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package java.security;

import javax.security.auth.Subject;

This interface represents the abstract notion of a principal, which can be used to represent any entity, such as an individual, a corporation, and a login id.
Author:Li Gong
See Also:
  • X509Certificate
Since:1.1
/** * This interface represents the abstract notion of a principal, which * can be used to represent any entity, such as an individual, a * corporation, and a login id. * * @see java.security.cert.X509Certificate * * @author Li Gong * @since 1.1 */
public interface Principal {
Compares this principal to the specified object. Returns true if the object passed in matches the principal represented by the implementation of this interface.
Params:
  • another – principal to compare with.
Returns:true if the principal passed in is the same as that encapsulated by this principal, and false otherwise.
/** * Compares this principal to the specified object. Returns true * if the object passed in matches the principal represented by * the implementation of this interface. * * @param another principal to compare with. * * @return true if the principal passed in is the same as that * encapsulated by this principal, and false otherwise. */
public boolean equals(Object another);
Returns a string representation of this principal.
Returns:a string representation of this principal.
/** * Returns a string representation of this principal. * * @return a string representation of this principal. */
public String toString();
Returns a hashcode for this principal.
Returns:a hashcode for this principal.
/** * Returns a hashcode for this principal. * * @return a hashcode for this principal. */
public int hashCode();
Returns the name of this principal.
Returns:the name of this principal.
/** * Returns the name of this principal. * * @return the name of this principal. */
public String getName();
Returns true if the specified subject is implied by this principal.
Params:
  • subject – the Subject
Implementation Requirements: The default implementation of this method returns true if subject is non-null and contains at least one principal that is equal to this principal.

Subclasses may override this with a different implementation, if necessary.

Returns:true if subject is non-null and is implied by this principal, or false otherwise.
Since:1.8
/** * Returns true if the specified subject is implied by this principal. * * @implSpec * The default implementation of this method returns true if * {@code subject} is non-null and contains at least one principal that * is equal to this principal. * * <p>Subclasses may override this with a different implementation, if * necessary. * * @param subject the {@code Subject} * @return true if {@code subject} is non-null and is * implied by this principal, or false otherwise. * @since 1.8 */
public default boolean implies(Subject subject) { if (subject == null) return false; return subject.getPrincipals().contains(this); } }