ldapjs vs ldapts
LDAP Client Libraries Comparison
1 Year
ldapjsldapts
What's LDAP Client Libraries?

LDAP client libraries are essential tools for interacting with Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) servers. They provide developers with the ability to perform operations such as authentication, user management, and directory queries. These libraries simplify the complexities involved in communicating with LDAP servers, allowing for efficient and secure access to directory services. Both ldapjs and ldapts serve this purpose but differ in their design and implementation, catering to different needs and preferences in the development community.

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ldapjs245,8991,616334 kB32a year agoMIT
ldapts114,713230546 kB84 days agoMIT
Feature Comparison: ldapjs vs ldapts

TypeScript Support

  • ldapjs:

    ldapjs primarily supports JavaScript, and while it can be used in TypeScript projects, it lacks native TypeScript definitions, which may lead to type-related issues and require additional type declarations.

  • ldapts:

    ldapts is designed with TypeScript in mind, providing full TypeScript support out of the box. This ensures that developers can leverage type safety, autocompletion, and better tooling when working in TypeScript environments.

API Design

  • ldapjs:

    ldapjs offers a callback-based API, which aligns with traditional Node.js patterns. While it provides flexibility, it can lead to callback hell in complex scenarios, making code harder to read and maintain.

  • ldapts:

    ldapts adopts a promise-based API, allowing for cleaner and more manageable asynchronous code using async/await syntax. This modern approach enhances code readability and maintainability, especially in larger applications.

Community and Ecosystem

  • ldapjs:

    ldapjs has a larger community and a more extensive ecosystem due to its longer presence in the market. This results in more resources, tutorials, and community support available for developers.

  • ldapts:

    ldapts, being a newer library, has a smaller community but is growing rapidly. Its focus on TypeScript may attract a specific audience, leading to a more niche but dedicated user base.

Performance

  • ldapjs:

    ldapjs is optimized for performance in handling multiple concurrent LDAP operations, making it suitable for applications with high throughput requirements. However, its callback nature may introduce some overhead in deeply nested operations.

  • ldapts:

    ldapts is also designed for performance, leveraging modern JavaScript features and promises to handle asynchronous operations efficiently. Its promise-based design can lead to better performance in scenarios where chaining multiple asynchronous calls is necessary.

Documentation and Learning Curve

  • ldapjs:

    ldapjs has comprehensive documentation that covers a wide range of use cases and examples, making it easier for developers to get started. However, the callback-based approach may present a steeper learning curve for those unfamiliar with Node.js patterns.

  • ldapts:

    ldapts provides clear and concise documentation, especially for TypeScript users. Its promise-based API is generally easier to grasp for developers familiar with modern JavaScript, resulting in a gentler learning curve.

How to Choose: ldapjs vs ldapts
  • ldapjs:

    Choose ldapjs if you require a mature, actively maintained library that supports a wide range of LDAP operations and is built on top of Node.js's event-driven architecture. It is suitable for applications that need a robust solution for LDAP interactions and can benefit from its extensive documentation and community support.

  • ldapts:

    Choose ldapts if you prefer a TypeScript-first approach with built-in TypeScript definitions, ensuring type safety and better integration with TypeScript projects. It is ideal for developers looking for a modern, promise-based API that aligns well with async/await syntax, making it easier to work with asynchronous operations.

README for ldapjs

LDAPjs

Build Status Coverage Status

LDAPjs makes the LDAP protocol a first class citizen in Node.js.

Usage

For full docs, head on over to http://ldapjs.org.

var ldap = require('ldapjs');

var server = ldap.createServer();

server.search('dc=example', function(req, res, next) {
  var obj = {
    dn: req.dn.toString(),
    attributes: {
      objectclass: ['organization', 'top'],
      o: 'example'
    }
  };

  if (req.filter.matches(obj.attributes))
  res.send(obj);

  res.end();
});

server.listen(1389, function() {
  console.log('ldapjs listening at ' + server.url);
});

To run that, assuming you've got the OpenLDAP client on your system:

ldapsearch -H ldap://localhost:1389 -x -b dc=example objectclass=*

Installation

npm install ldapjs

Node.js Version Support

As of ldapjs@3 we only support the active Node.js LTS releases. See https://github.com/nodejs/release#release-schedule for the LTS release schedule.

For a definitive list of Node.js version we support, see the version matrix we test against in our CI configuration.

Note: given the release date of ldapjs@3, and the short window of time that Node.js v14 had remaining on its LTS window, we opted to not support Node.js v14 with ldapjs@3 (we released late February 2023 and v14 goes into maintenance in late April 2023). Also, Node.js v14 will be end-of-life (EOL) on September 11, 2023; this is a very shortened EOL timeline and makes it even more reasonable to not support it at this point.

License

MIT.

Bugs

See https://github.com/ldapjs/node-ldapjs/issues.