What is the P4 Programming Language? - Northbound Networks

It seems there may be some confusion as to what P4 is, in particular how it relates to OpenFlow. So let's get one thing out of the way first, P4 is NOT a replacement for OpenFlow. They serve two different functions and as a matter of fact, complement each other. Both have a simple set of goals, to increase extensibility and reduce time to market. OpenFlow is a protocol, one that allows the separation of the control and data planes in a network device. By moving the control plane away from the network device onto commodity hardware, it allows the user to develop their own custom logic to centralise and enhance overall network manageability. Then OpenFlow allows these two components to communicate with each other.P4, on the other hand, is a programming language designed explicitly for programming the data plane

A survey on data plane programming with P4: Fundamentals, advances, and applied research - ScienceDirect

Comparison of Software Defined Networking (SDN) Controllers. Part 2: Open Network Operating System (ONOS) - Aptira

Software defined networking: State-of-the-art - IOS Press

A survey on data plane programming with P4: Fundamentals, advances, and applied research - ScienceDirect

P4 Network Programming Language—what is it all about? - CodiLime

P4 Network Programming Language. Part 1.

Programmable Packet Processing: P4 and POF

Solutions for adopting software defined network in practice - Shah - 2019 - International Journal of Communication Systems - Wiley Online Library

Juniper Advancing Disaggregation Through P4 Runtime Integration

P4: Programming Networks Forwarding Plane