Open, programmable network OS for Linux

Ze

Ze creates appliances or makes Linux speak BGP, manage interfaces, program the FIB, and give operators a CLI, web UI, telemetry, looking glass, API, and plugin system around one coherent configuration model.

Successor to ExaBGP. Built for people who want a network stack they can inspect, automate, and extend.

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12,800+ unit tests
  • Wire encoding, parsing
  • Config, FSM, plugins
900+ end to end tests
  • Peering, sessions, updates
  • Editor, commits, reloads
50+ fuzz targets
  • Parsers, external inputs
  • Wire formats, config files
7 interop targets
  • FRR, BIRD, GoBGP
  • OpenBGPd, FreeRtr
  • RustyBGP, rustbgpd
Current status

Jump in early.

Ze has a modern BGP implementation and a friendly network OS. The code is heavily tested, and the project is moving fast.

It is still young. Operational mileage is limited and configuration may change. Upgrade paths will be provided after the first release. Use it in labs, break it, read the code, and tell us what is wrong.

Full-featured BGP Sessions, capabilities, UPDATE handling, IPv4/IPv6 unicast, and growing FlowSpec family coverage.
Powerful tooling SSH CLI with diff and commit, web workbench, looking glass, telemetry, all from one config model.
Extensible by design RIB, route-server, graceful restart, RPKI, policy, persistence, and external process plugins.
Easy to explore Built-in doctor checks, readable state, MCP server for AI-assisted debugging, clear errors throughout.

Built for demanding operators.

Ze owns its BGP engine, configuration model, plugin system, and operator surfaces. They are designed as one system.

SSH CLI

Autocomplete History
  • commit,
  • commit confirmed,
  • rollback, diff,
  • Command mode

YANG Configuration

YANG ExaBGP
  • Schema-driven validation
  • One model for everything
  • Plugin defined

Web Workbench

HTMX SSE
  • No SPA, server-rendered
  • Config editor, admin panel
  • Live updates via SSE

Looking Glass

Routes Topology Birdwatcher
  • Peer and route viewer
  • Topology graph
  • SSE streaming for live state

Native BGP Engine

BGP IPv4/IPv6 FlowSpec
  • Full implementation in Go
  • Lazy parsing, buffer-first encoding
  • Negotiated capabilities

Plugin System

ExaBGP RPKI Policy
  • Route-server, graceful restart
  • Persistence, NLRI families
  • Independent, composable

Programmable

REST Plugins
  • REST API
  • External process plugins
  • Automate from any language

Easy to Explore

MCP Doctor
  • MCP server for AI debugging
  • Built-in doctor checks
  • Readable state and errors

Runs Itself

Update Systemd
  • Binary self-update
  • Built-in readiness checks
  • No orchestrator needed

Two Targets

Appliance Server
  • Lean bootable appliance
  • Linux server with systemd
  • Single static binary
  • Ideal for virtual networking

Evidence Over Claims

Fuzz Interop Docker
  • Unit, functional, fuzz, chaos
  • Performance benchmarks
  • Interop vs FRR, BIRD, GoBGP

Secure by Default

SSH RPKI ASPA
  • SSH access to the CLI
  • RPKI route origin validation
  • No other daemons needed

Discover what makes Ze unique.

The best users today are people building labs, route-server experiments, BGP tooling, network appliances, migration paths from ExaBGP, or want to know what makes Ze better. 

# build from source
                            $ git clone https://github.com/ze-software/ze.git
                            $ cd ze && make build

                            # install with systemd
                            $ bin/ze install local --prefix /usr/local

                            # configure and start
                            $ /usr/local/bin/ze init
                            $ /usr/local/bin/ze config import router.conf
                            $ /usr/local/bin/ze config edit
                            $ /usr/local/bin/ze start
Good first paths

Start with a lab peer, a migrated ExaBGP config, or a looking-glass instance. The project needs feedback from people who know what real routing operations look like.

YANG Configuration one model for everything Programmable API, plugins, automation MCP Control AI-assisted operations Looking Glass peer and route viewer

Who should look now?

Ze is early enough that strong feedback can still change the shape of the system. That is useful if you care about how open routing software should feel in 2026 and after.

BGP Operators

People who understand peering, route servers, policy, RPKI, and the pain of debugging control-plane state.

Network Builders

People building Linux appliances, labs, automation systems, test harnesses, or routing experiments.

ExaBGP Users

People with existing ExaBGP workflows who want a path toward a fuller programmable network stack.

Open routing needs boring miles.

Ze has the shape of the system we want: open, modern, and programmable. It still needs users, hardware, failures, odd networks, and the slow confidence that comes from deployments.