<?php

/*

 * This file is part of the Symfony package.

 *

 * (c) Fabien Potencier <fabien@symfony.com>

 *

 * For the full copyright and license information, please view the LICENSE

 * file that was distributed with this source code.

 */

namespace Symfony\Component\Security\Acl\Model;

/**

 * Represents the identity of an individual domain object instance.

 *

 * @author Johannes M. Schmitt <schmittjoh@gmail.com>

 */

interface ObjectIdentityInterface

{

    /**

     * We specifically require this method so we can check for object equality

     * explicitly, and do not have to rely on referencial equality instead.

     *

     * Though in most cases, both checks should result in the same outcome.

     *

     * Referential Equality: $object1 === $object2

     * Example for Object Equality: $object1->getId() === $object2->getId()

     *

     * @param ObjectIdentityInterface $identity

     * @return Boolean

     */

    function equals(ObjectIdentityInterface $identity);

    /**

     * Obtains a unique identifier for this object. The identifier must not be

     * re-used for other objects with the same type.

     *

     * @return string cannot return null

     */

    function getIdentifier();

    /**

     * Returns a type for the domain object. Typically, this is the PHP class name.

     *

     * @return string cannot return null

     */

    function getType();

}