java.security.Principal Maven / Gradle / Ivy

/*
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This work corresponds to the API signatures of JSR 219: Foundation
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package java.security;

/** 
 * 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
 *
 * @version 1.19, 00/02/02
 * @author Li Gong
 */
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.
     *
     * @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.
     *
     * @return a string representation of this principal.
     */
    public String toString();

    /** 
     * Returns a hashcode for this principal.
     *
     * @return a hashcode for this principal.
     */
    public int hashCode();

    /** 
     * Returns the name of this principal.
     *
     * @return the name of this principal.
     */
    public String getName();
}