Looking for a Packet Capture API

Hello all,

I'm currently undergoing a project related to the detection of malicious cryptocurrency miners on a network. I'm looking for a packet capture/networking monitoring utility that has a public API so that I might implement a simple network monitor that identifies stratum protocol communications on a host device/network (for educational purposes).

Alternatively, if anyone knows perhaps a pre-built tool that (with some appropriate configuration) might be better suited for this please let me know! I'm quite new to NetSec, so still just getting my head around a content filters and networking monitoring utilities.. I was thinking a content-filitering proxy server?

Thanks all!