Abstract: A network coding method includes obtaining a data packet group in to-be-sent data packets, processing the data packet group based on a generator matrix of cyclic shift network coding thereby generating encoded data packets, and sending the encoded data packets to a receiving end. The to-be-sent data packets include a plurality of data packet groups. Each data packet group of the plurality of data packet groups includes a plurality of data packets. An element comprised in the generator matrix is a corresponding element in a binary vector field converted from a multi-element field.