Makes a copy of this CertStoreParameters
.
The precise meaning of "copy" may depend on the class of
the CertStoreParameters
object. A typical implementation
performs a "deep copy" of this object, but this is not an absolute
requirement. Some implementations may perform a "shallow copy" of some
or all of the fields of this object.
Note that the CertStore.getInstance
methods make a copy
of the specified CertStoreParameters
. A deep copy
implementation of clone
is safer and more robust, as it
prevents the caller from corrupting a shared CertStore
by
subsequently modifying the contents of its initialization parameters.
However, a shallow copy implementation of clone
is more
appropriate for applications that need to hold a reference to a
parameter contained in the CertStoreParameters
. For example,
a shallow copy clone allows an application to release the resources of
a particular CertStore
initialization parameter immediately,
rather than waiting for the garbage collection mechanism. This should
be done with the utmost care, since the CertStore
may still
be in use by other threads.
Each subclass should state the precise behavior of this method so
that users and developers know what to expect.