In a directory, named objects can have associated with them attributes. The Attributes interface represents a collection of attributes. For example, you can request from the directory the attributes associated with an object. Those attributes are returned in an object that implements the Attributes interface.

Attributes in an object that implements the Attributes interface are unordered. The object can have zero or more attributes. Attributes is either case-sensitive or case-insensitive (case-ignore). This property is determined at the time the Attributes object is created. (see BasicAttributes constructor for example). In a case-insensitive Attributes, the case of its attribute identifiers is ignored when searching for an attribute, or adding attributes. In a case-sensitive Attributes, the case is significant.

Note that updates to Attributes (such as adding or removing an attribute) do not affect the corresponding representation in the directory. Updates to the directory can only be effected using operations in the DirContext interface.