Class Provider

Class java.security.Provider

Class Members | This Package | All Packages

java.lang.Object
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   +----java.util.Dictionary
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           +----java.util.Hashtable
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                   +----java.util.Properties
                           |
                           +----java.security.Provider

public abstract class Provider
extends Properties

This class represents a "provider" for the Java Security API. A provider implements some or all parts of Java Security, including:

Algorithms (such as DSA, RSA, MD5 or SHA-1).
Key generation and management facilities (such as for algorithm-specific keys).

Each provider has a name and a version number, and is configured in each runtime it is installed in.

There is a default provider that comes standard with the JDK. It is called the SUN Provider. See "The Provider Class" in the Java Cryptography Architecture API Specification & Reference for information about how providers work and how to install them.