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Concepts

Keycloak LDAP Integration

Andrios Robert

• 1 min read

Keycloak is an open-source identity and access management solution. LDAP, or Lightweight Directory Access Protocol, is a standard way to access and manage directory information. When you connect Keycloak to LDAP, Keycloak can sync users, groups, and credentials directly from your directory server. This removes the need for duplicate accounts and manual updates.

Why use LDAP with Keycloak?

  • Centralized authentication: Maintain all credentials in LDAP and let Keycloak handle SSO and protocol translations like OAuth2 and OpenID Connect.
  • Automated user sync: Avoid mismatched data between your directory and Keycloak by enabling periodic synchronization.
  • Role and group mapping: Map LDAP groups to Keycloak roles so authorization rules match your directory structure.

How to configure Keycloak LDAP

  1. Log in to the Keycloak admin console.
  2. Go to User Federation and add a new provider of type ldap.
  3. Set Vendor (Active Directory, OpenLDAP, or custom), Connection URL, and Bind DN.
  4. Enter Bind Credential for a service account with read access to the directory.
  5. Define User DN and Group DN base paths.
  6. Configure LDAP Mappers to map attributes like uid, mail, and group memberships.
  7. Enable Periodic Sync if you want automatic updates from LDAP to Keycloak.

Performance and security tips

  • Use LDAPS (LDAP over SSL) to secure credentials and data in transit.
  • Limit attribute mapping to what is necessary to reduce sync time.
  • Test synchronization in a staging environment before deploying to production.
  • Monitor sync logs for errors to avoid silent data mismatches.

Keycloak LDAP integration is not optional for teams needing tight control over user identities across many services. It creates a reliable bridge between your existing directory and modern authentication flows.

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