7 Network Programming Books Vint Cerf and James Forshaw Trust

James Forshaw, a respected security researcher at Google Project Zero, channels his extensive experience hunting bugs into this detailed examination of network protocol vulnerabilities. You’ll explore how to capture and manipulate network traffic, reverse engineer protocols, and uncover security flaws like memory corruption and authentication bypass. The book walks you through tools like Wireshark and guides you in crafting custom proxies to analyze and exploit network communication. Whether you're a penetration tester or a developer interested in network security, you’ll gain a strong understanding of both foundational concepts and advanced exploitation techniques.

Douglas E. Comer’s extensive experience as a Purdue University professor and former DARPA board chairman informs this detailed exploration of TCP/IP internetworking. You’ll gain a clear understanding of how voice and video traverse IP networks, the evolving IPv6 standards, and the workings of IPsec security protocols. The book also dives into router technologies like Random Early Discard, offering you concrete insights into network architecture and protocols. If you’re aiming to deepen your grasp of foundational and advanced TCP/IP mechanisms, this volume lays out the principles and protocols with precision and clarity.

This tailored book explores network programming by deeply engaging with core concepts and practical skills that match your background and goals. It covers essential topics from socket APIs to protocol design, providing a personalized pathway through the complexities of network communication. The book examines real-world applications and challenges, focusing on what you want to learn and achieve. By tailoring content to your specific interests, it offers a unique learning experience that bridges foundational knowledge with your personal objectives. This approach helps you master network programming efficiently, navigating topics that matter most to your development and technical growth.

Drawing from decades of combined experience in UNIX systems and network architecture, W. Richard Stevens and his co-authors deliver a definitive exploration of socket programming in this volume. The book meticulously unpacks the intricacies of sockets—the backbone of UNIX network communication—guiding you through their practical implementation with detailed examples and thorough explanations, including coverage of the X/Open Transport Interface (XTI). By focusing on the APIs essential for developing robust client-server and web-based applications, it equips you with a deep understanding of network programming essentials that are often glossed over elsewhere. This work suits software developers and engineers aiming to master UNIX networking fundamentals and refine their ability to build efficient networked applications.

Adam Woodbeck's decades of software engineering experience, particularly his work implementing scalable distributed cloud environments at Barracuda Networks, shaped this guide on network programming using Go. You learn foundational network concepts like IPv4/IPv6 structures and traffic routing before advancing to practical applications involving TCP, UDP, and Unix sockets for reliable communication. The book also dives into secure protocols such as TLS and HTTP/2, plus how to build efficient HTTP applications with middleware and multiplexers. If you're aiming to write clean, secure, and production-ready network code leveraging Go’s concurrency and performance, this book offers detailed guidance tailored to those goals.

Liz Rice's decades of experience with network protocols and distributed systems shine through in this deep dive into eBPF, a technology transforming Linux kernel behavior. You get hands-on guidance on writing eBPF code, attaching it to kernel events, and understanding its role in enhancing observability, networking, and security without modifying applications. The chapters clearly explain how eBPF components interact with the OS, making complex kernel programming accessible to developers, sysadmins, and operators eager to innovate. This book suits you if you want to explore modern Linux networking internals and build powerful tools leveraging kernel extensibility, although casual readers may find it technical.

This tailored book offers a focused journey to enhance your network programming skills within 90 days. It explores essential concepts, from fundamental protocols to advanced socket programming, carefully aligned with your background and interests. By concentrating on topics you find most relevant, it guides you through practical coding exercises and deep dives into network architecture that build your expertise efficiently. This personalized approach helps you navigate complex material at your own pace, making challenging subjects accessible and engaging. Whether you're aiming to strengthen your understanding of TCP/IP, master API interactions, or grasp secure communication techniques, this book molds itself to your specific learning goals and technical level.

After years of navigating complex cloud architectures and multiple certifications, Dario Cabianca crafted this guide to fill a clear gap in Google Cloud Platform (GCP) network engineering resources. You’ll explore how GCP's virtual private clouds span multiple regions, setting it apart from AWS and Azure, with chapters that highlight exam topics through applied examples rather than rote memorization. The book offers hands-on insights into architecting VPCs, configuring hybrid connectivity, and managing network operations within GCP’s unique environment. If you’re a software engineer or architect with some cloud experience, this book equips you to understand and leverage GCP’s networking features effectively, not just to pass the exam but to apply these concepts on the job.

Drawing from over two decades of hands-on experience at Cisco Brazil, Alexandre M. S. P. Moraes offers a deep dive into Cisco's firewall technologies that goes beyond simple configuration. You’ll explore not just what firewall features exist but how to apply them in complex network topologies, including virtualized environments and IPv6 deployments. For example, the book details how to integrate Cisco ASA firewalls with NAT and how to use zone-based policies for flexible security management. This text suits network architects, security engineers, and professionals preparing for Cisco security certifications who need a thorough understanding of firewall deployment in real-world scenarios.