spring-ldap

Use this skill when building LDAP directory reads and writes in Spring with LdapTemplate, ODM entry mapping, LDAP repository queries, authentication checks, and embedded LDAP tests.

The latest released Spring LDAP line is 4.0.3. That 4.x line targets Spring Framework 7+, while Spring Boot 3.x still manages the parallel 3.x line, so keep the direct 4.0.3 path in this skill only when the project baseline already matches the 4.x generation. If the job needs LdapRepository, the current stable repository module is Spring Data LDAP 4.0.5, which depends on Spring LDAP 4.0.3.

Boundaries

Use spring-ldap for LDAP operations, ODM mapping, LDAP repository support, and embedded LDAP testing.

• Use spring-security for authentication, authorization, and filter-chain design around LDAP authentication providers. Keep this skill focused on directory operations and data mapping.
• Keep repository-backed LDAP query design in this skill. Use spring-security only when the real task is authentication or authorization policy rather than directory access itself.

Common path

The ordinary Spring LDAP job is:

1. Add the smallest dependency set that covers the LDAP operation type.
2. Configure the LDAP context source with server URL, base DN, and credentials.
3. Use LdapTemplate for direct reads and writes, or add Spring Data LDAP and LdapRepository for repository-backed queries.
4. Map directory entries with ODM annotations or DirContextAdapter.
5. Add an embedded LDAP test that proves queries return the expected entries.

Surface map

Surface	Start here when	Open a reference when
Ordinary LDAP reads and writes	one service uses LdapTemplate or LdapRepository	stay in SKILL.md
Complex filters or DN parsing	filter escaping or DN extraction is the blocker	open references/filters-and-dn-handling.md
Context source tuning or compensating transactions	connection tuning or multi-write rollback semantics matter	open references/transactions-and-context-source.md
Advanced ODM and repository mapping	multi-valued attributes or raw @Query are the blocker	open references/advanced-odm-and-repositories.md
Embedded LDAP details	LDIF loading, embedded server choice, or schema-validation tuning is the blocker	open references/embedded-testing-and-ldif.md
LDAP-backed authentication	the real task is authentication or authorization policy	use the Spring Security LDAP path, not this skill

Mapping decisions

Situation	Use
Direct search or update logic	LdapTemplate
Repository-style query methods fit the schema	LdapRepository
Entry maps cleanly to a Java class	ODM annotations
Mapping is partial or highly dynamic	DirContextAdapter

Prefer one mapping style per aggregate unless the schema forces a mixed approach.

Dependency baseline

Use direct Spring LDAP artifacts for the ordinary 4.0.3 path. Treat Spring Boot starter wiring as a parallel Boot-managed path only when the project is already on the matching Boot generation.

Runtime baseline

<dependencies>
    <dependency>
        <groupId>org.springframework.ldap</groupId>
        <artifactId>spring-ldap-core</artifactId>
        <version>4.0.3</version>
    </dependency>
</dependencies>

Repository-backed direct path

<dependencies>
    <dependency>
        <groupId>org.springframework.ldap</groupId>
        <artifactId>spring-ldap-core</artifactId>
        <version>4.0.3</version>
    </dependency>
    <dependency>
        <groupId>org.springframework.data</groupId>
        <artifactId>spring-data-ldap</artifactId>
        <version>4.0.5</version>
    </dependency>
</dependencies>

Use this direct path when repository-backed queries are required outside Boot-managed dependency alignment.

Boot-managed alternative

<dependencies>
    <dependency>
        <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
        <artifactId>spring-boot-starter-data-ldap</artifactId>
    </dependency>
</dependencies>

Use the Boot starter only when the project is already on a Boot line that manages the intended Spring LDAP generation.

Test-only additions

Add the Spring LDAP test module when tests need LDAP-specific assertions or helpers. If the test path uses spring.ldap.embedded.*, also add an embedded LDAP server implementation for tests.

<dependencies>
    <dependency>
        <groupId>org.springframework.ldap</groupId>
        <artifactId>spring-ldap-test</artifactId>
        <scope>test</scope>
    </dependency>
    <dependency>
        <groupId>com.unboundid</groupId>
        <artifactId>unboundid-ldapsdk</artifactId>
        <scope>test</scope>
    </dependency>
</dependencies>

Feature-to-artifact map

Need	Artifact
Ordinary LDAP access with LdapTemplate	spring-ldap-core
Repository-backed LDAP queries with LdapRepository	spring-data-ldap plus spring-ldap-core
Boot-managed LDAP integration	spring-boot-starter-data-ldap
LDAP-specific test helpers	spring-ldap-test
Embedded test server implementation	unboundid-ldapsdk or another proven embedded LDAP server

First safe configuration

First safe commands

./mvnw test -Dtest=PersonRepositoryTest

./gradlew test --tests PersonRepositoryTest

Embedded LDAP test configuration

Boot-managed property shape:

spring:
  ldap:
    embedded:
      base-dn: dc=example,dc=com
      validation:
        enabled: false
  data:
    ldap:
      repositories:
        enabled: true

Disable validation only when the embedded server does not publish its schema to the JNDI provider.

Production context source properties

Boot-managed property shape:

spring:
  ldap:
    urls: ldap://ldap.example.com:389
    base: dc=example,dc=com
    username: cn=admin,dc=example,dc=com
    password: ${LDAP_ADMIN_PASSWORD}

Always externalize credentials. Use environment variables or secrets management, never hard-code passwords.

Direct Spring LDAP context source shape

@Configuration
class LdapConfiguration {
    @Bean
    BaseLdapPathContextSource contextSource() {
        LdapContextSource contextSource = new LdapContextSource();
        contextSource.setUrl("ldap://ldap.example.com:389");
        contextSource.setBase("dc=example,dc=com");
        contextSource.setUserDn("cn=admin,dc=example,dc=com");
        contextSource.setPassword(password);
        contextSource.afterPropertiesSet();
        return contextSource;
    }

    @Bean
    LdapTemplate ldapTemplate(BaseLdapPathContextSource contextSource) {
        return new LdapTemplate(contextSource);
    }
}

Use this direct bean path as the ordinary 4.0.3 baseline when the project is not relying on Boot-managed LDAP configuration.

Direct repository configuration shape

@Configuration
@EnableLdapRepositories(basePackages = "com.example.ldap")
class RepositoryConfiguration {
    @Bean
    BaseLdapPathContextSource contextSource() {
        LdapContextSource contextSource = new LdapContextSource();
        contextSource.setUrl("ldap://ldap.example.com:389");
        contextSource.setBase("dc=example,dc=com");
        contextSource.setUserDn("cn=admin,dc=example,dc=com");
        contextSource.setPassword(password);
        contextSource.afterPropertiesSet();
        return contextSource;
    }
}

Use this configuration only when the direct non-Boot path needs LdapRepository. If the task only needs LdapTemplate, keep the simpler direct bean path above.

Coding procedure

1. Identify whether the task needs LdapTemplate for direct operations or LdapRepository for query-method derivation.
2. Configure the ContextSource with URL, base DN, user DN, and password before writing any query or mapping code.
3. Use ODM annotations (@Entry, @DnAttribute, @Attribute) when the directory schema maps cleanly to Java types. Use DirContextAdapter when mapping is dynamic or partial.
4. Build filters with LdapQueryBuilder or query().where(...) for readable filter chains. Treat raw string filters as a last resort and keep Spring LDAP builders or helpers in front of manual escaping.
5. For authentication checks, search by the directory attribute your deployment uses for login such as uid or cn, and keep the attribute name explicit in code and tests.
6. Add an embedded LDAP test that loads a small LDIF file and verifies the query returns the expected entries.

Implementation examples

LdapTemplate search with AttributesMapper

@Service
class PersonDirectory {
    private final LdapTemplate ldap;

    PersonDirectory(LdapTemplate ldap) {
        this.ldap = ldap;
    }

    List<Person> findByLastName(String lastName) {
        return ldap.search(
            query().where("objectclass").is("person").and("sn").is(lastName),
            (AttributesMapper<Person>) attrs -> {
                Person p = new Person();
                p.setCn((String) attrs.get("cn").get());
                p.setSn((String) attrs.get("sn").get());
                p.setMail((String) attrs.get("mail").get());
                return p;
            }
        );
    }
}

LdapTemplate write shape with DirContextAdapter

@Service
class PersonWriter {
    private final LdapTemplate ldap;

    PersonWriter(LdapTemplate ldap) {
        this.ldap = ldap;
    }

    void updateMail(Name dn, String mail) {
        DirContextOperations context = ldap.lookupContext(dn);
        context.setAttributeValue("mail", mail);
        ldap.modifyAttributes(context);
    }
}

Use DirContextAdapter when the task needs direct write operations such as attribute updates and the schema does not justify a full ODM aggregate workflow.

ODM entity with DN-relative attributes

@Entry(objectClasses = {"person"})
class Person {
    @Id
    private Name id;

    @DnAttribute("cn")
    private String commonName;

    @Attribute("sn")
    private String surname;

    @Attribute("mail")
    private String email;

    @Attribute("telephoneNumber")
    private String phone;
}

Use @DnAttribute for attributes that appear in the entry's relative distinguished name. Use @Attribute for other directory attributes.

LDAP repository query method

interface PersonRepository extends LdapRepository<Person> {
    List<Person> findBySurname(String surname);
    List<Person> findByCommonNameContaining(String nameFragment);
}

Spring Data derives the filter from the method name. findBySurname generates (sn=<value>). findByCommonNameContaining generates (cn=*<value>*).

Authentication check with explicit login attribute

@Service
class LdapAuthService {
    private final LdapTemplate ldap;

    LdapAuthService(LdapTemplate ldap) {
        this.ldap = ldap;
    }

    boolean checkCredentials(String uid, String password) {
        try {
            ldap.authenticate(
                query().where("uid").is(uid).and("objectclass").is("person"),
                password
            );
            return true;
        } catch (Exception e) {
            return false;
        }
    }
}

Use this pattern when you need a boolean result rather than an authenticated context. Replace uid with the actual login attribute used by the target directory schema.

Boot-managed repository test shape with embedded LDAP data

@SpringBootTest
class PersonRepositoryTest {
    @Autowired
    PersonRepository repository;

    @Test
    void findBySurnameReturnsExpectedPerson() {
        List<Person> results = repository.findBySurname("Doe");
        assertAll(
            () -> assertEquals(1, results.size()),
            () -> assertEquals("jane.doe@example.com", results.get(0).getEmail())
        );
    }
}

Pair this test with embedded LDAP properties that point to a small LDIF fixture under src/test/resources/.

When the direct non-Boot path is the actual target, treat this example as a Boot-managed test slice and add an explicit repository configuration like the one above instead of assuming Boot auto-configuration.

Embedded LDAP test properties shape

spring:
  ldap:
    embedded:
      base-dn: dc=example,dc=com
      ldif: classpath:test-data.ldif
      port: 0

Use a tiny LDIF fixture with only the entries needed by the test so query expectations stay obvious.

Output and configuration shapes

LdapQuery filter shapes

// Simple equality
query().where("objectclass").is("person")

// Compound filter
query().where("objectclass").is("person").and("sn").is("Doe")

// Substring match
query().where("cn").like("*Doe*")

// Presence check
query().where("telephoneNumber").isPresent()

ODM DN-relative mapping shape

@Entry(objectClasses = {"inetOrgPerson"})
class User {
    @Id
    private Name id;

    @DnAttribute(value = "ou", index = 0)
    private String organizationalUnit;

    @DnAttribute(value = "cn", index = 1)
    private String commonName;
}

The id field holds the full DN. @DnAttribute(index = N) extracts the N-th component from the DN path.

LDAP properties for external server

spring:
  ldap:
    urls: ldaps://ldap.example.com:636
    base: dc=example,dc=com
    username: cn=reader,dc=example,dc=com
    password: ${LDAP_PASSWORD}

Use ldap:// for plain LDAP ports such as 389 and ldaps:// for LDAPS ports such as 636. Keep the scheme and port consistent.

Testing checklist

• Verify queries return the expected entries after loading a known LDIF data set.
• Verify ODM mapping extracts DN components and directory attributes correctly.
• Verify LdapTemplate.authenticate() returns true for valid credentials and throws for invalid ones.
• Verify substring and presence filters match the expected subset of entries.
• For LDAP repositories, verify derived query method names produce the correct filter strings.
• For embedded LDAP tests, verify the test server starts and loads test data before assertions run.

Failure classification

• Treat invalid credentials and bind failures as authentication failures, not retryable infrastructure events.
• Treat malformed filters, schema mismatches, and DN mapping errors as configuration or contract failures.
• Treat timeouts, pool exhaustion, and unavailable servers as infrastructure failures that may justify retry or health-based fail-fast behavior.

Output contract

Return:

1. The chosen LDAP access surface and why it fits the task
2. The context source and base-DN configuration shape
3. The mapping approach, including whether ODM or DirContextAdapter is used
4. The query or repository contract the client depends on
5. The embedded LDAP test shape and LDIF fixture path
6. Any blocker that requires advanced filters, transaction-aware context sources, or deeper ODM mapping

Production checklist

• Externalize directory credentials and never log them.
• Set timeouts on the LDAP context or JNDI environment to avoid thread exhaustion on unresponsive servers.
• Validate LDIF imports against the target directory schema before deployment.
• Monitor directory operation latency and connection pool utilization through application metrics.
• Record the Spring LDAP version in build files or a platform BOM to avoid unexpected compatibility issues.

References

• Open references/advanced-odm-and-repositories.md when the schema needs multi-valued ODM fields, raw @Query, or deeper repository derivation rules.
• Open references/filters-and-dn-handling.md when the task needs complex LDAP filters, escaping, or DN parsing beyond the common path.
• Open references/transactions-and-context-source.md when the application needs transaction-aware context sources or connection-pool tuning.
• Open references/embedded-testing-and-ldif.md when embedded LDAP setup needs custom ports, LDIF handling, or schema-validation tuning.