SHSelfHostIndex

LLDAP vs Samba Active Directory DC

A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted identity & sso options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.

Not the right match-up?
LL LLDAP Lightweight LDAP server with a simple web interface VS SA Samba Active Directory DC Open-source Active Directory compatible domain controller
FeatureLLDAPSamba Active Directory DC
CategoryIdentity & SSOIdentity & SSO
LicenseGPL-3.0GPL-3.0
LanguageRustC
Setup difficultyEasyHard
Min. RAM64 MB512 MB
Deploymentdocker, binarydocker, bare-metal, source
GitHub stars★ 6,421★ 1,000
First released20211992
ReplacesActive Directory, OpenLDAPActive Directory, Windows Server

Why pick each one

Choose LLDAP if…

  • Very easy to deploy
  • Lightweight Rust binary
LLDAP details

Choose Samba Active Directory DC if…

  • Drop-in AD replacement
  • Mature and widely deployed
Samba Active Directory DC details

Frequently asked questions

Is LLDAP or Samba Active Directory DC better?

LLDAP is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Samba Active Directory DC if its specific feature set fits your needs better.

Are LLDAP and Samba Active Directory DC free and open-source?

Yes. LLDAP is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Samba Active Directory DC under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run LLDAP and Samba Active Directory DC with Docker?

LLDAP: yes. Samba Active Directory DC: yes.

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