P4 Developer Days – P4Muse (P4 Modularity and Unification for Seamless Extensibility)

Domain-specific programming languages such as P4 enable flexible and high-performance packet processing in programmable network data planes. However, most P4 programs remain monolithic, limiting the development of modular and reusable protocols and libraries. Introducing modularity to P4 has been challenging because existing approaches—such as trans-compilers and virtualization—operate outside the P4 language and compiler, reducing backward compatibility and extensibility. P4Muse (P4 Modularity and Unification for Seamless Extensibility) addresses this challenge by introducing a compiler-managed approach to modularity within the P4C compiler. Without requiring any new syntax or annotations, P4Muse introduces new compiler passes for automatic code merging, enabling modular design, reuse, and seamless integration of complex network functionalities. Our results show that P4Muse effectively supports modular P4 program development without altering existing P4 syntax, providing a robust solution that significantly improves code reusability, flexibility, and extensibility while maintaining backward compatibility.