-n     Show  what  would be done, but don't actually delete entries.  Useful for debugging in conjunction
       with -v.

-v     Use verbose mode, with many diagnostics written to standard output.

-c     Continuous  operation  mode.   Errors   are   reported,   but  ldapdelete  will   continue    with
       deletions.   The default is to exit after reporting an error.

-M[M]  Enable manage DSA IT control.  -MM makes control critical.

-d debuglevel
       Set  the  LDAP debugging level to debuglevel.  ldapdelete must be compiled with LDAP_DEBUG defined
       for this option to have any effect.

-f file
       Read a series of DNs from file, one per line, performing an LDAP delete for each.

-x     Use simple authentication instead of SASL.

-D binddn
       Use the Distinguished Name binddn to bind to the LDAP directory.  For SASL binds,  the  server  is
       expected to ignore this value.

-W     Prompt  for simple authentication.  This is used instead of specifying the password on the command
       line.

-w passwd
       Use passwd as the password for simple authentication.

-y passwdfile
       Use complete contents of passwdfile as the password for simple authentication.

-H ldapuri
       Specify URI(s) referring to the ldap server(s); only the protocol/host/port fields are allowed;  a
       list of URI, separated by whitespace or commas is expected.

-h ldaphost
       Specify an alternate host on which the ldap server is running.  Deprecated in favor of -H.

-p ldapport
       Specify an alternate TCP port where the ldap server is listening.  Deprecated in favor of -H.

-P {2|3}
       Specify the LDAP protocol version to use.

-e [!]ext[=extparam]

-E [!]ext[=extparam]

       Specify general extensions with -e and search extensions with -E.  ´!´ indicates criticality.

       General extensions:
         [!]assert=<filter>   (an RFC 4515 Filter)
         [!]authzid=<authzid> ("dn:<dn>" or "u:<user>")
         [!]manageDSAit
         [!]noop
         ppolicy
         [!]postread[=<attrs>]        (a comma-separated attribute list)
         [!]preread[=<attrs>] (a comma-separated attribute list)
         abandon, cancel (SIGINT sends abandon/cancel; not really controls)

       Search extensions:
         [!]domainScope                               (domain scope)
         [!]mv=<filter>                               (matched values filter)
         [!]pr=<size>[/prompt|noprompt]       (paged results/prompt)
         [!]sss=[-]<attr[:OID]>[/[-]<attr[:OID]>...]  (server side sorting)
         [!]subentries[=true|false]           (subentries)
         [!]sync=ro[/<cookie>]                        (LDAP Sync refreshOnly)
                 rp[/<cookie>][/<slimit>]     (LDAP Sync refreshAndPersist)

-r     Do a recursive delete.  If the DN specified isn't a leaf, its children, and all their children are
       deleted down the tree.  No verification is done, so  if  you  add  this  switch,  ldapdelete  will
       happily delete large portions of your tree.  Use with care.

-z sizelimit
       Use  sizelimit when searching for children DN to delete, to circumvent any server-side size limit.
       Only useful in conjunction with -r.

-O security-properties
       Specify SASL security properties.

-I     Enable SASL Interactive mode.  Always prompt.  Default is to prompt only as needed.

-Q     Enable SASL Quiet mode.  Never prompt.

-U authcid
       Specify the authentication ID for SASL bind. The form of the identity depends on the  actual  SASL
       mechanism used.

-R realm
       Specify  the realm of authentication ID for SASL bind. The form of the realm depends on the actual
       SASL mechanism used.

-X authzid
       Specify the requested authorization ID for SASL bind.   authzid  must  be  one  of  the  following
       formats: dn:<distinguished name> or u:<username>

-Y mech
       Specify  the SASL mechanism to be used for authentication. If it's not specified, the program will
       choose the best mechanism the server knows.

-Z[Z]  Issue StartTLS (Transport Layer Security) extended operation. If you use  -ZZ,  the  command  will
       require the operation to be successful.