High-level definition language for configuring internal forwarding paths of network devices

A method comprising:

• receiving, by a compiler, text comprising syntax elements in an arrangement that indicates a topology for a plurality of nodes, wherein each node of the plurality of nodes corresponds to a forwarding path element of a plurality of forwarding path elements;
• generating, by the compiler based on the text, code for instantiating the plurality of nodes in the indicated topology for the plurality of nodes;
• compiling, by the compiler, the code to generate a software image for a network device;
• executing, by a forwarding manager of the network device, the software image to configure a forwarding path to include the corresponding forwarding path elements for each of the plurality of nodes;
• and
• processing, by at least one packet processor operably coupled to a memory, packets received by the forwarding unit by executing the forwarding path elements.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions for causing one or more programmable processors and at least one packet processor of a forwarding unit of a network device to:

• receive, by a compiler, text comprising syntax elements in an arrangement that indicates a topology for a plurality of nodes, wherein each node of the plurality of nodes corresponds to a forwarding path element of a plurality of forwarding path elements;
• generate, by the compiler based on the text, code for instantiating the plurality of nodes in the indicated topology for the plurality of nodes;
• compile, by the compiler, the code to generate a software image for a network device;
• execute, by a network device, the software image to configure a forwarding path to include the corresponding forwarding path elements for each of the plurality of nodes;
• and
• process, by the at least one packet processor operably, packets received by the forwarding unit by executing the forwarding path elements.