java.security.cert

Class CertPathBuilder

java.lang.Object

java.security.cert.CertPathBuilder

public class CertPathBuilder
extends Object

A class for building certification paths (also known as certificate chains).

This class uses a provider-based architecture. To create a CertPathBuilder, call one of the static getInstance methods, passing in the algorithm name of the CertPathBuilder desired and optionally the name of the provider desired.

Once a CertPathBuilder object has been created, certification paths can be constructed by calling the build method and passing it an algorithm-specific set of parameters. If successful, the result (including the CertPath that was built) is returned in an object that implements the CertPathBuilderResult interface.

Every implementation of the Java platform is required to support the following standard CertPathBuilder algorithm:

• PKIX

This algorithm is described in the CertPathBuilder section of the Java Cryptography Architecture Standard Algorithm Name Documentation. Consult the release documentation for your implementation to see if any other algorithms are supported.

Concurrent Access

The static methods of this class are guaranteed to be thread-safe. Multiple threads may concurrently invoke the static methods defined in this class with no ill effects.

However, this is not true for the non-static methods defined by this class. Unless otherwise documented by a specific provider, threads that need to access a single CertPathBuilder instance concurrently should synchronize amongst themselves and provide the necessary locking. Multiple threads each manipulating a different CertPathBuilder instance need not synchronize.

Since:

1.4

See Also:

CertPath

Constructor Summary

Constructors

Modifier	Constructor and Description
protected	CertPathBuilder(CertPathBuilderSpi builderSpi, Provider provider, String algorithm) Creates a CertPathBuilder object of the given algorithm, and encapsulates the given provider implementation (SPI object) in it.

Method Summary

Methods

Modifier and Type	Method and Description
CertPathBuilderResult	build(CertPathParameters params) Attempts to build a certification path using the specified algorithm parameter set.
String	getAlgorithm() Returns the name of the algorithm of this CertPathBuilder.
static String	getDefaultType() Returns the default CertPathBuilder type as specified in the Java security properties file, or the string "PKIX" if no such property exists.
static CertPathBuilder	getInstance(String algorithm) Returns a CertPathBuilder object that implements the specified algorithm.
static CertPathBuilder	getInstance(String algorithm, Provider provider) Returns a CertPathBuilder object that implements the specified algorithm.
static CertPathBuilder	getInstance(String algorithm, String provider) Returns a CertPathBuilder object that implements the specified algorithm.
Provider	getProvider() Returns the provider of this CertPathBuilder.

Methods inherited from class java.lang.Object

clone, equals, finalize, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, toString, wait, wait, wait

Constructor Detail

CertPathBuilder

protected CertPathBuilder(CertPathBuilderSpi builderSpi,
               Provider provider,
               String algorithm)

Creates a CertPathBuilder object of the given algorithm, and encapsulates the given provider implementation (SPI object) in it.

Parameters:

builderSpi - the provider implementation

provider - the provider

algorithm - the algorithm name

Method Detail

getInstance

public static CertPathBuilder getInstance(String algorithm)
                                   throws NoSuchAlgorithmException

Returns a CertPathBuilder object that implements the specified algorithm.

This method traverses the list of registered security Providers, starting with the most preferred Provider. A new CertPathBuilder object encapsulating the CertPathBuilderSpi implementation from the first Provider that supports the specified algorithm is returned.

Note that the list of registered providers may be retrieved via the Security.getProviders() method.

Parameters:

algorithm - the name of the requested CertPathBuilder algorithm. See the CertPathBuilder section in the Java Cryptography Architecture Standard Algorithm Name Documentation for information about standard algorithm names.

Returns:

a CertPathBuilder object that implements the specified algorithm.

Throws:

NoSuchAlgorithmException - if no Provider supports a CertPathBuilderSpi implementation for the specified algorithm.

See Also:

Provider

getInstance

public static CertPathBuilder getInstance(String algorithm,
                          String provider)
                                   throws NoSuchAlgorithmException,
                                          NoSuchProviderException

Returns a CertPathBuilder object that implements the specified algorithm.

A new CertPathBuilder object encapsulating the CertPathBuilderSpi implementation from the specified provider is returned. The specified provider must be registered in the security provider list.

Note that the list of registered providers may be retrieved via the Security.getProviders() method.

Parameters:

algorithm - the name of the requested CertPathBuilder algorithm. See the CertPathBuilder section in the Java Cryptography Architecture Standard Algorithm Name Documentation for information about standard algorithm names.

provider - the name of the provider.

Returns:

a CertPathBuilder object that implements the specified algorithm.

Throws:

NoSuchAlgorithmException - if a CertPathBuilderSpi implementation for the specified algorithm is not available from the specified provider.

NoSuchProviderException - if the specified provider is not registered in the security provider list.

IllegalArgumentException - if the provider is null or empty.

See Also:

Provider

getInstance

public static CertPathBuilder getInstance(String algorithm,
                          Provider provider)
                                   throws NoSuchAlgorithmException

Returns a CertPathBuilder object that implements the specified algorithm.

A new CertPathBuilder object encapsulating the CertPathBuilderSpi implementation from the specified Provider object is returned. Note that the specified Provider object does not have to be registered in the provider list.

Parameters:

algorithm - the name of the requested CertPathBuilder algorithm. See the CertPathBuilder section in the Java Cryptography Architecture Standard Algorithm Name Documentation for information about standard algorithm names.

provider - the provider.

Returns:

a CertPathBuilder object that implements the specified algorithm.

Throws:

NoSuchAlgorithmException - if a CertPathBuilderSpi implementation for the specified algorithm is not available from the specified Provider object.

IllegalArgumentException - if the provider is null.

See Also:

Provider

getProvider

public final Provider getProvider()

Returns the provider of this CertPathBuilder.

Returns:

the provider of this CertPathBuilder

getAlgorithm

public final String getAlgorithm()

Returns the name of the algorithm of this CertPathBuilder.

Returns:

the name of the algorithm of this CertPathBuilder

build

public final CertPathBuilderResult build(CertPathParameters params)
                                  throws CertPathBuilderException,
                                         InvalidAlgorithmParameterException

Attempts to build a certification path using the specified algorithm parameter set.

Parameters:

params - the algorithm parameters

Returns:

the result of the build algorithm

Throws:

CertPathBuilderException - if the builder is unable to construct a certification path that satisfies the specified parameters

InvalidAlgorithmParameterException - if the specified parameters are inappropriate for this CertPathBuilder

getDefaultType

public static final String getDefaultType()

Returns the default CertPathBuilder type as specified in the Java security properties file, or the string "PKIX" if no such property exists. The Java security properties file is located in the file named <JAVA_HOME>/lib/security/java.security. <JAVA_HOME> refers to the value of the java.home system property, and specifies the directory where the JRE is installed.

The default CertPathBuilder type can be used by applications that do not want to use a hard-coded type when calling one of the getInstance methods, and want to provide a default type in case a user does not specify its own.

The default CertPathBuilder type can be changed by setting the value of the "certpathbuilder.type" security property (in the Java security properties file) to the desired type.

Returns:

the default CertPathBuilder type as specified in the Java security properties file, or the string "PKIX" if no such property exists.