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Introducing NetIrk: A Lightweight CLI Tool for High-Level Network Insights

Netirk is a lightweight and efficient CLI tool designed to perform high-level network analysis. Built with simplicity in mind, it offers essential features like connectivity checks, DNS tracing, and a lightweight server to test local networking setups. Whether you're troubleshooting or verifying connectivity, Netirk is here to streamline the process.


Installation

To get started with Netirk, install it via Go:

go install github.com/himaatluri/netirk
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Usage

Basic Commands

Netirk offers a clean and easy-to-use CLI interface. Use the following commands for different operations:

Check Connectivity

Verify the response from a host and inspect SSL details if required.

netirk check --target <hostname> --verify-ssl
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Example

netirk check --target google.com --verify-ssl
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Output:

Getting server certs...

➥ Cert: 0 
 → CA: false
 → Issuer: WR2
 → Expiry: Monday, 13-Jan-25 08:36:56 UTC
 → PublicKey: 
   -----BEGIN CERTIFICATE-----
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Trace

Diagnose connection details, including DNS resolution time, connection latency, and TLS handshake information.

netirk trace --host <hostname> --port <port>
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Example 1

netirk trace --host https://amazon.com --port 8080
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Output:

DNS Resolution done: 7.618718ms
Connect Done: 26.686553ms
Request failed: dial tcp 54.239.28.85:8080: connect: connection refused
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Example 2

netirk trace --host https://amazon.com --port 443
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Output:

DNS Resolution done: 7.553307ms
Connect Done: 27.578134ms
TLS Handshake Done: 83.745488ms
Time to first byte: 147.988115ms
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Running a Lightweight Server

Netirk also includes a basic HTTP server to test local networking setups.

netirk server
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Example:

➜ netirk server                                   
Starting a simple HTTP server on port: 8080
2024/11/25 23:46:37 request: GET /host
2024/11/25 23:46:44 request: GET /health
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You can use curl to interact with the server:

curl localhost:8080/host
curl localhost:8080/health
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Output:

hostname-prints/returned
healthy
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Help Menu

To explore additional options or flags, use the help command:

➜  netirk git:(main) ./netirk help

               _    _        _    
  _ __    ___ | |_ (_) _ __ | | __
 | '_ \  / _ \| __|| || '__|| |/ /
 | | | ||  __/| |_ | || |   |   < 
 |_| |_| \___| \__||_||_|   |_|\_\


A portable network utility to check system reachability,
this utility can also be used to run a small http server when figuring out how to deploy a small
http server in a dynamic network landscape such as cloud platforms.

Usage:
  netirk [command]

Available Commands:
  check       Verify if host is reachable
  completion  Generate the autocompletion script for the specified shell
  help        Help about any command
  server      Run local server for quick testing
  trace       Run local server for quick testing
  version     Print the version number of Netirk CLI

Flags:
  -h, --help   help for netirk

Use "netirk [command] --help" for more information about a command.
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Why Choose Netirk?

Netirk is a versatile tool that focuses on providing network insights with minimal setup. Its intuitive commands and clean output make it a valuable addition to any SRE or platform engineer’s toolkit.


Netirk combines sleek performance with practical functionality. From SSL validation to DNS resolution timing, it empowers you to quickly debug and analyze network connections.

🛠️ How You Can Help
Code Contributions:
Whether you're a seasoned developer or just starting, there’s always a place for your skills. From bug fixes and new features to optimizing performance, your code matters.

Documentation & Tutorials:
Help others get started by improving our documentation or creating tutorials for beginners.

Testing & Feedback:
Test new features and report issues to help us refine the tool.

🌐 How to Get Started
Check Out Our GitHub Repository:
Visit our GitHub repo to explore the project, review open issues, and find contribution guidelines.

Join the Discussion:
Engage with us through GitHub Issues and Pull Requests

💡 Submit a Pull Request:
Found a bug or have a new feature idea? Submit a PR and let’s collaborate!

🙌 Thank You for Your Support!
Every contribution, big or small, brings us closer to making this tool an essential resource for network engineers everywhere. Let’s build something amazing together!

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