Namespaces for protected multi-tenant packet processing pipelines

A computer-implemented method comprising:

• instantiating a directed graph comprising graph objects representing processing stages of a processing pipeline;
• grouping the graph objects into a plurality of namespaces, each namespace defining a scope for programming of its grouped graph objects;
• restricting modification of graph objects such that each namespace controls programming access only to graph objects within its scope;
• and
• transforming programming associated with the plurality of namespaces into a unified execution graph that is executed as a single processing structure.

One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause a computing system to:

• represent a processing pipeline as a directed graph of graph objects;
• assign the graph objects to a plurality of namespaces, each namespace defining an isolated programming scope;
• enforce that programming operations affecting a graph object are permitted only through a namespace to which the graph object is assigned;
• and
• compile programming associated with the plurality of namespaces into a unified execution graph for execution by the computing system.