PublicKey (Java Platform SE 8 )
Keywords: java.security.PublicKey interface
Date: 2026-04-24

compact1, compact2, compact3
java.security

## Interface PublicKey

- All Superinterfaces:
    Key, Serializable
  All Known Subinterfaces:
    DHPublicKey, DSAPublicKey, ECPublicKey, RSAPublicKey

      public interface PublicKey
      extends Key

  A public key. This interface contains no methods or constants. It merely serves to group (and provide type safety for) all public key interfaces. Note: The specialized public key interfaces extend this interface. See, for example, the DSAPublicKey interface in `java.security.interfaces`.

  See Also:
    `Key`, `PrivateKey`, `Certificate`, `Signature.initVerify(java.security.PublicKey)`, `DSAPublicKey`, `RSAPublicKey`

- - ### Field Summary

    Fields
    Modifier and Type | Field and Description
    --- | ---
    `static long` | `serialVersionUID` The class fingerprint that is set to indicate serialization compatibility with a previous version of the class.

  - ### Method Summary

    - ### Methods inherited from interface java.security.Key

      `getAlgorithm, getEncoded, getFormat`

- - ### Field Detail

    - #### serialVersionUID

          static final long serialVersionUID

      The class fingerprint that is set to indicate serialization compatibility with a previous version of the class.
      See Also:
        Constant Field Values

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