Apache LDAP API is an

open source Open source is source code that is made freely available for possible modification and redistribution. Products include permission to use the source code, design documents, or content of the product. The open-source model is a decentralized sof ...

project of the Apache Software Foundation and a subproject of the

Apache Directory Apache Directory is an Open-source software, open source project of the Apache Software Foundation. The Apache Directory Server, originally written by Alex Karasulu, is an embeddable directory server entirely written in Java (programming language) ...

. It's a replacement for outdated Java/LDAP libraries like (jLdap, Mozilla LDAP SDK and JNDI) and works with any

LDAP The Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP ) is an open, vendor-neutral, industry standard application protocol for accessing and maintaining distributed directory information services over an Internet Protocol (IP) network. Directory serv ...

server.

History

The

project was started using the

JNDI The Java Naming and Directory Interface (JNDI) is a Java API for a directory service that allows Java software clients to discover and look up data and resources (in the form of Java objects) via a name. Like all Java APIs that interface with hos ...

library, but many of its LDAP structures had to be developed in-house because the JNDI library was ineffective for interacting with an LDAP server. It wasn't convenient for the project team to use JNDI which indicated to them it wouldn't be easy for typical users either. Eventually, all of the necessary LDAP data structures (_Attribute_, _Entry_, _DN_, ...) were re-implemented by the project team. At some point it became necessary to communicate with other LDAP servers without using the JNDI library, so a new _LdapConnection_ class was developed. This was the first step toward a full Java API specifically designed for LDAP usage on the Java platform. After starting this effort (back in 2007), some people from

Sun The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is a nearly perfect ball of hot plasma, heated to incandescence by nuclear fusion reactions in its core. The Sun radiates this energy mainly as light, ultraviolet, and infrared rad ...

(Microsystems), who was working on the OpenDS project, contacted the Apache Directory project team to gauge interest in helping create a new version of JNDI. ( esurrecting The Java LDAP Centric APIhttps://web.archive.org/web/20170102082918/https://blogs.oracle.com/treydrake/entry/resurrecting_the_java_ldap_centric). Unfortunately, the effort stalled, as the need for JNDI2 was no longer a priority for Sun. Nevertheless the Apache Directory team continued with the work but the pace was slow. Collaboration with Sun renewed after the OpenDS project team's presentation at LdapCon in 2009 ( owards a common LDAP API for the Java Platformhttp://www.symas.com/ldapcon2009/papers/poitou1.shtml)). The story repeated itself once again after Oracle bought Sun in 2010, and its project team disbanded. Despite these fits and starts, a consensus was reached about the need for a new LDAP API and what it should be capable of doing. An agreement that these key features should be included: * A complete coverage of the LDAP protocol * A schema aware API * An easy to use API * An API taking advantage of the new Java construction (generics, ellipsis, NIO)

References

External links

Apache Directory LDAP API Project Page

Directory Directory may refer to: * Directory (computing), or folder, a file system structure in which to store computer files * Directory (OpenVMS command) * Directory service, a software application for organizing information about a computer network' ...

Directory services {{security-software-stub