OpenLDAP 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?
OpenLDAP
The classic open-source Lightweight Directory Access Protocol server
VS
Samba Active Directory DC
Open-source Active Directory compatible domain controller
| Feature | OpenLDAP | Samba Active Directory DC |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Identity & SSO | Identity & SSO |
| License | OLDAP-2.8 | GPL-3.0 |
| Language | C | C |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 400 | ★ 1,000 |
| First released | 1998 | 1992 |
| Replaces | Active Directory | Active Directory, Windows Server |
Why pick each one
Choose Samba Active Directory DC if…
- Drop-in AD replacement
- Mature and widely deployed
Frequently asked questions
Is OpenLDAP or Samba Active Directory DC better?
Neither is universally better. Samba Active Directory DC has the larger community; both share a hard setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are OpenLDAP and Samba Active Directory DC free and open-source?
Yes. OpenLDAP is licensed under OLDAP-2.8 and Samba Active Directory DC under GPL-3.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run OpenLDAP and Samba Active Directory DC with Docker?
OpenLDAP: yes. Samba Active Directory DC: yes.