An embodiment includes a plurality of tables in a hardware network for performing packet processing. Each table in the plurality of tables includes a table declaration. The table declaration includes a first set of fields used for input matching and a second set of fields used as inputs for action processing. A first table is selected from the plurality of tables. Successor tables to the first table are selected from the plurality of tables. There is a third set of fields for each successor table of the successor tables. The contents of the third set of fields are output fields where the output fields are modified by the first table when a next table of the first table is the successor table of the first table.