RFC 2849 (rfc2849) - Page 2 of 14
The LDAP Data Interchange Format (LDIF) - Technical Specification
Alternative Format: Original Text Document
RFC 2849 LDAP Data Interchange Format June 2000
Relationship to the application/directory MIME content-type:
The application/directory MIME content-type [1] is a general
framework and format for conveying directory information, and is
independent of any particular directory service. The LDIF format is
a simpler format which is perhaps easier to create, and may also be
used, as noted, to describe a set of changes to be applied to a
directory.
The key words "MUST", "MUST NOT", "MAY", "SHOULD", and "SHOULD NOT"
used in this document are to be interpreted as described in [7].
Definition of the LDAP Data Interchange Format
The LDIF format is used to convey directory information, or a
description of a set of changes made to directory entries. An LDIF
file consists of a series of records separated by line separators. A
record consists of a sequence of lines describing a directory entry,
or a sequence of lines describing a set of changes to a directory
entry. An LDIF file specifies a set of directory entries, or a set
of changes to be applied to directory entries, but not both.
There is a one-to-one correlation between LDAP operations that modify
the directory (add, delete, modify, and modrdn), and the types of
changerecords described below ("add", "delete", "modify", and
"modrdn" or "moddn"). This correspondence is intentional, and
permits a straightforward translation from LDIF changerecords to
protocol operations.
Formal Syntax Definition of LDIF
The following definition uses the augmented Backus-Naur Form
specified in RFC 2234 [2].
ldif-file = ldif-content / ldif-changes
ldif-content = version-spec 1*(1*SEP ldif-attrval-record)
ldif-changes = version-spec 1*(1*SEP ldif-change-record)
ldif-attrval-record = dn-spec SEP 1*attrval-spec
ldif-change-record = dn-spec SEP *control changerecord
version-spec = "version:" FILL version-number
Good Standards Track