What is the difference between iptables and Firewalld firewall in Linux system?. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!