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! Commands

{{{
> ls -la /usr/sbin/ip*  # list all commands, there are many
> iptables*             # for ipv4 (in debian busters = nft)
> ip6tables*            # for ipv6 (in debian busters = nft)
> iptables-legacy       # former ones, not nft
> iptables-nft          # directly use nft
}}}
Notes:
* all iptables commands (for ipv4) have an ip__6__tabbles* equivalent (for ipv6)
* see [info|https://developers.redhat.com/blog/2020/08/18/iptables-the-two-variants-and-their-relationship-with-nftables#using_iptables_nft] on nft

! Syntax
see [docu|https://docs.redhat.com/en/documentation/red_hat_enterprise_linux/4/html/reference_guide/s1-iptables-options#s2-iptables-options-structure]
{{{
> sudo iptables -L -v 
> sudo iptables -n -v --line-numbers -L 
> sudo service iptables start		# activate firewalling
> sudo service ip6tables start
> sudo chkconfig iptables on		# enable after reboot
> sudo chkconfig ip6tables on
}}}

{{{
iptables [-t <table-name>] <command> <chain-name> <parameter-1>  <option-1> <parameter-n> <option-n>
}}}
* table-name 
** like ~[filter, nat, mangle, raw, security~], if omitted we use "filter"
* comamnd
** -F : flush current chain or all if omitted
** -X : deletes a user-specified chain or all if omitted
** -Z : zeros the byte and packet counters in all chains
** -A : apppend a rule at the end
** -I : inserts at a specified position (similar to replace -R), wihtout position at the top
** -P : a policy is a fall back and is used after all rules have passede** you can enable certain special addresses earlier 
** -L : list all rules
* chain-name
** INPUT, FORWARD, OUTPUT (as listed with > iptables -L)
** you may invent new chain names, but this seems not to be common (command -N)
* parameter-1 (filter)
** -s : source filter (address~[/mask~]~[...~])
** -d : destination filter
** -p : protocoll filter like ~[icmp, tcp, udp, all~] or those in /etc/protocols, if omitted ALL protocols are considered
*** with -p tcp you can use --dport for destination port filter, any number
*** with -p udp you can use --dport for destination port and --sport as source port filter
*** ports can be also a range like 3000:3200 (all from 3000 to 3200)
*** with -p icmp you can use --icmp-type
** -i : interface like ~[eth0, lo, ppp0~], without name ALL interfaces are used
** -j : jump to ~[ACCEPT, DROP, QUEUE, RETURN~] (or others added with modules)
** -m : adds a comment when listing the rules, syntax >-m comment --comment "My comments here"<
* option-1 (target)
** ~[ACCEPT, DROP, QUEUE, RETURN~] (or others added with modules)
* option-n (listing options)
** -v : verbose output
** -n : displays IP addresses and port numbers in numeric format instead of hostname/network service
* notes
** the first three commands are usually used to create a fresh ruleset in a script
** in the chain list and then drop all other later

! Python
* package python3-iptables manages legacy ones only
* package "python3-nftables" manages nft tables
* alternatively you can use subprocess.run to call the original system commands

import nftables