1. /*

  2.  * @(#)PrincipalComparator.java	1.9 03/01/23

  3.  *

  4.  * Copyright 2003 Sun Microsystems, Inc. All rights reserved.

  5.  * SUN PROPRIETARY/CONFIDENTIAL. Use is subject to license terms.

  6.  */

  7. 

  8. package com.sun.security.auth;

  9. 

  10. /**

  11.  * An object that implements the <code>java.security.Principal</code>

  12.  * interface typically also implements this interface to provide

  13.  * a means for comparing that object to a specified <code>Subject</code>.

  14.  *

  15.  * <p> The comparison is achieved via the <code>implies</code> method.

  16.  * The implementation of the <code>implies</code> method determines

  17.  * whether this object "implies" the specified <code>Subject</code>.

  18.  * One example application of this method may be for

  19.  * a "group" object to imply a particular <code>Subject</code>

  20.  * if that <code>Subject</code> belongs to the group.

  21.  * Another example application of this method would be for

  22.  * "role" object to imply a particular <code>Subject</code>

  23.  * if that <code>Subject</code> is currently acting in that role.

  24.  * 

  25.  * <p> Although classes that implement this interface typically

  26.  * also implement the <code>java.security.Principal</code> interface,

  27.  * it is not required.  In other words, classes may implement the

  28.  * <code>java.security.Principal</code> interface by itself,

  29.  * the <code>PrincipalComparator</code> interface by itself,

  30.  * or both at the same time.

  31.  *

  32.  * @version 1.9, 01/23/03

  33.  * @see java.security.Principal

  34.  * @see javax.security.auth.Subject

  35.  */

  36. public interface PrincipalComparator {

  37.     /**

  38.      * Check if the specified <code>Subject</code> is implied by

  39.      * this object.

  40.      *

  41.      * <p>

  42.      *

  43.      * @return true if the specified <code>Subject</code> is implied by

  44.      *		this object, or false otherwise.

  45.      */

  46.     boolean implies(javax.security.auth.Subject subject);

  47. }