Apache LDAP API
| Developer(s) | Apache Software Foundation |
|---|---|
| Stable release | 1.0.0-RC2
/ November 2, 2016 |
| Written in | Java |
| Operating system | Cross-platform |
| License | Apache License 2.0 |
| Website | http://directory.apache.org/api/ |
Apache LDAP API is an open source project of the Apache Software Foundation and a subproject of the Apache Directory. It's a replacement for outdated Java/LDAP libraries like (jLdap, Mozilla LDAP SDK and JNDI) and works with any LDAP server.
History
The Apache Directory Server project was started using the JNDI 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 us to use JNDI which means it won't be for you either. Eventually, all of the necessary LDAP data structures (_Attribute_, _Entry_, _DN_, ...) were re-implemented by us.
At some point we had to communicate with other LDAP servers without using the JNDI library, so we developed our own _LdapConnection_ class. This was the first step toward a full Java API specifically designed for LDAP usage on the Java platform.
Strangely, after starting this effort (back in 2007), some people from Sun (Microsystems), who was working on the OpenDS project, contacted us to ask if we'd be interested in helping them create the next version of JNDI. ([Resurrecting The Java LDAP Centric API](https://blogs.oracle.com/treydrake/entry/resurrecting_the_java_ldap_centric). Sadly this effort stalled, as the need for JNDI2 was no longer a priority for Sun. Nevertheless we decided to continue our work but the the pace was slow.
The work renewed after the OpenDS project team's presentation at LdapCon in 2009 ([Towards a common LDAP API for the Java Platform](http://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. We agreed on these key features for the new LDAP API:
- 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)
Releases
- 1.0.0-RC2 on 2016-11-02 (current release)
- 1.0.0-RC1 on 2016-06-17
- 1.0.0-M33 on 2015-12-21
- 1.0.0-M32 on 2015-10-19
- 1.0.0-M31 on 2015-07-05
- 1.0.0-M30 on 2015-05-02
- 1.0.0-M29 on 2015-04-02
- 1.0.0-M28 on 2015-01-15
- 1.0.0-M27 on 2014-12-29
References
External links
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