You can do simple management tasks on linux virtual bridges using iproute2.

While you can’t set STP or showmacs, you can create/delete bridges and add/remove interfaces.

The following commands are the same.

* add bridge

#brctl addbr ipbr0
#ip l a ipbr0 type bridge

* add interface to bridge

#brctl addif ipbr0 eth0
#ip l s eth0 master ipbr0

* remove interface from bridge

#brctl delif ipbr0 eth0
#ip l s eth0 nomaster

* remove bridge

#brctl delbr ipbr0
#ip l d ipbr0