/*
 * @(#)InitialContextFactory.java	1.5 00/02/02
 *
 * Copyright 1999, 2000 Sun Microsystems, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
 * 
 * This software is the proprietary information of Sun Microsystems, Inc.  
 * Use is subject to license terms.
 * 
 */

package javax.naming.spi;

import java.util.Hashtable;
import javax.naming.*;

/**
  * This interface represents a factory that creates an initial context.
  *<p>
  * The JNDI framework allows for different initial context implementations
  * to be specified at runtime.  The initial context is created using
  * an <em>initial context factory</em>.
  * An initial context factory must implement the InitialContextFactory
  * interface, which provides a method for creating instances of initial
  * context that implement the Context interface.  
  * In addition, the factory class must be public and must have a public 
  * constructor that accepts no arguments.
  *
  * @author Rosanna Lee
  * @author Scott Seligman
  * @version 1.5 00/02/02
  *
  * @see InitialContextFactoryBuilder
  * @see NamingManager#getInitialContext
  * @see javax.naming.InitialContext
  * @see javax.naming.directory.InitialDirContext
  * @since 1.3
  */

public interface InitialContextFactory {
	/**
	  * Creates an Initial Context for beginning name resolution.
	  * Special requirements of this context are supplied
	  * using <code>environment</code>.
	  *<p>
	  * The environment parameter is owned by the caller.
	  * The implementation will not modify the object or keep a reference
	  * to it, although it may keep a reference to a clone or copy.
	  *
	  * @param environment The possibly null environment
          * 		specifying information to be used in the creation 
          * 		of the initial context.
	  * @return A non-null initial context object that implements the Context
	  *		interface.
          * @exception NamingException If cannot create an initial context.
	  */
	public Context getInitialContext(Hashtable environment)
	    throws NamingException;
}