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From some reading I did as a newcomer, I understand that the term iptables isn't really that straight forward as it sounds ("a list of ip addresses"), and may resemble at least 3 different things in the Linux discourse:

1. The iptables Linux kernel module made of an information system in the form of context-based tables which acts as logical basis for another Linux kernel module - The Linux firewall.

2. A Linux utility also called iptables that comes virtually in any distro, and uses a sysadmin to manipulate the kernel module called iptables (section 1) by commands, "from outside" (instead by text editing, "from inside").

3. A potential set of tables (or a single table) inside the iptables kernel module, dealing with allowed or blocked IP addresses.

I am new to Linux and can't tell how exactly was I accurate here; My question is if this is accurate and if there aren't any more "semantic" names for these types of software.

From some reading I did as a newcomer, I understand that the term iptables isn't really that straight forward as it sounds ("a list of ip addresses"), and may resemble at least 3 different things in the Linux discourse:

1. The iptables Linux kernel module made of an information system in the form of context-based tables which acts as logical basis for another Linux kernel module - The Linux firewall.

2. A Linux utility also called iptables that comes virtually in any distro, and uses a sysadmin to manipulate the kernel module called iptables (section 1) by commands, "from outside" (instead by text editing, "from inside").

3. A potential set of tables (or a single table) inside the iptables kernel module, dealing with allowed or blocked IP addresses.

I am new to Linux and can't tell how exactly was I accurate here; My question is if this is accurate and if there aren't any more "semantic" names for these types of software.

Edit: It was also unclear to me if it is right to explain "iptables chain" just a "special type of rules" or as "a particular iptables command dealing with all cells in a row". I did saw we can change a row in a "chained" command, like iptables [-arguments] [value per column].

From some reading I did as a newcomer, I understand that the term iptables isn't really that straight forward as it sounds ("a list of ip addresses"), and may resemble at least 2 different things in the Linux discourse:

1. The iptables Linux kernel module made of an information system in the form of context-based tables which acts as logical basis for another Linux kernel module - The Linux firewall.

2. A Linux utility also called iptables that comes virtually in any distro, and uses a sysadmin to manipulate the kernel module called iptables (section 1) by commands, "from outside" (instead by text editing, "from inside").

My question is if this is fully accurate and if there aren't any more "semantic" names for these types of software.

From some reading I did as a newcomer, I understand that the term iptables isn't really that straight forward as it sounds ("a list of ip addresses"), and may resemble at least 3 different things in the Linux discourse:

1. The iptables Linux kernel module made of an information system in the form of context-based tables which acts as logical basis for another Linux kernel module - The Linux firewall.

2. A Linux utility also called iptables that comes virtually in any distro, and uses a sysadmin to manipulate the kernel module called iptables (section 1) by commands, "from outside" (instead by text editing, "from inside").

3. A potential set of tables (or a single table) inside the iptables kernel module, dealing with allowed or blocked IP addresses.

I am new to Linux and can't tell how exactly was I accurate here; My question is if this is accurate and if there aren't any more "semantic" names for these types of software.

From some reading I did as a newcomer, I understand that the term iptables isn't really that straight forward as it sounds ("a list of ip addresses"), and may resemble at least 3 different things in the Linux discourse:

1. The iptables Linux kernel module made of an information system in the form of context-based tables which acts as logical basis for another Linux kernel module - The Linux firewall.

2. A Linux utility also called iptables that comes virtually in any distro, and uses a sysadmin to manipulate the kernel module called iptables (section 1) by commands, "from outside" (instead by text editing, "from inside").

3. A potential set of tables (or a single table) inside the iptables kernel module, dealing with allowed or blocked IP addresses.

I am new to Linux and can't tell how exactly was I accurate here; My question is if this is accurate and if there aren't any more "semantic" names for these types of software.

From some reading I did as a newcomer, I understand that the term iptables isn't really that straight forward as it sounds ("a list of ip addresses"), and may resemble at least 2 different things in the Linux discourse:

1. The iptables Linux kernel module made of an information system in the form of context-based tables which acts as logical basis for another Linux kernel module - The Linux firewall.

2. A Linux utility also called iptables that comes virtually in any distro, and uses a sysadmin to manipulate the kernel module called iptables (section 1) by commands, "from outside" (instead by text editing, "from inside").

My question is if this is fully accurate and if there aren't any more "semantic" names for these types of software.