/doca-pipeline-language-developer-tools

license: Apache-2.0
name: doca-pipeline-language-developer-tools
description: >
  Use this skill when the operator is driving the DOCA Pipeline
  Language (DPL) Developer Tools to inspect or debug DPL programs on
  a BlueField DPU — DPL Nspect for runtime state such as tables,
  keys, and counters, DPL Debugger for packet flow, DPL Admin for
  dynamic configuration changes in the DPL Runtime Daemon, P4
  Runtime Shell as a P4Runtime control plane manager, or DPL Runtime
  Controller SDK for custom P4Runtime applications and DPL shared
  memory APIs. Trigger even when the user does not explicitly mention
  "DPL Developer Tools" — implicit phrasings include "inspect the DPL
  tables on the DPU", "why can't I start a DPL debug session",
  "change a dpl_rtd configuration item without restarting", "build my
  own P4Runtime app for DPL", or "visualize packet flow through my
  DPL program". Refuse and route elsewhere: authoring, compiling and
  deploying DPL programs to the DOCA Pipeline Language Service Guide,
  DOCA install/bring-up to doca-setup,
  and hardware or firmware state changes to doca-hardware-safety.
metadata:
  author: NVIDIA <doca-feedback@nvidia.com>
  kind: tool
  doca_version: "3.5"
  tags:
    - doca
    - dpl
    - developer-tools
    - p4runtime
    - debug
    - nspect
compatibility: >
  Requires a BlueField DPU configured to operate in DPU mode with the
  DPL Runtime Service container deployed and running, the dpl_rtd
  process active, and the DPL Development Container (publicly
  available on NGC) providing the developer tools. Debug sessions
  additionally require a DPL program compiled with the DPL Compiler
  debug flag -g enabled and loaded into dpl_rtd using the P4Runtime
  controller. The validation steps require a live DOCA install.

DOCA Pipeline Language Developer Tools

Scope boundaries

These requests are out of scope: say so, name the skill that owns the request, and stop.

• installing DOCA and bringing up the DPL Runtime Service container:

`doca-setup/SKILL.md`. Name `doca-setup` in the answer and route the whole install/bring-up there; do not walk the install steps from this skill or from the DPL Installation Guide.

• DPU mode or firmware state changes: `doca-hardware-safety/SKILL.md`.
• which DOCA version is installed, version compatibility: `doca-version/SKILL.md`.
• authoring, compiling and deploying DPL programs (DOCA Pipeline Language Service Guide): `doca-public-knowledge-map/SKILL.md`.

Examples

• **"How do I inspect the DPL runtime tables on the DPU?"** — this is

in scope. Use DPL Nspect; do not author or compile DPL programs here.

• **"I want to visualize packet flow through my DPL program."** — this

is in scope. Use DPL Debugger; ensure the program was compiled with the debug flag `-g` and loaded into `dpl_rtd` using the P4Runtime controller.

• **"How do I dynamically change a configuration item in dpl_rtd?"** —

this is in scope. Use DPL Admin; inspect current state first.

• **"Can I build a custom P4Runtime application for DPL?"** — this is

in scope. Use the DPL Runtime Controller SDK.

• **"My DPL program is loaded but I cannot start a debug session."** —

check the debug-flag prerequisite and the P4Runtime load path before assuming the tool is broken.

Quick facts

The authoritative source for the tool names, flags, and paths is the public DOCA Pipeline Language Developer Tools guide for your release; confirm them with the installed tool's help before quoting any of them. As that guide describes it:

• The developer tools are a suite for validating and debugging DPL

applications: DPL Compiler, P4 Runtime Shell, DPL Nspect, DPL Debugger, DPL Admin, and DPL Runtime Controller SDK.

• All tools interact with the DPL Runtime Daemon (`dpl_rtd`) running on the

BlueField DPU.

• DPL Compiler converts DPL source code into a binary format that can be

loaded by `dpl_rtd`.

• P4 Runtime Shell is an open-source control plane manager implementing the

P4Runtime API.

• DPL Nspect is a command-line interface for inspecting DPL runtime state,

including tables, keys, counters, and more.

• DPL Debugger is a graphical interface for visualizing and debugging packet

flow through the DPL program.

• DPL Admin is a CLI tool for dynamically modifying configuration items in

the DPL Runtime Daemon.

• DPL Runtime Controller SDK is an SDK for building custom P4Runtime

applications or integrating with DPL shared memory APIs.

• Prerequisites: the DPL Runtime Service container must be deployed and

running on the DPU, the `dpl_rtd` process must be active, and the DPU must be configured to operate in DPU mode.

• Starting a debug session requires the DPL program to be compiled for

debugging: compile with the DPL Compiler debug flag `-g` enabled, then load the compiled binary into `dpl_rtd` using the P4Runtime controller.

• The developer tools are included in the DPL Development Container, which is

publicly available on NGC. Installation instructions refer to the DPL Installation Guide.

• For instructions on creating, compiling, and deploying DPL programs, refer

to the DOCA Pipeline Language Service Guide.

• Support and feedback: visit the NVIDIA DOCA Enterprise Networking Forum.

Registration with the NVIDIA Developer Program is required to post; registration is not required to view existing discussions. For help with registration, refer to the FAQ.

Instructions

Follow Loading order below. Open the tasks companion for inspect / debug / modify / build / shell. Open the capabilities companion for what the tools inspect and change. Do not open every companion file.

**Where to start:** This is a tool skill for invoking the DOCA Pipeline Language Developer Tools — the suite for inspecting and debugging DPL programs on BlueField DPUs. Open the tasks companion and start at `## inspect` for DPL Nspect runtime-state inspection, `## debug` for DPL Debugger packet-flow visualization, `## modify` for DPL Admin d