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Samba vs OpenLDAP: catalog facts
Samba	OpenLDAP
Free Free and open source under the GNU GPL.	Free Free, open-source software developed by the OpenLDAP community.
Linux, Self-hosted	Linux, Self-hosted, Command line
Serves files and printers to Windows, macOS and Linux clients Can run as an Active Directory domain controller	Full LDAP server plus client libraries and command-line tools Separate feature and long-term support release series
Configuration can be complex, especially for AD roles Runs on Linux and Unix-like systems only	No graphical management interface included Configuration and schema design take real LDAP knowledge
Downloadable app, Self-hosted	Downloadable app, Self-hosted
Open source	Open source
License: GPL-3.0	License not stated
No account needed	No account needed
Not stated if it works offline	Not stated if it works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 23, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 23, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.