docs/extend/plugins_network.md

---
title: Docker network driver plugins
description: "Network driver plugins."
keywords: "Examples, Usage, plugins, docker, documentation, user guide"
---

This document describes Docker Engine network driver plugins generally
available in Docker Engine. To view information on plugins
managed by Docker Engine, refer to [Docker Engine plugin system](_index.md).

Docker Engine network plugins enable Engine deployments to be extended to
support a wide range of networking technologies, such as VXLAN, IPVLAN, MACVLAN
or something completely different. Network driver plugins are supported via the
LibNetwork project. Each plugin is implemented as a "remote driver" for
LibNetwork, which shares plugin infrastructure with Engine. Effectively, network
driver plugins are activated in the same way as other plugins, and use the same
kind of protocol.

## Network plugins and Swarm mode

[Legacy plugins](legacy_plugins.md) do not work in Swarm mode. However,
plugins written using the [v2 plugin system](_index.md) do work in Swarm mode, as
long as they are installed on each Swarm worker node.

## Use network driver plugins

The means of installing and running a network driver plugin depend on the
particular plugin. So, be sure to install your plugin according to the
instructions obtained from the plugin developer.

Once running however, network driver plugins are used just like the built-in
network drivers: by being mentioned as a driver in network-oriented Docker
commands. For example,

```console
$ docker network create --driver weave mynet
```

Some network driver plugins are listed in [plugins](legacy_plugins.md)

The `mynet` network is now owned by `weave`, so subsequent commands
referring to that network will be sent to the plugin,

```console
$ docker run --network=mynet busybox top
```

## Find network plugins

Network plugins are written by third parties, and are published by those
third parties, either on
[Docker Hub](https://hub.docker.com/search?q=&type=plugin)
or on the third party's site.

## Write a network plugin

Network plugins implement the [Docker plugin API](plugin_api.md) and the network
plugin protocol

## Network plugin protocol

The network driver protocol, in addition to the plugin activation call, is
documented as part of libnetwork:
[https://github.com/moby/moby/blob/master/daemon/libnetwork/docs/remote.md](https://github.com/moby/moby/blob/master/daemon/libnetwork/docs/remote.md).