The term
LDAP has come to mean the following things:
The LDAP protocol itself, a standard, extensible directory access protocol used to access directory services.
A set of models that guide you in your use of the directory: an information model that describes what you can put in the directory, a naming model that describes how you arrange and refer to directory data, a functional model that describes what you can do with directory data, and a security model that describes how directory data can be protected from unauthorized access.
LDIF, a standard text format for exchanging directory data.
LDAP server software, including commercial and open-source implementations.
A set of command-line utilities commonly bundled with LDAP servers and LDAP-based applications.
The LDAP APIs, used to develop LDAP client applications.