Java Naming and Directory InterfaceTM

Documentation Contents

The Java Naming and Directory Interface^TM (JNDI) provides naming and directory functionality to applications written in the Java^TM programming language. It is designed to be independent of any specific naming or directory service implementation. Thus a variety of services--new, emerging, and already deployed ones--can be accessed in a common way.

The JNDI architecture consists of an API (Application Programming Interface) and an SPI (Service Provider Interface). Java applications use this API to access a variety of naming and directory services. The SPI enables a variety of naming and directory services to be plugged in transparently, allowing the Java application using the API of the JNDI technology to access their services.

Java^TM 2 SDK, v 1.3 includes JNDI and three service providers (listed below). These packages are also available separately for use with the JDK 1.1.x and the Java 2 SDK, v 1.2.

• JNDI Tutorial - A tutorial introduction to the JNDI technology with programming examples.

• Executive Summary - also available in Postscript and PDF
• JNDI API - also available in Postscript and PDF
• JNDI SPI - also available in Postscript and PDF

• JNDI API and SPI Specification - A list of the packages included in the JNDI technology.

To use JNDI with a particular naming or directory service, you need a JNDI service provider, which is a module that plugs in beneath the JNDI API to access the naming or directory service. The Java Software Web site maintains a list of service providers available for JNDI.

Java 2 SDK, v 1.3 includes the following service providers:

• The LDAP Service Provider
• The COS Naming Service Provider
• The RMI Registry Service Provider

• Subscribe to the JNDI-INTEREST list
• Source to a demonstration namespace browser written using JNDI and Swing
• Related documents
• The JNDI Home Page

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