org.springframework.security.providers
Interface AuthenticationProvider

All Known Implementing Classes:

AbstractUserDetailsAuthenticationProvider, AnonymousAuthenticationProvider, AuthByAdapterProvider, CasAuthenticationProvider, DaoAuthenticationProvider, JaasAuthenticationProvider, LdapAuthenticationProvider, OpenIDAuthenticationProvider, PreAuthenticatedAuthenticationProvider, RememberMeAuthenticationProvider, RemoteAuthenticationProvider, RunAsImplAuthenticationProvider, X509AuthenticationProvider

public interface AuthenticationProvider

Indicates a class can process a specific Authentication implementation.

Version:

$Id$

Author:

Ben Alex

Method Summary

Authentication	authenticate(Authentication authentication) Performs authentication with the same contract as AuthenticationManager.authenticate(Authentication).
boolean	supports(Class authentication) Returns true if this AuthenticationProvider supports the indicated Authentication object.

Method Detail

authenticate

Authentication authenticate(Authentication authentication)
                            throws AuthenticationException

Performs authentication with the same contract as AuthenticationManager.authenticate(Authentication).

Parameters:

authentication - the authentication request object.

Returns:

a fully authenticated object including credentials. May return null if the AuthenticationProvider is unable to support authentication of the passed Authentication object. In such a case, the next AuthenticationProvider that supports the presented Authentication class will be tried.

Throws:

AuthenticationException - if authentication fails.

supports

boolean supports(Class authentication)

Returns true if this AuthenticationProvider supports the indicated Authentication object.

Returning true does not guarantee an AuthenticationProvider will be able to authenticate the presented instance of the Authentication class. It simply indicates it can support closer evaluation of it. An AuthenticationProvider can still return null from the authenticate(Authentication) method to indicate another AuthenticationProvider should be tried.

Selection of an AuthenticationProvider capable of performing authentication is conducted at runtime the ProviderManager.

Parameters:

authentication - DOCUMENT ME!

Returns:

true if the implementation can more closely evaluate the Authentication class presented