A capability is a communicable, unforgeable token of authority. It refers to a value that references an object along with an associated set of access rights. A user program on a capability-based operating system must use a capability to access an object [Wikipedia 2011].
The term capability was introduced by Dennis and Van Horn [[Dennis 1966]]. The basic idea is that for a program to access an object it must have a special token. This token designates an object and gives the program the authority to perform a specific set of actions (such as reading or writing) on that object. Such a token is known as a capability.
In an object-capability language, all program state is contained in objects that cannot be read or written without a reference, which serves as an unforgeable capability. All external resources are also represented as objects. Objects encapsulate their internal state, providing reference holders access only through prescribed interfaces [[Mettler 2010A]].
Because of Javaâs == operator, which tests pointer equality, every object has an unforgeable identity in addition to its contents. Identity tests mean that any object can be used as a token, serving as an unforgeable proof of authorization to perform some action [[Mettler 2010B]].
Authority is embodied by object references, which serve as capabilities. Authority refers to any effects that running code can have other than to perform side-effect-free computations. Authority includes not only effects on external resources such as files or network sockets, but also on mutable data structures that are shared with other parts of the program [[Mettler 2010B]].
Rules that involve capabilities include: