What is the minimum type of user required to connect to Active Directory to gather user and group information?

A domain user is the minimum type of user required to connect to Active Directory to gather user and group information because they have the necessary permissions to query and access directory objects. Active Directory is designed to manage access within a networked environment, and a domain user account typically has rights that allow it to interact with directory services, making queries for user and group data feasible.

While an administrator user has elevated privileges and can perform a broader range of operations, it is not a requirement for simply retrieving user and group information. Local users are accounts created on individual machines, which do not have access to Active Directory resources. Guest users, on the other hand, generally have very limited permissions and would not be able to access Active Directory for such tasks. Thus, a domain user account strikes the right balance of necessary access and permissions for this specific purpose.