---
name: "slapd.backends"
section: "5"
platform: "linux"
package: "openldap"
version: "2.7.2-2"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux", "macos"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/slapd.backends"
---

# slapd.backends(5)

backends for slapd, the stand-alone LDAP daemon

## NAME

slapd.backends - backends for slapd, the stand-alone LDAP daemon

## DESCRIPTION

The [**slapd**(8)](/slapd/8.md) daemon can use a variety of different backends for serving LDAP requests. Backends may be compiled statically into slapd, or when module support is enabled, they may be dynamically loaded. Multiple instances of a backend can be configured, to serve separate databases from the same slapd server.

Configuration options for each backend are documented separately in the corresponding **slapd-\<backend\>**(5) manual pages.

- **asyncmeta**

  This backend performs basic LDAP proxying with respect to a set of remote LDAP servers. It is an enhancement of the **ldap** backend that operates asynchronously, to prevent tying up slapd threads while waiting for operations to complete.

- **config**

  This backend is used to manage the configuration of slapd at run-time. Unlike other backends, only a single instance of the **config** backend may be defined. It also instantiates itself automatically, so it is always present even if not explicitly defined in the [**slapd.conf**(5)](/slapd.conf/5.md) file.

- **dnssrv**

  This backend is experimental. It serves up referrals based upon SRV resource records held in the Domain Name System.

- **ldap**

  This backend acts as a proxy to forward incoming requests to another LDAP server.

- **ldif**

  This database uses the filesystem to build the tree structure of the database, using plain ascii files to store data. Its usage should be limited to very simple databases, where performance is not a requirement. This backend also supports subtree renames.

- **mdb**

  This is the recommended primary backend. This backend uses OpenLDAP's own MDB transactional database library.  This backend also supports subtree renames.

- **meta**

  This backend performs basic LDAP proxying with respect to a set of remote LDAP servers. It is an enhancement of the **ldap** backend.

- **monitor**

  This backend provides information about the running status of the slapd daemon. Only a single instance of the **monitor** backend may be defined.

- **null**

  Operations in this backend succeed but do nothing.

- **passwd**

  This backend is provided for demonstration purposes only. It serves up user account information from the system [**passwd**(5)](/passwd/5.md) file.

- **relay**

  This backend is experimental. It redirects LDAP operations to another database in the same server, based on the naming context of the request. Its use requires the  **rwm** overlay (see [**slapo-rwm**(5)](/slapo-rwm/5.md) for details) to rewrite the naming context of the request. It is primarily intended to implement virtual views on databases that actually store data.

- **wiredtiger**

  This backend is experimental. It services LDAP requests from a wiredtiger database.

## FILES

- /etc/openldap/slapd.conf

  default slapd configuration file

- /etc/openldap/slapd.d

  default slapd configuration directory

## SEE ALSO

[**ldap**(3)](/ldap/3.md), [**slapd-asyncmeta**(5)](/slapd-asyncmeta/5.md), [**slapd-config**(5)](/slapd-config/5.md), [**slapd-dnssrv**(5)](/slapd-dnssrv/5.md), [**slapd-ldap**(5)](/slapd-ldap/5.md), [**slapd-ldif**(5)](/slapd-ldif/5.md), [**slapd-mdb**(5)](/slapd-mdb/5.md), [**slapd-meta**(5)](/slapd-meta/5.md), [**slapd-monitor**(5)](/slapd-monitor/5.md), [**slapd-null**(5)](/slapd-null/5.md), [**slapd-passwd**(5)](/slapd-passwd/5.md), [**slapd-relay**(5)](/slapd-relay/5.md), [**slapd-wt**(5)](/slapd-wt/5.md), [**slapd.conf**(5)](/slapd.conf/5.md), [**slapd.overlays**(5)](/slapd.overlays/5.md), [**slapd**(8)](/slapd/8.md). "OpenLDAP Administrator's Guide" (http://www.OpenLDAP.org/doc/admin/)

## ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

**OpenLDAP Software** is developed and maintained by The OpenLDAP Project \<http://www.openldap.org/\>. **OpenLDAP Software** is derived from the University of Michigan LDAP 3.3 Release.