content/api/user-guide/1.4-preparation-to-code.mdtext

Title: 1.4 - Preparation to code
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# 1.4 - Preparation to code

The **Apache Directory LDAP API** requires **Java 7** or higher. 

Secondly, you must download the **[API 1.0](https://directory.apache.org/api/downloads-1.html)** or **[API 2.0](http://directory.apache.org/api/downloads-2.html)**. This package contains the **LDAP API** plus all of its dependent jars (like _commons-lang_, _slf4j_...).

If you're using **Maven**, add the following dependency on _api-all.jar_ :

    :::XML
    <dependency>
      <groupId>org.apache.directory.api</groupId>
      <artifactId>api-all</artifactId>
      <version>${ldap-api-version}</version>
    </dependency>


and all of its dependent jar files will be included automatically.  That's it, now you should be ready to code!