Installation

Install the dflux TinyCore network functions (four required plus optional NSSF/SMSF) from the release archive onto a Linux host.

Prerequisites

dflux TinyCore ships as prebuilt binaries for Linux (amd64 or arm64). You need a Linux host and sudo to install the binaries onto your PATH. SCTP (N2/NGAP) and the UPF's TUN datapath are Linux-only, so the binaries target Linux only. You'll have received a download link and a license file from d3x.

Native binaries vs Compose short names

The on-disk commands are d3x-core-nrf, d3x-core-dmf, d3x-core-dpf, d3x-core-upf, and optional d3x-core-nssf / d3x-core-smsf. If the d3x umbrella is installed, d3x core nrf execs the same binary. Each process's --help still prints Usage: nrf (and so on) — that is the internal process name, not a host PATH command. Docker Compose lab images use those short names as the container command because that is what the lab image entrypoint expects.

Download and verify the archive

Download the release archive using the time-limited link dflux gave you, then verify it against the published SHA256 and unpack it:

Bash

Install the binaries

The archive contains the core NF binaries (and optional NSSF/SMSF when included) plus an examples/ directory. Install the binaries into /usr/local/bin:

Bash

This puts the executables on your PATH:

d3x-core-nrf — Network Repository Function (NF registration and discovery).
d3x-core-dmf — dflux Management Function (AMF + SMF).
d3x-core-dpf — dflux Policy Function (AUSF + UDM + UDR + PCF; holds subscribers).
d3x-core-upf — User Plane Function.
d3x-core-nssf (optional) — Network Slice Selection Function.
d3x-core-smsf (optional) — SMS Function.

Verify the install

Confirm each binary runs and prints its version:

Bash

With your license in place, each NF also logs who it's licensed to at startup — see Licensing.

Grant the UPF its TUN capability

The UPF's userspace datapath opens /dev/net/tun, which requires CAP_NET_ADMIN. Grant the capability once to the installed binary so you can run the UPF without root:

Bash

The stub datapath does not need this — it only matters when the UPF forwards real packets. See the UPF datapath guide.

Where to go next

With the required binaries installed, head to Run the core natively to wire the NFs together on your host. For the complete flag set of each binary, see the CLI reference — for example the d3x-core-dmf CLI reference.