java.security

Interface Key

All Superinterfaces:
Serializable
Known Subinterfaces:
DHPrivateKey, DHPublicKey, DSAPrivateKey, DSAPublicKey, PBEKey, PrivateKey, PublicKey, RSAMultiPrimePrivateCrtKey, RSAPrivateCrtKey, RSAPrivateKey, RSAPublicKey, SecretKey
Known Implementing Classes:
DSSKey, DSSPrivateKey, DSSPublicKey, GnuDHKey, GnuDHPrivateKey, GnuDHPublicKey, GnuPBEKey, GnuRSAKey, GnuRSAPrivateKey, GnuRSAPublicKey, GnuSecretKey, KerberosKey, SecretKeySpec, SRPKey, SRPPrivateKey, SRPPublicKey

public interface Key
extends Serializable

This interfaces models the base characteristics that all keys must have. These are: a key algorithm, an encoded form, and a format used to encode the key. Specific key types inherit from this interface. Note that since this interface extends Serializable, all keys may be serialized. Keys are generally obtained through key generators, including KeyFactory.
Since:
1.1
See Also:
PublicKey, PrivateKey, KeyPair, KeyPairGenerator, KeyFactory, KeySpec, Identity, Signer, Serialized Form

Field Summary

static long
serialVersionUID
The version identifier used for serialization.

Method Summary

String
getAlgorithm()
This method returns the name of the algorithm for this key.
byte[]
getEncoded()
This method returns the encoded form of the key.
String
getFormat()
This method returns the name of the encoding format for this key.

Field Details

serialVersionUID

public static final long serialVersionUID
The version identifier used for serialization.
Field Value:
6603384152749567654L

Method Details

getAlgorithm

public String getAlgorithm()
This method returns the name of the algorithm for this key. This is a String such as "RSA".
Returns:
the name of the algorithm in use

getEncoded

public byte[] getEncoded()
This method returns the encoded form of the key. If this key does not support encoding, this method returns null.
Returns:
the encoded form of the key, or null

getFormat

public String getFormat()
This method returns the name of the encoding format for this key. This is the name of the ASN.1 data format used for this key, such as "X.509" or "PKCS#8". This method returns null if this key does not have an encoding format.
Returns:
the name of the encoding format for this key, or null

Key.java -- A abstract representation of a digital key Copyright (C) 1998, 2000, 2002, 2005 Free Software Foundation, Inc. This file is part of GNU Classpath. GNU Classpath is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2, or (at your option) any later version. GNU Classpath is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details. You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with GNU Classpath; see the file COPYING. If not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA. Linking this library statically or dynamically with other modules is making a combined work based on this library. Thus, the terms and conditions of the GNU General Public License cover the whole combination. As a special exception, the copyright holders of this library give you permission to link this library with independent modules to produce an executable, regardless of the license terms of these independent modules, and to copy and distribute the resulting executable under terms of your choice, provided that you also meet, for each linked independent module, the terms and conditions of the license of that module. An independent module is a module which is not derived from or based on this library. If you modify this library, you may extend this exception to your version of the library, but you are not obligated to do so. If you do not wish to do so, delete this exception statement from your version.