This class is a java.net.URLConnection for a URL that uses the https: protocol. It extends java.net.HttpURLConnection and, in addition to inheriting the methods of its superclasses, it defines methods for specifying the SSLSocketFactory and HostnameVerifier to use when establishing the connection. Static versions of these methods allow you to specify a default factory and verifier objects for use with all HttpsURLConnection objects. After the connection has been established, several other methods exist to obtain information (such as the cipher suite and the server certificates) about the connection itself.

Obtain a HttpsURLConnection object by calling the openConnection( ) method of a URL that uses the https:// protocol specifier, and casting the returned value to this type. The HttpsURLConnection object is unconnected at this point, and you can call setHostnameVerifier( ) and setSSLSocketFactory( ) to customize the way the connection is made. (If you do not specify a HostnameVerifier for the instance, or a default one for the class, then hostname mismatches will always cause the connection to fail. If you do not specify an SSLSocketFactory for the instance or class, then a default one will be used.) To connect, call the inherited connect( ) method, and then call the inherited getContent( ) to retrieve the content of the URL as an object, or use the inherited getInputStream( ) to obtain a java.io.InputStream with which you can read the content of the URL.

Figure 18-4. javax.net.ssl.HttpsURLConnection

public abstract class HttpsURLConnection extends java.net.HttpURLConnection {
// Protected Constructors
     protected HttpsURLConnection(java.net.URL url);  
// Public Class Methods
     public static HostnameVerifier getDefaultHostnameVerifier( );  
     public static SSLSocketFactory getDefaultSSLSocketFactory( );  
     public static void setDefaultHostnameVerifier(HostnameVerifier v);  
     public static void setDefaultSSLSocketFactory(SSLSocketFactory sf);  
// Public Instance Methods
     public abstract String getCipherSuite( );  
     public HostnameVerifier getHostnameVerifier( );  
     public abstract java.security.cert.Certificate[ ] getLocalCertificates( );  
5.0  public java.security.Principal getLocalPrincipal( );  
5.0  public java.security.Principal getPeerPrincipal( ) 
        throws SSLPeerUnverifiedException;  
     public abstract java.security.cert.Certificate[ ] getServerCertificates( ) 
        throws SSLPeerUnverifiedException;  
     public SSLSocketFactory getSSLSocketFactory( );  
     public void setHostnameVerifier(HostnameVerifier v);  
     public void setSSLSocketFactory(SSLSocketFactory sf);  
// Protected Instance Fields
     protected HostnameVerifier hostnameVerifier;  
}