This script assumes exclusive ownership of the firewalld direct rules file /etc/firewalld/direct.xml or whereever configured
List of address can be empty, direct file will then be removed
After every execution script will trigger systemd firewalld service restart
No subnet, will simply not be validated
Include example systemd unit file and install instructions
firewall-cmd --check-config
default location for config file and default name for config file
we should deduplicate list
is intended to help with just docker-user
man page https://ipset.netfilter.org/iptables.man.html we do iptables
added in order
related, established? needed?
section names as comments?

Config structure

Package configuration happens via a config.ini file that follows INI-style syntax. Copy examples/config.ini.example to config.ini to get started:

[DEFAULT]
target = ACCEPT
addr =
ports = 80, 443
proto = tcp
do_config_check = true
restart_firewalld_after_change = true

[anyone-can-access-website]

[these-guys-can-dns]
addr = google.li, 142.251.36.195, lowendbox.com, 2606:4700:20::ac43:4775
ports = 53
proto = tcp, udp

[maybe-a-webserver]
addr = 2606:4700:20::681a:804, lowendtalk.com
ports = 80, 443

[allow-anyone-to-access-mail-services]
ports = 143, 993, 110, 995, 25, 465, 587

[deny-all]
target = DROP
addr =
ports =
proto =

Layout

A config file can have an optional [DEFAULT] section and must have at least one [section] other than [DEFAULT]. Any [DEFAULT] option that's undefined retains its default value. Feel free to delete the entire [DEFAULT] section from your file. A setting changed in [DEFAULT] section affects all sections. A setting changed only in a custom [section] overwrites it for only the section.

Custom sections such as [maybe-a-webserver] in above example file are treated as organizational helper constructs. You can but don't have to group IP address rules by sections. Technically nothing's stopping you from adding all IP allow list entries into a single section.

Example explanation

With config_check_after_change

Setting restart_firewalld_after_change controls if you want the firewalld systemd unit to be restarted

In above example file note that [anyone-can-access-website] makes [maybe-a-webserver] irrelevant, the latter one could easily be deleted. [anyone-can-access-website] does not overwrite defaults, it's an empty section. With it firewalld will create a rule that - following all default settings - allows access from any source address on TCP ports 80 and 443. In section [maybe-a-webserver] we do the same and additionally limit source addresses. Rules are added in config.ini order so the first rule permitting access to TCP ports 80 and 443 from anywhere makes the second one irrelevant.

We strongly recommend you do keep the very last example section:

[deny-all]
target = DROP
addr =
ports =
proto =

If a packet has traversed rules this far without being accepted it will be dropped.

Options

Globals

In [DEFAULT] section the following settings are called globals. They're only valid in [DEFAULT] context. Adding them to a custom [section] (see Locals below) won't do anything, in a custom [section] the following settings are ignored.

do_config_check, optional, defaults to true: Do a firewall-cmd --check-config once before changing /etc/firewalld/direct.xml. Abort if this initial check fails, inform the user. Obviously something's very wrong before we've even touched firewall configs. Otherwise back up /etc/firewalld/direct.xml, change it then do another check. If firewall-cmd --check-config finds a syntax error restore the backed up known good /etc/firewalld/direct.xml, delete the temporary backed up one and inform the user.

If restart_firewalld_after_change is also true (default) restart the firewalld systemd service unit after the second config check. See steps a through f below at restart_firewalld_after_change for exact order.
restart_firewalld_after_change, optional, defaults to true: After putting a new /etc/firewalld/direct.xml file in place restart the firewalld systemd service unit.
- If do_config_check is also true (default) the exact order is:
  1. Config check, bail on error and inform user
  2. Back up /etc/firewalld/direct.xml to temporary location
  3. Write new /etc/firewalld/direct.xml content
  4. Perform config check, bail on error and restore backed up /etc/firewalld/direct.xml
  5. Delete backed up /etc/firewalld/direct.xml
  6. Restart firewalld systemd service unit
- If do_config_check is false:
  1. Write new /etc/firewalld/direct.xml content
  2. Restart firewalld systemd service unit

Locals

A custom [section] has the following options. We're calling the locals all of which are optional.

target, optional, defaults to ACCEPT: A string specifying the fate of a packet that matched this rule. By default matching packets are accepted. See "TARGETS" section in iptables man page. You'll most likely want to stick to either ACCEPT or DROP.
addr, optional: A comma-separated list of any combination of IPv4 addresses, IPv6 addresses and domain names. When update-firewall-source.py constructs firewalld rules these addresses are allowed to access the server. If left undefined addr defaults to an empty list meaning rules apply to any arbitrary source address.

Subnets are unsupported, both as subnet masks (142.251.36.195/255.255.255.248) and in CIDR notation (142.251.36.195/29). Do not single- nor double-quote list entries. Do feel free to separate entries with comma-space instead of just a comma.
ports, optional, defaults to 80, 443: A comma-separated list of ports that should be accessible from addr. If overwritten to an empty option addr may access all ports.
proto, optional, defaults to tcp: A protocol that should be allowed for addr on ports. If undefined this defaults to tcp being allowed. Since firewalld direct rules use iptables syntax the list of possible protocol names is largely identical to what the iptables man page says about its --protocol argument:

The specified protocol can be one of tcp, udp, udplite, icmp, icmpv6, esp, ah, sctp, mh or the special keyword all, or it can be a numeric value, representing one of these protocols or a different one. A protocol name from /etc/protocols is also allowed. A ! argument before the protocol inverts the test. The number zero is equivalent to all.

Your mileage may vary depending on which specific OS flavor and version you're running.