What is the difference between an "Entry" and a "Context Entry" in ApacheDS/LDAP?

Solution 1:

Based on reading the ApacheDS Basic User Guide section "Adding a partition" and its many uses of "context entry", it is:

1. The first entry in a partition.
2. A namingContext in the Root DSE.
3. In a partition, the context entry is the root / "parent" under which all subsequent entries are added.
4. The value in a JDBM partition assigned to partition's "ads-contextEntry" property.
5. May be objectClass domain or organization. Possibly others.

Example of a reference to ApacheDS Basic User Guide's use of the term "context entry": "Before using the partition (e.g. adding entries), you have to add a context entry."

So, then, the difference between an entry and a context entry is not a what but a when; use the Context Entry when creating the first/root entry of a partition, and a simple Entry to add new entries under a context entry or its sub-entries.