Nmap is an open source network mapper tool widely used by many network engineers and cyber security professionals to map the network infrastructure in an organization.
It's a cross platform tool which supports Windows, Mac and Linux environments, but Nmap also supports less popular or older operating systems like Solaris, AIX or AmigaOS.
NMAP is considered as a simplified CLI/GUI tool to map an entire network infrastructure with additional features like Host Discovery, Port scanning, Service and version discovery, Operating system detection, Nmap scripting engine, Firewall & IDS evasion, IP spoofing.
Its an most popular tool used by a cyber security professional to recon information about an target which gives an entire network information, basically recon are the most initial phase of cyber security, the collection information are sensitive which can be leveraged by the pentester to aid in other phases of the pentesting lifecycle, such as using gathered information to plan and execute Initial Access, to scope and prioritize post-compromise objectives, or to drive and lead further Reconnaissance efforts.
Basic Information
Developer: Gordon Lyon
Original author: Gordon Lyon
Initial release date: September 1997
Programming languages: C, C++, Perl and Python. GUI Version: ZEN Map
Features
Host Discovery
Port scanning
Service and version discovery
Operating system detection
Nmap scripting engine
Firewall & IDS evasion
IP spoofing
Advantages
NSE Enhanced
Better Web Scanning
Full IPv6 Support
New Nping Tool
Better Zenmap GUI & results viewer
Faster scans