Kmod-nft-offload !!link!! Jun 2026

Report bugs or send patches to the GitHub issue tracker. Tested on Mellanox ConnectX-5 / ARM DPU – other platforms welcome.

The kmod-nft-offload kernel module provides the necessary infrastructure to offload nftables rulesets to compatible network hardware (e.g., SmartNICs, switch ASICs). This report details its architecture, dependencies, performance implications, and deployment considerations. Enabling this module significantly reduces CPU load for high-bandwidth packet forwarding by moving flow processing from the Linux network stack to hardware. kmod-nft-offload

framework. By offloading flows, the router can skip several expensive networking stack steps for established connections, significantly reducing CPU usage and increasing maximum transfer speeds—especially on Gigabit connections. Key Technical Details Dependencies : This module typically requires kmod-nf-flow kmod-nft-nat to function. Implementation : It works by utilizing the Linux kernel's nf_flow_table_offload.c Report bugs or send patches to the GitHub issue tracker

Here is a comprehensive breakdown for a post covering what it is, why it matters, and how to use it. By offloading flows, the router can skip several