JDK (Java Development Kit) Tutorials

∟"keytool" Commands and "keystore" Files

This chapter provides tutorial notes and example codes on the 'keytool' command. Topics include introduction of public key certificates, 'keystore' file, 'keytool' command; generating new keys and self-signed certificates; exporting and importing certificates; cloning certificates to share keys.

Certificates and Certificate Chains

What Is "keystore"?

"keytool" - Key and Certificate Management Tool

"keytool -genkey" - Generating Keys and Self-Signed Certificates

"keytool -export/import" - Exporting and Importing Certificates

"keytool -keyclone" - Cloning Certificates with New Identities

Conclusions:

• "keytool" is a command line tool to manage keys and certificates inside "keystore" files.
• A key entry in a keystore file contains a private key and a certificate of a public key.
• A certificate entry in a keystore file contains only a certificate of a public key.
• Certificates can be exported into certificate files out of a "keystore" file.
• Certificates can be imported from certificate files back into a "keystore" file.
• There seems be to no way to export private keys.
• There seems be to no way to generate a certificate of a given public key.

Sample programs listed in this chapter have been tested with JDK 1.3.1, 1.4.1 and 1.5.0.

Read my other book "Tutorial Notes on cryptography" for other related topics.

Table of Contents

 About This JDK Tutorial Book

 Downloading and Installing JDK 1.3.1 on Windows

 Downloading and Installing JDK 1.4.1 on Windows

 Downloading and Installing JDK 1.5.0 on Windows

 Downloading and Installing JDK 1.6.2 on Windows

 Date, Time and Calendar Classes

 Date and Time Object and String Conversion

 Number Object and Numeric String Conversion

 Locales, Localization Methods and Resource Bundles

 Calling and Importing Classes Defined in Unnamed Packages

 HashSet, Vector, HashMap and Collection Classes

 Character Set Encoding Classes and Methods

 Character Set Encoding Maps

 Encoding Conversion Programs for Encoded Text Files

 Socket Network Communication

 Datagram Network Communication

 DOM (Document Object Model) - API for XML Files

 SAX (Simple API for XML)

 DTD (Document Type Definition) - XML Validation

 XSD (XML Schema Definition) - XML Validation

 XSL (Extensible Stylesheet Language)

 Message Digest Algorithm Implementations in JDK

 Private key and Public Key Pair Generation

 PKCS#8/X.509 Private/Public Encoding Standards

 Digital Signature Algorithm and Sample Program

►"keytool" Commands and "keystore" Files

 KeyStore and Certificate Classes

 Secret Key Generation and Management

 Cipher - Secret Key Encryption and Decryption

 The SSL (Secure Socket Layer) Protocol

 SSL Socket Communication Testing Programs

 SSL Client Authentication

 HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure)

 References

 PDF Printing Version