[higgins-dev] Meaning of "open" context

["Jim Sermersheim" <jimse@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Our documentation doesn't yet explain well enough what it means for a context to be "open" yet.

 

Here are some possible definitions:

 

1) There is an instance of IContext, and it has been associated with sufficient config/policy such that it can conceivably represent a set of DigitalSubjects.

 

2) Same as #1, but there is actual representation (meaning the connection to the backing data has been established, and AuthN has taken place)

 

If it's #2, we likely need a provision for handling unsolicited closing of contexts. Meaning, the IdAS consumer does not call closeContext, yet it moved to a non-open state because of a timeout, AuthN change due to policy, network error, etc.  I suppose we could just say some exception (ContextClosedException) is thrown for any methods called subsequent to these acts.

 

In any case, we should document whether "open" means #1, #2, or something else.

 

Jim