> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://johnermac.gitbook.io/johnermac/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://johnermac.gitbook.io/johnermac/post-exploitation/data-exfiltration/udp/netcat.md).
# Netcat
Netcat, also known as "nc," is a versatile networking utility that allows for easy creation of TCP/IP connections, port scanning, and network troubleshooting.
### Basic Usage
```css
nc [options] [hostname/IP] [port]
```
```
nc example.com 80
```
Send and receive files
```css
nc -l [port] < file_to_send
nc [server_IP] [port] > received_file
```
Port scanning
