A new directory entry gets added. A directory entry can also be modified. For example, modify the title in the previously added entry. The directory modifications are specified in an LDIF file as shown in Listing 3.

Listing 3. modifyEntry.ldif
dn: cn=Deepak Vohra,ou=jdeveloper,dc=example,dc=com
changetype: modify
replace: title
title: Oracle DBA

Run the ldapmodify command as shown below.

ldapmodify -D "cn=Manager,dc=example,dc=com" -w openldap -a -f modifyEntry.ldif

The directory entry gets modified.

Next, delete a directory entry. As an example, delete the entry that was added with ldapmodify. Specify the DN of the entry to delete an LDIF file as shown in Listing 4. The delete operation is specified with changetype:delete.

Listing 4 deleteEntry.ldif
dn: cn=Deepak Vohra,ou=jdeveloper,dc=example,dc=com
changetype: delete

Run the ldapmodify command as shown below:

ldapmodify -D "cn=Manager,dc=example,dc=com" -w openldap -f deleteEntry.ldif

The directory entry gets deleted.

Deleting a Directory
The ldapdelete tool is used to delete directory entries. The DNs for the entries to delete can be specified on the command line or in an LDIF file. As an example delete the directory entry for DN "ou=jdevloper,dc=example,dc=com." To delete recursively specify the -r option. The ldapdelete command to delete a directory entry by authenticating to the directory is shown below:

>ldapdelete -D "cn=Manager,dc=example,dc=com" -r -v -w openldap "ou=jdeveloper,dc=example,dc=com"

Non-leaf entries don't get deleted with the ldapdelete tool.

Conclusion
The OpenLDAP LDAP server provides a directory service to store and modify information about network resources in a directory that's stored in the Berkeley DB.