Programmable data plane technology enables the systematic reconfiguration of the low-level processing steps applied to network packets and is a key driver in realizing the next generation of network services and applications. This survey presents recent trends and issues in the design and implementation of programmable network devices, focusing on prominent architectures, abstractions, algorithms, and applications proposed, debated, and realized over the past years. We elaborate on the trends that led to the emergence of this technology and highlight the most important pointers from the literature, casting different taxonomies for the field and identifying avenues for future research.

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