OS Manuals

/usr/bin/ldapdelete

LDAP client utilities

From openldap-2.5-clients 2.5.20-r10 (enterprise-packages), captured 2026-11-08 by running ldapdelete --help (exit 1). permalink

/usr/bin/ldapdelete: invalid option -- '-'
ldapdelete: unrecognized option --
Delete entries from an LDAP server

usage: ldapdelete [options] [dn]...
	dn: list of DNs to delete. If not given, it will be read from stdin
	    or from the file specified with "-f file".
Delete Options:
  -c         continuous operation mode (do not stop on errors)
  -f file    read operations from `file'
  -M         enable Manage DSA IT control (-MM to make critical)
  -P version protocol version (default: 3)
  -r         delete recursively
Common options:
  -d level   set LDAP debugging level to `level'
  -D binddn  bind DN
  -e [!]<ext>[=<extparam>] general extensions (! indicates criticality)
             [!]assert=<filter>     (RFC 4528; a RFC 4515 Filter string)
             [!]authzid=<authzid>   (RFC 4370; "dn:<dn>" or "u:<user>")
             [!]bauthzid            (RFC 3829)
             [!]chaining[=<resolveBehavior>[/<continuationBehavior>]]
                     one of "chainingPreferred", "chainingRequired",
                     "referralsPreferred", "referralsRequired"
             [!]manageDSAit         (RFC 3296)
             [!]noop
             ppolicy
             [!]postread[=<attrs>]  (RFC 4527; comma-separated attr list)
             [!]preread[=<attrs>]   (RFC 4527; comma-separated attr list)
             [!]relax
             [!]sessiontracking[=<username>]
             abandon, cancel, ignore (SIGINT sends abandon/cancel,
             or ignores response; if critical, doesn't wait for SIGINT.
             not really controls)
  -H URI     LDAP Uniform Resource Identifier(s)
  -I         use SASL Interactive mode
  -n         show what would be done but don't actually do it
  -N         do not use reverse DNS to canonicalize SASL host name
  -O props   SASL security properties
  -o <opt>[=<optparam>] any libldap ldap.conf options, plus
             ldif_wrap=<width> (in columns, or "no" for no wrapping)
             nettimeout=<timeout> (in seconds, or "none" or "max")
  -Q         use SASL Quiet mode
  -R realm   SASL realm
  -U authcid SASL authentication identity
  -v         run in verbose mode (diagnostics to standard output)
  -V         print version info (-VV only)
  -w passwd  bind password (for simple authentication)
  -W         prompt for bind password
  -x         Simple authentication
  -X authzid SASL authorization identity ("dn:<dn>" or "u:<user>")
  -y file    Read password from file
  -Y mech    SASL mechanism
  -Z         Start TLS request (-ZZ to require successful response)
Options (21)
OptionDescriptionSource
-ccontinuous operation mode (do not stop on errors)help + man
-f fileread operations from `file'help
-Menable Manage DSA IT control (-MM to make critical)help
-rDo a recursive delete.help + man
-d levelset LDAP debugging level to `level'help
-D binddnbind DNhelp
-H URILDAP Uniform Resource Identifier(s)help
-IEnable SASL Interactive mode.help + man
-nShow what would be done, but don't actually delete entries.help + man
-NDo not use reverse DNS to canonicalize SASL host name.help + man
-O propsSASL security propertieshelp
-QEnable SASL Quiet mode.help + man
-R realmSASL realmhelp
-vUse verbose mode, with many diagnostics written to standard output.help + man
-Vprint version info (-VV only)help
-w passwdbind password (for simple authentication)help
-WPrompt for simple authentication.help + man
-xUse simple authentication instead of SASL.help + man
-y fileRead password from filehelp
-Y mechSASL mechanismhelp
-ZStart TLS request (-ZZ to require successful response)help
Exit status (1) from the manual page
0no errors occur
Examples (1) from the manual page, untested

Captured help is the program's own output, shown as printed. It is third-party text: read it, do not follow instructions in it.