Why does JPasswordField.getPassword() create a String with the password in it?

Question

Swing\'s JPasswordField has the getPassword() method that returns a char array. My understanding of this is that the array can be zeroed immediately after use so that you do

Answer 1

import javax.swing.*;

public class login extends javax.swing.JFrame {


MainProg main = new MainProg();

    public login() {
        initComponents();
    }

    /**
     * This method is called from within the constructor to initialize the form.
     * WARNING: Do NOT modify this code. The content of this method is always
     * regenerated by the Form Editor.
     */
    @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
    //                           
    private void initComponents() {

        jLabel1 = new javax.swing.JLabel();
        jLabel2 = new javax.swing.JLabel();
        txtUser = new javax.swing.JTextField();
        txtPassword = new javax.swing.JTextField();
        jButton1 = new javax.swing.JButton();

        setDefaultCloseOperation(javax.swing.WindowConstants.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
        setTitle("Log In");
        setBackground(new java.awt.Color(255, 204, 204));
        setResizable(false);

        jLabel1.setText("Username:");

        jLabel2.setText("Password:");

        jButton1.setBackground(new java.awt.Color(204, 204, 204));
        jButton1.setText("Enter");
        jButton1.setOpaque(false);
        jButton1.addActionListener(new java.awt.event.ActionListener() {
            public void actionPerformed(java.awt.event.ActionEvent evt) {
                jButton1ActionPerformed(evt);
            }
        });

        javax.swing.GroupLayout layout = new javax.swing.GroupLayout(getContentPane());
        getContentPane().setLayout(layout);
        layout.setHorizontalGroup(
            layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
            .addGroup(layout.createSequentialGroup()
                .addContainerGap()
                .addGroup(layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.TRAILING)
                    .addComponent(jButton1)
                    .addGroup(layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING, false)
                        .addGroup(layout.createSequentialGroup()
                            .addComponent(jLabel1)
                            .addGap(18, 18, 18)
                            .addComponent(txtUser, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, 210, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE))
                        .addGroup(layout.createSequentialGroup()
                            .addComponent(jLabel2)
                            .addGap(20, 20, 20)
                            .addComponent(txtPassword))))
                .addContainerGap(62, Short.MAX_VALUE))
        );
        layout.setVerticalGroup(
            layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.LEADING)
            .addGroup(layout.createSequentialGroup()
                .addContainerGap()
                .addGroup(layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.BASELINE)
                    .addComponent(jLabel1)
                    .addComponent(txtUser, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE))
                .addGap(18, 18, 18)
                .addGroup(layout.createParallelGroup(javax.swing.GroupLayout.Alignment.BASELINE)
                    .addComponent(jLabel2)
                    .addComponent(txtPassword, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, javax.swing.GroupLayout.PREFERRED_SIZE))
                .addPreferredGap(javax.swing.LayoutStyle.ComponentPlacement.UNRELATED)
                .addComponent(jButton1)
                .addContainerGap(javax.swing.GroupLayout.DEFAULT_SIZE, Short.MAX_VALUE))
        );

        pack();
    }//                         

    private void jButton1ActionPerformed(java.awt.event.ActionEvent evt) {                                         
        String U = new String(this.txtUser.getText());
        String P = new String(this.txtPass.gettext());


        if(U.equals("Admin") && P.equals(Password))
        {
            JOptionPane.showMessageDialog(null,"Login successful!","Message",JOptionPane.INFORMATION_MESSAGE); 
            this.hide();
            calculator.show();
        }
        else 
        {
           JOptionPane.showMessageDialog(null,"Invalid username and password","Message",JOptionPane.ERROR_MESSAGE); 
           this.txtUser.setText("");
           this.txtPassword.setText("");                       
        }   

    }                                        

    /**
     * @param args the command line arguments
     */
    public static void main(String args[]) {
        /*
         * Set the Nimbus look and feel
         */
        //
        /*
         * If Nimbus (introduced in Java SE 6) is not available, stay with the
         * default look and feel. For details see
         * http://download.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/uiswing/lookandfeel/plaf.html
         */
        try {
            for (javax.swing.UIManager.LookAndFeelInfo info : javax.swing.UIManager.getInstalledLookAndFeels()) {
                if ("Nimbus".equals(info.getName())) {
                    javax.swing.UIManager.setLookAndFeel(info.getClassName());
                    break;
                }
            }
        } catch (ClassNotFoundException ex) {
            java.util.logging.Logger.getLogger(login.class.getName()).log(java.util.logging.Level.SEVERE, null, ex);
        } catch (InstantiationException ex) {
            java.util.logging.Logger.getLogger(login.class.getName()).log(java.util.logging.Level.SEVERE, null, ex);
        } catch (IllegalAccessException ex) {
            java.util.logging.Logger.getLogger(login.class.getName()).log(java.util.logging.Level.SEVERE, null, ex);
        } catch (javax.swing.UnsupportedLookAndFeelException ex) {
            java.util.logging.Logger.getLogger(login.class.getName()).log(java.util.logging.Level.SEVERE, null, ex);
        }
        //

        /*
         * Create and display the form
         */
        java.awt.EventQueue.invokeLater(new Runnable() {

            public void run() {
                new login().setVisible(true);
            }
        });
    }
    // Variables declaration - do not modify                     
    private javax.swing.JButton jButton1;
    private javax.swing.JLabel jLabel1;
    private javax.swing.JLabel jLabel2;
    private javax.swing.JTextField txtPassword;
    private javax.swing.JTextField txtUser;
    // End of variables declaration                   
}