public abstract class Key

  1. Object
  2. Key

Known subtypesPrivateKey, PublicKey, SecretKey

Common base for every key type in the security package – SecretKey for symmetric algorithms, PublicKey and PrivateKey for asymmetric ones.

Holds the three pieces of metadata every key carries:

  • an algorithm name (e.g. “AES”, “RSA”, “EC”)
  • a defensive copy of the encoded key bytes
  • a format identifier (e.g. “RAW” for symmetric keys, “X.509” for SPKI public keys, “PKCS#8” for private keys)

Application code should not extend this class directly; create the concrete subtype that matches the algorithm you are using.

Constructors

protected Key(String algorithm, byte[] encoded, String format)

Methods

public final byte[] getEncoded()Returns a fresh copy of the encoded key bytes.
public final String getAlgorithm()Returns the algorithm this key is intended for (e.g. “AES”, “RSA”).
public final String getFormat()Returns the encoding format identifier.

Inherited methods

From Object

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

Constructor details

Key

protected Key(String algorithm, byte[] encoded, String format)

Parameters

algorithm String
human-readable algorithm name (e.g. “AES”)
encoded byte[]
raw key material – defensively copied
format String
encoding format identifier (“RAW”, “X.509”, “PKCS#8”)

Method details

getEncoded

public final byte[] getEncoded()
Returns a fresh copy of the encoded key bytes. Treat returns from private keys as sensitive material – do not log or store unencrypted.

getAlgorithm

public final String getAlgorithm()
Returns the algorithm this key is intended for (e.g. “AES”, “RSA”).

getFormat

public final String getFormat()

Returns the encoding format identifier. Standard values:

  • “RAW” – symmetric keys (SecretKey)
  • “X.509” – SubjectPublicKeyInfo DER (PublicKey)
  • “PKCS#8” – PrivateKeyInfo DER (PrivateKey)