---
name: "flowctl"
section: "8"
platform: "freebsd"
package: "base"
version: "16.0-CURRENT-20261027-61c70dc16a79"
release: "FreeBSD 16.0-CURRENT (2026-10-27)"
platforms: ["freebsd"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/flowctl"
---

# flowctl(8)

ng\_netflow(4) control utility

## NAME

**flowctl** – [ng\_netflow(4)](/ng_netflow/4.md) control utility

## SYNOPSIS

**flowctl** \[**-d** *level*\] *path* *command*

## DESCRIPTION

The **flowctl** utility is intended to control the [ng\_netflow(4)](/ng_netflow/4.md) nodes. It has a single option:

- **-d** *level*

  Set the [netgraph(3)](/netgraph/3.md) debugging level to *level*.

## COMMANDS

Currently, **flowctl** supports only one command.

- **show** \[**ipv4\|ipv6**\] \[**human\|verbose**\]

  This command is the analog of the “show ip cache flow” command of a Cisco router. It dumps the contents of the flow cache in Cisco-like format. Specifying either **ipv4** or **ipv6** would extract only IPv4 or IPv6 flows respectively. It has optional parameter **verbose**, which is analog of the “show ip cache verbose flow” command. Additionally, **human** parameter can be specify to show selected flows in human-readable format.

## EXIT STATUS

The **flowctl** utility exits 0 on success, and \>0 if an error occurs.

## SEE ALSO

[netgraph(3)](/netgraph/3.md), [ng\_netflow(4)](/ng_netflow/4.md)

## AUTHORS

The **flowctl** utility was written by Gleb Smirnoff ⟨*glebius@FreeBSD.org*⟩, based on **ipacctctl** written by Roman V. Palagin ⟨*romanp@unshadow.net*⟩.