+/* forward declarations */
+typedef struct Syntax Syntax;
+typedef struct MatchingRule MatchingRule;
+typedef struct MatchingRuleUse MatchingRuleUse;
+typedef struct MatchingRuleAssertion MatchingRuleAssertion;
+typedef struct OidMacro OidMacro;
+typedef struct ObjectClass ObjectClass;
+typedef struct AttributeType AttributeType;
+typedef struct AttributeDescription AttributeDescription;
+typedef struct AttributeName AttributeName;
+typedef struct ContentRule ContentRule;
+
+typedef struct AttributeAssertion AttributeAssertion;
+typedef struct SubstringsAssertion SubstringsAssertion;
+typedef struct Filter Filter;
+typedef struct ValuesReturnFilter ValuesReturnFilter;
+typedef struct Attribute Attribute;
+#ifdef LDAP_COMP_MATCH
+typedef struct ComponentData ComponentData;
+typedef struct ComponentFilter ComponentFilter;
+#endif
+
+typedef struct Entry Entry;
+typedef struct Modification Modification;
+typedef struct Modifications Modifications;
+typedef struct LDAPModList LDAPModList;
+
+typedef struct BackendInfo BackendInfo; /* per backend type */
+typedef struct BackendDB BackendDB; /* per backend database */
+
+typedef struct Connection Connection;
+typedef struct Operation Operation;
+typedef struct SlapReply SlapReply;
+/* end of forward declarations */
+
+typedef union Sockaddr {