JavaMap [Link]

com/java-map-concepts

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JavaMap
The Map interface in Java is a part of the [Link]
package and provides a way to store key-value pairs.
It does not inherit from Collection, and instead
defines a specific set of methods to interact with
the key-value mappings.

The Map interface in Java is a part of the [Link] package

and provides a way to store key-value pairs. It does not
inherit from Collection, and instead defines a specific set
of methods to interact with the key-value mappings.

Internal Methods of the Map

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Interface:
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Here is a list of all the methods from the Map interface

with their corresponding use cases:

1. void clear()
Use Case: To reset the map by removing all key-
value mappings.
2. boolean containsKey(Object key)
Use Case: To check if a specific key is present in
the map.
3. boolean containsValue(Object value)
Use Case: To check if any key in the map is
associated with a given value.
4. Set<[Link]<K, V>> entrySet()
Use Case: To obtain a set view of the map's key-
value pairs, useful for iteration.
5. V get(Object key)
Use Case: To retrieve the value associated with a
specified key.
6. boolean isEmpty()
Use Case: To determine if the map contains no key-
value mappings (i.e., it is empty).
7. Set<K> keySet()
Use Case: To get a set view of the keys in the
map, which can be useful for iterating over the
keys.
8. V put(K key, V value)
Use Case: To add or update a key-value pair in the
map.
9. void putAll(Map<? extends K, ? extends V> m)
Use Case: To copy all mappings from another map to
the current map.
10. V remove(Object key)
Use Case: To remove a key-value pair from the map
by specifying the key.
11. int size()
Use Case: To get the number of key-value pairs in
the map.
12. Collection<V> values()

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Use Case: To get a collection view of all the

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values in the map.

what if we don't override hashCode() and equals()" in the Map

(HashMap) context.

- How HashMap stores data internally

When you do:

[Link](key, value);
HashMap uses:

hashCode() → to find which bucket (index) to store key-value

pair.

equals() → to check if the key already exists in that bucket.

If both hashCode() and equals() say “same key,” it replaces

the value instead of creating a new entry.

- Your current case — overridden hashCode() & equals()

@Override
public int hashCode() {
return 100; // Same hash for all Emp objects
}
All Emp objects go to same bucket (because hashCode() is
constant).

@Override
public boolean equals(Object obj) {
return id == [Link] && [Link](name, [Link]);
}

-When putting second Emp(101, "Nitesh"), HashMap:

Finds same bucket (hash = 100).

Uses equals() → finds it equal to existing key.

Replaces old value 123 with new value 12345.

Output:
{Emp [id=101, name=Nitesh]=12345}

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- What if we DON’T override hashCode() and equals()?
If you remove both methods:

hashCode() from Object → generates different hash for each

new object (based on memory address).

equals() from Object → only returns true if same object

reference.

So:
[Link](new Emp(101, "Nitesh"), 123);
[Link](new Emp(101, "Nitesh"), 12345);
Here:

Even though id and name are same, they’re different objects,

so:

Different hashCode() → go to different buckets.

equals() → returns false (not same reference).

Result → two separate entries.

Output:

{Emp [id=101, name=Nitesh]=123, Emp [id=101,

name=Nitesh]=12345}

- What if we override only equals() but not hashCode()?

Different hashCode() (default from Object) → different
buckets.

Even though equals() returns true, HashMap won’t even call it

because bucket is different.

Still creates two entries.

- What if we override only hashCode() but not equals()?

Both objects go to same bucket (same hash code).

But equals() from Object returns false (different

references).

HashMap will treat them as different keys, so two entries in

same bucket.

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Key Rule (Java Contract)

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Whenever you override equals(), you must override hashCode()
to ensure:

If [Link](b) is true → [Link]() == [Link]() must

also be true.

Why Map is Needed:

A Map in Java is an interface that represents a collection
of key-value pairs. It is needed in scenarios where you need
to:

1. Efficient Lookup by Key: You can retrieve values

quickly using their corresponding keys. This makes
Map suitable for situations where fast lookups,
inserts, and deletions are required, such as
searching through databases, caches, and
directories.
2. Uniqueness of Keys: Maps allow only one value per
unique key, ensuring no duplicates. This is useful
in cases like employee directories, product
catalogs, or configuration settings where each
entry must be uniquely identified by a key.
3. Flexible Data Structures: Different Map
implementations (like HashMap , TreeMap ,
LinkedHashMap , etc.) provide various features
like ordering of keys, sorted order, or
maintaining insertion order, making Map a
versatile choice for different use cases.
4. Associative Arrays: A Map can be viewed as an
associative array or a dictionary that lets you
associate values with keys for easier access.

8 Ways to Retrieve Elements from Map

Object

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package [Link];
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import [Link];
import [Link];
import [Link];
import [Link];
import [Link];

public class MapExample {

public static void main(String[] args) {
// Create a new HashMap
Map<String, Integer> map = new HashMap<>();

// Add entries to the map

[Link]("Apple", 10);
[Link]("Banana", 20);
[Link]("Orange", 30);

// 1. Using get() to retrieve a value by key

Integer appleValue = [Link]("Apple");
[Link]("Apple: " + appleValue); //
Output: Apple: 10

// 2. Using keySet() to iterate over keys and retrieve

values
[Link]("\nUsing keySet():");
Set<String> keys = [Link]();
for (String key : keys) {
[Link](key + ": " + [Link](key));
}
// Output:
// Apple: 10
// Banana: 20
// Orange: 30

// 3. Using values() to iterate over values

[Link]("\nUsing values():");
Collection<Integer> values = [Link]();
for (Integer value : values) {
[Link](value);
}
// Output:
// 10
// 20
// 30

// 4. Using entrySet() to iterate over key-value pairs

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[Link]("\nUsing entrySet():");
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Set<Entry<String, Integer>> entries = [Link]();
for (Entry<String, Integer> entry : entries) {
[Link]([Link]() + ": " +
[Link]());
}
// Output:
// Apple: 10
// Banana: 20
// Orange: 30

// 5. Using forEach() with lambda

[Link]("\nUsing forEach():");
[Link]((key, value) -> [Link](key +
": " + value));
// Output:
// Apple: 10
// Banana: 20
// Orange: 30

// 6. Using computeIfAbsent() to add a value if the

key doesn't exist
Integer valueForMango = [Link]("Mango",
key -> 40);
[Link]("\nUsing computeIfAbsent():");
[Link]("Mango: " + valueForMango); //
Output: Mango: 40

// 7. Using getOrDefault() to retrieve a value or a

default value
Integer valueForGrapes = [Link]("Grapes",
50);
[Link]("\nUsing getOrDefault():");
[Link]("Grapes: " + valueForGrapes); //
Output: Grapes: 50

// 8. Using remove() to delete an entry

Integer removedValue = [Link]("Apple");
[Link]("\nUsing remove():");
[Link]("Removed Apple: " + removedValue);
// Output: Removed Apple: 10
}
}

HashTable: Concepts, Rules, Use Cases, and Guidelines

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The Hashtable class in Java is part of the [Link] package.

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It implements a collection that uses a hash table to store
key-value pairs. Below are its concepts, rules, use cases,
and guidelines:

Concepts of Hashtable

1. Key-Value Pair Storage:

◦ Keys and values are stored as pairs. Each key
is unique, and its associated value can be
retrieved using the key.
2. Thread-Safe:
◦ All methods in Hashtable are synchronized,
making it thread-safe. Multiple threads can
access it without external synchronization.
3. Hashing:
◦ Internally, Hashtable uses hashing to map keys
to indices in a bucket array. Collisions are
handled by linked lists or other chaining
mechanisms.
4. Null Handling:
◦ Hashtable does not allow null keys or null
values.
5. Fail-Fast Iterators:
◦ Iterators on Hashtable are fail-fast, meaning
any modification to the structure during
iteration throws a
ConcurrentModificationException.

Rules for Using Hashtable

1. Thread-Safe by Default:
◦ No need to synchronize externally for thread-
safe operations.
2. No Null Keys/Values:

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◦ Attempting
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results in a NullPointerException.
3. Synchronized Operations:
◦ Operations like put, get, and remove are
synchronized. However, this may lead to
performance bottlenecks in high-concurrency
scenarios.
4. Performance Trade-off:
◦ Due to synchronization, Hashtable is slower
than HashMap for single-threaded applications.
5. Key Uniqueness:
◦ Duplicate keys are not allowed; adding a value
with an existing key will overwrite the
previous value.

Use Cases for Hashtable

1. Multi-Threaded Applications:
◦ When a thread-safe map is required without
external synchronization.
◦ Example: Session management in a web
application where multiple threads access a
shared data store.
2. Legacy Systems:
◦ When working with older Java applications that
were designed with Hashtable before
ConcurrentHashMap was introduced.
3. Simple Cache:
◦ Implementing a basic thread-safe cache for
read-write operations.
4. Resource Locking:
◦ Maintaining a mapping of resources to locks for
synchronized access in a multithreaded
application.

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Guidelines for Using Hashtable

1. Prefer ConcurrentHashMap for High-Concurrency

Needs:
◦ Use ConcurrentHashMap for better scalability
and performance in multithreaded applications.
2. Avoid in Single-Threaded Applications:
◦ Use HashMap or LinkedHashMap instead, as they
provide better performance without
synchronization overhead.
3. Monitor Performance:
◦ For high-throughput applications, analyze the
performance impact due to synchronization.
4. Use Iterators Carefully:
◦ Avoid modifying the Hashtable during iteration
to prevent ConcurrentModificationException.
5. Serialization:
◦ Hashtable is serializable but may not be
suitable for large datasets due to potential
serialization overhead.
6. Capacity and Load Factor:
◦ Optimize initial capacity and load factor to
reduce rehashing overhead for large datasets.

Default Initial Capacity

• The default initial capacity of a Hashtable is 11

buckets.

Load Factor

• The load factor is a measure of how full the

Hashtable is allowed to get before it resizes
(rehashes) its buckets.
• The default load factor for a Hashtable is 0.75.
This means that the Hashtable will resize when it
becomes 75% full.

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Constructor Variants
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1. Default Constructor:
◦ Creates a Hashtable with an initial capacity of
11 and a load factor of 0.75.
2. Constructor with Initial Capacity:
◦ Allows you to specify the initial capacity. For
example:
▪ Creates a Hashtable with an initial
capacity of 20 buckets.
3. Constructor with Initial Capacity and Load Factor:
◦ Allows you to specify both the initial capacity
and the load factor. For example:
▪ Creates a Hashtable with an initial
capacity of 20 and a load factor of 0.5.

Hashtable<K, V> table = new Hashtable<>();

Hashtable<K, V> table = new Hashtable<>(int initialCapacity);

Hashtable<String, Integer> table = new Hashtable<>(20);

Hashtable<K, V> table = new Hashtable<>(int initialCapacity,

float loadFactor);

Hashtable<String, Integer> table = new Hashtable<>(20, 0.5f);

How Initial Capacity Works

• The initial capacity determines how many key-value

pairs can be stored before resizing occurs, based
on the load factor.
• For example:
◦ If the initial capacity is 20 and the load
factor is 0.75, the Hashtable will resize when
it reaches 15 entries (20 × 0.75 = 15).

Why Choose a Custom Initial Capacity?

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• Perform
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◦ To minimize the cost of resizing (rehashing),
set an initial capacity large enough to
accommodate the expected number of entries.
• Reduce Memory Waste:
◦ Avoid allocating excessive memory for small
datasets.

import [Link];

public class HashtableExample {

public static void main(String[] args) {
// Create a Hashtable
Hashtable<String, Integer> table = new Hashtable<>();

// Add key-value pairs

[Link]("Apple", 10);
[Link]("Banana", 20);
[Link]("Mango", 30);

// Retrieve value
[Link]("Value for 'Apple': " +
[Link]("Apple")); // Output: 10

// Remove a key-value pair

[Link]("Banana");
[Link]("After removing 'Banana': " +
table); // Output: {Apple=10, Mango=30}

// Check for key and value existence

[Link]("Contains key 'Mango': " +
[Link]("Mango")); // Output: true
[Link]("Contains value 20: " +
[Link](20)); // Output: false

// Iterate through Hashtable

[Link]((key, value) -> [Link](key +
" -> " + value));
// Output:
// Apple -> 10
// Mango -> 30
}
}

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Advantages

• Thread-safe and reliable for concurrent access.

• Fail-fast iterators ensure data consistency during
modifications.
• Suitable for small datasets requiring synchronized
access.

Disadvantages

• Slower than HashMap due to synchronization.

• Does not allow null keys or values.
• Legacy class, superseded by ConcurrentHashMap.

A HashMap in Java is a part of the [Link] package and is

one of the most commonly used collections for storing key-
value pairs.

It is backed by an array of buckets (also known as an array

of entries), and uses hashing to locate where each entry
should go.

Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of how HashMap works

internally:

package [Link];

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import [Link];
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public class Demo03HashMap {

public static void main(String[] args) {

// Create a HashMap with initial capacity of 4 and
load factor of 0.75
HashMap<String, Integer> map = new HashMap<>(4,
0.75f);

// Adding key-value pairs to the HashMap

[Link]("Apple", 10);
[Link]("Banana", 20);
[Link]("Cherry", 30);
[Link]("Date", 40);
[Link]("Elderberry", 50); // This triggers resizing

// Accessing values using get()

[Link]("Apple: " + [Link]("Apple"));
[Link]("Banana: " + [Link]("Banana"));
[Link]("Cherry: " + [Link]("Cherry"));
[Link]("Date: " + [Link]("Date"));
[Link]("Elderberry: " +
[Link]("Elderberry"));

// Removing an entry
[Link]("Banana");
[Link]("After removing Banana: " + map);
}
}

Step 1: Initialization
• Initial Capacity: The HashMap is initialized with
an initial capacity of 4. It means that it will
start with 4 buckets.
• Load Factor: The load factor is 0.75, meaning when
75% of the map's capacity is filled, it will
resize. So, after inserting 3 elements, the map
will trigger a resize.

Step 2: Inserting Elements

1. Inserting "Apple" -> 10 :
• Hashing: The hashCode() for "Apple" is

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computed.
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• Bucket Index Calculation: hashCode("Apple") %
4 determines the bucket where this key-value
pair will go.
• Insertion: Since bucket 1 (index 1) is empty,
"Apple" -> 10 is inserted there.
2. Inserting "Banana" -> 20 :
• Hashing: The hashCode() for "Banana" is
computed.
• Bucket Index Calculation: hashCode("Banana") %
4 determines the bucket index.
• Insertion: The key-value pair "Banana" -> 20
is inserted into bucket 3.
3. Inserting "Cherry" -> 30 :
• Hashing: The hashCode() for "Cherry" is
computed.
• Bucket Index Calculation: hashCode("Cherry") %
4 determines the bucket index.
• Insertion: The key-value pair "Cherry" -> 30
is inserted into an available bucket.
4. Inserting "Date" -> 40 :
• Hashing: The hashCode() for "Date" is
computed.
• Bucket Index Calculation: hashCode("Date") % 4
determines the bucket index.
• Insertion: "Date" -> 40 is inserted into a
bucket.
5. Inserting "Elderberry" -> 50 :
• This operation triggers resizing because the
number of elements in the HashMap exceeds the
load factor threshold (0.75 * 4 = 3).
• Resize Triggered: The capacity of the HashMap
is doubled from 4 to 8. This means the bucket
array size increases to accommodate more
entries.
• Rehashing: After resizing, all the existing
entries are rehashed and redistributed into the
new bucket array.
◦ The keys are placed in different buckets

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based on their hash values.

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Step 3: Retrieving Values ( get()

Method)
• [Link]("Apple") : The hash value for "Apple" is
calculated, and the bucket index is derived. The
key "Apple" is found in the corresponding bucket,
and its value 10 is returned.
• [Link]("Banana") : The hash value for "Banana" is
calculated, and it’s found in the corresponding
bucket. The value 20 is returned.
• [Link]("Cherry") : Similarly, "Cherry" is
retrieved, returning the value 30 .
• [Link]("Date") : The key "Date" is hashed, and
the value 40 is returned.
• [Link]("Elderberry") : The key "Elderberry" is
hashed, and its value 50 is returned.

Step 4: Removing an Entry ( remove()

Method)
• [Link]("Banana") : The key "Banana" is hashed,
and its bucket is located. The key-value pair is
removed from the map, and the updated map is
printed.

Step 5: Understanding Internal

Collision Handling (if applicable)
In this example, let’s assume that "Apple" , "Banana" ,
"Cherry" , "Date" , and "Elderberry" all have different hash
values (or hash values that map to different buckets), so no
collisions occurred.

However, if there were collisions (i.e., two or more keys

hashed to the same bucket), HashMap would handle them as

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follows:
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• Before Java 8: Collisions were resolved using a

linked list. Multiple entries with the same bucket
index would be stored in a linked list in that
bucket.
• Java 8 and later: When the bucket becomes too
large (more than 8 entries), the linked list is
replaced by a Red-Black Tree to improve lookup
performance from O(n) to O(log n).

Step 6: Resizing (Rehashing)

As soon as the number of entries in the HashMap exceeds 3
(because 0.75 * 4 = 3 ), the HashMap will resize. This
resizing involves:

• Doubling the number of buckets (from 4 to 8).

• Rehashing: All existing key-value pairs are
rehashed and redistributed into the new bucket
array based on their hash codes.

Next→

Step 1: Understanding the Basics of

HashMap
A HashMap in Java is part of the [Link] package and is
used to store key-value pairs. It uses a hash table to store
the data. Here's how it works:

• The key is hashed, and a hash code is generated

from it.
• The hash code is then used to determine the bucket
index in the underlying array of the hash table
(the array of size 16 by default).
• Collisions can occur if two keys hash to the same
bucket. In this case, the HashMap uses a linked

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list or a tree (for larger buckets) to store

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multiple entries at the same index.

Step 2: Default Capacity and Load

Factor
• Default Capacity: The default capacity of a
HashMap is 16. This means it will create an
internal array of 16 buckets.
• Load Factor: The default load factor is 0.75. This
means when the map has filled up 75% of its
capacity (i.e., 12 out of 16 entries), the
HashMap will resize (double the capacity).

Step 3: How Hashing Works

When you add a key-value pair into the HashMap , the key is
hashed, and the hash code is used to determine the index
where the value will be stored in the internal array.

For example:

Emp emp1 = new Emp(101, "Nitesh");

Emp emp2 = new Emp(102, "Ajay");

Both of these Emp objects will go through the hashing

process:

• The hashCode() method is called on the key

( [Link]() , [Link]() ), and a hash value is
generated.
• The index for the array bucket is calculated as
hashCode % capacity (capacity is 16 by default).

Step 4: Handling Collisions

Collisions occur when two keys have the same hash code (or
the same bucket index). In this case, both values will be
stored in a linked list or a balanced tree within the same
bucket.

Let’s say we have two objects, emp1 and emp2 , that both hash
to the same bucket index. In this case, both emp1 and emp2

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will be stored in the same bucket, and they will be added in

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a linked list or a tree structure.

Step 5: Example with Code

Here’s an example of HashMap with potential collisions, and
how to add and retrieve values:

import [Link];
import [Link];

class Emp {
int id;
String name;

Emp(int id, String name) {

[Link] = id;
[Link] = name;
}

// Override hashCode() to create a scenario for collision

@Override
public int hashCode() {
return id % 16; // This forces a collision for id 1
and 17 (same hash code)
}

// Override equals() to check equality of Emp objects by

id
@Override
public boolean equals(Object obj) {
if (this == obj) return true;
if (obj == null || getClass() != [Link]())
return false;
Emp emp = (Emp) obj;
return id == [Link];
}

@Override
public String toString() {
return "Emp{id=" + id + ", name='" + name + "'}";
}
}

public class HashMapExample {

public static void main(String[] args) {

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Map<Emp, String> empMap = new HashMap<>();

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// Adding entries to the HashMap
Emp emp1 = new Emp(1, "Nitesh");
Emp emp2 = new Emp(17, "Ajay"); // Same hashCode as
emp1
Emp emp3 = new Emp(2, "Ravi");

[Link](emp1, "Employee 1");

[Link](emp2, "Employee 17");
[Link](emp3, "Employee 2");

// Retrieving the values

[Link]([Link](emp1)); // Should print
"Employee 1"
[Link]([Link](emp2)); // Should print
"Employee 17"
[Link]([Link](emp3)); // Should print
"Employee 2"
}
}

Step 6: In-Depth Explanation of the

Code
1. The Emp Class:
• We have overridden the hashCode() method to
make sure that Emp objects with ids 1 and 17
will hash to the same value (collision).
• We also override the equals() method to ensure
that two Emp objects with the same id are
considered equal, which is necessary for
HashMap to retrieve the correct value during
lookup.
2. The HashMap Behavior:
• When emp1 and emp2 are added to the HashMap ,
both will hash to the same index (since their
hashCode() values are the same). Therefore, a
collision occurs, and the HashMap stores both
emp1 and emp2 in the same bucket.
• Internally, the HashMap uses a linked list or
tree (depending on the number of elements in

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the bucket) to store multiple elements at the

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same bucket index.
3. Retrieving Values:
• When we retrieve the values using
[Link](emp1) or [Link](emp2) , the
HashMap checks the hash code, finds the
correct bucket, and then uses the equals()
method to match the correct entry.
• Even though emp1 and emp2 are at the same
index, the equals() method ensures that the
right Emp object is returned.

Step 7: How to Avoid Collisions (or

Minimize Them)
• Proper Hash Function: Use a good hashCode()
function that distributes the hash codes more
evenly across the buckets. This minimizes the
likelihood of collisions.
• Resize the HashMap : As the HashMap grows (over
75% full), it will automatically resize and rehash
the entries, reducing the chances of collisions.

Tree-based Buckets: If a collision occurs in a bucket with a

large number of elements, Java will use a balanced tree
(since Java 8) to improve retrieval time from O(n) to O(log
n).

Full Code Example: Emp Class and

HashMap Implementation: Read this
import [Link];
import [Link];
import [Link];

class Emp {
int id;
String name;

// Constructor for Emp class

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Emp(int id, String name) {

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[Link] = id;
[Link] = name;
}

// Override hashCode() to generate unique hash codes based

on 'id'
@Override
public int hashCode() {
// Using a prime number (31) for better distribution
of hash codes
return [Link](id);
}

// Override equals() to compare Emp objects based on their

'id' values
@Override
public boolean equals(Object obj) {
// If the object is the same, return true
if (this == obj) return true;

// If the object is null or not an instance of Emp,

return false
if (obj == null || getClass() != [Link]())
return false;

// Cast the object to Emp and compare the 'id'

Emp emp = (Emp) obj;
return id == [Link];
}

// Override toString() for better readability while

printing Emp objects
@Override
public String toString() {
return "Emp{id=" + id + ", name='" + name + "'}";
}
}

public class HashMapExample {

public static void main(String[] args) {
// Create a HashMap to store Emp objects as keys with
String values
Map<Emp, String> empMap = new HashMap<>();

// Create Emp objects

Emp emp1 = new Emp(1, "Nitesh");

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Emp emp2 = new Emp(17, "Ajay"); // Same hashCode as

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emp1 due to the same id % 16
Emp emp3 = new Emp(2, "Ravi");

// Add Emp objects to the HashMap

[Link](emp1, "Employee 1");
[Link](emp2, "Employee 17");
[Link](emp3, "Employee 2");

// Retrieve and print values from the HashMap

[Link]([Link](emp1)); // Should print
"Employee 1"
[Link]([Link](emp2)); // Should print
"Employee 17"
[Link]([Link](emp3)); // Should print
"Employee 2"

// Print the entire map to observe how the entries are

stored
[Link]("HashMap contents: " + empMap);
}
}

Detailed Explanation

1. The Emp Class:

• Fields: The Emp class has two fields: id
(integer) and name (String).
• Constructor: The constructor initializes the Emp
object with an id and name .

2. Overriding hashCode() :
The hashCode() method is used by the HashMap to calculate
the index in the internal hash table where the key-value pair
will be stored. In our case, the hashCode() is overridden as
follows:

@Override
public int hashCode() {
return [Link](id); // Generate a hash code using the
'id' field.

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}
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• [Link](id) : This is a good practice as it

generates a hash code based on the id field of
the Emp object. The hashCode() method helps to
distribute the keys evenly across the buckets to
minimize collisions. The formula id % 16 is
implicitly handled by the default HashMap
capacity (16), but we’ve simplified it using
[Link](id) for better clarity and
distribution.

3. Overriding equals() :
The equals() method is used to compare two Emp objects for
equality, based on their id . The overridden equals() method
ensures that two Emp objects with the same id are considered
equal, even if they are different instances.

@Override
public boolean equals(Object obj) {
if (this == obj) return true; // Same object reference
if (obj == null || getClass() != [Link]()) return
false; // Null or different class
Emp emp = (Emp) obj; // Cast the object to Emp
return id == [Link]; // Compare the 'id' fields for
equality
}

• this == obj : First, it checks if both objects are

the same using reference comparison. If true, it
returns true .
• getClass() != [Link]() : This checks whether
the other object is of the same class ( Emp ).
• id == [Link] : Finally, it compares the id of both
Emp objects to check if they are the same.

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4. OveAddrnew
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g posttoString() :
This method is overridden to make it easier to print out the
Emp objects.

@Override
public String toString() {
return "Emp{id=" + id + ", name='" + name + "'}";
}

This ensures that when you print the Emp object, it will
display its id and name fields in a readable format.

5. Using HashMap :
In the main method, we create a HashMap and insert Emp
objects as keys. The map stores the Emp objects with a
String value. When you call [Link](emp1) , it looks up
the key using the hashCode() and equals() methods to find
the correct entry.

// Adding Emp objects to the HashMap

[Link](emp1, "Employee 1");
[Link](emp2, "Employee 17");
[Link](emp3, "Employee 2");

// Retrieving and printing values

[Link]([Link](emp1)); // Should print
"Employee 1"
[Link]([Link](emp2)); // Should print
"Employee 17"
[Link]([Link](emp3)); // Should print
"Employee 2"

• Even though emp1 and emp2 have different id s (1

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and 17), they hash to the same bucket index

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(because of the hashCode() method), but they are
correctly distinguished by the equals() method.

6. Handling Collisions:
In our case, both emp1 and emp2 have id values that result
in the same hash code (due to id % 16 ), which causes a
collision. The HashMap handles this collision by storing the
entries in a linked list or tree structure within the same
bucket. When retrieving values, it uses equals() to
differentiate between the entries and returns the correct
one.

Output:
The output will be as follows:

Employee 1
Employee 17
Employee 2
HashMap contents: {Emp{id=1, name='Nitesh'}=Employee 1,
Emp{id=17, name='Ajay'}=Employee 17, Emp{id=2, name='Ravi'}
=Employee 2}

• The hashCode() method ensures that keys are

distributed evenly across the HashMap .
• The equals() method ensures that two Emp objects
with the same id are considered equal, even if
they are different instances.
• In case of collisions, the HashMap will handle
them using a linked list or tree, and the
equals() method is used to resolve which entry to
return.

Best Solutions for Handling

Collisions in HashMap and How to

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Avoid Them
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In a HashMap , collisions occur when two or more keys

generate the same hash code and thus map to the same bucket.
Although hash collisions are common, especially when dealing
with large sets of data, they can significantly degrade
performance if not handled properly.

1. What is a Collision?
A collision happens when two or more distinct keys produce
the same hash value, meaning they would be placed in the same
bucket. For example:

• hash("key1") == hash("key2")
• This results in both keys being stored in the same
bucket, causing a collision.

2. Default Collision Handling

in HashMap
HashMap resolves collisions by storing multiple entries in
the same bucket using a linked list (before Java 8) or a Red-
Black Tree (after Java 8 if the bucket has more than 8
entries). However, this can cause a performance hit if the
collisions are frequent because:

• Before Java 8: Collisions were resolved using a

linked list. If there were many collisions in the
same bucket, it could degrade the time complexity
of operations from O(1) to O(n).
• After Java 8: If a bucket exceeds 8 entries, a
Red-Black Tree is used, which improves the lookup
time from O(n) to O(log n).

Best Practices to Avoid Collisions

1. Use a Good Hash Function

• A good hash function is crucial to minimizing

collisions. The hash function should distribute
the hash values uniformly across the available

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buckets. This ensures that keys are spread out

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across different buckets, reducing the chance
of collisions.
• If you're using custom objects as keys in a
HashMap , ensure that the hashCode() method is
well-designed to generate unique hash codes for
distinct objects.
◦ Override hashCode() properly by using
multiple fields of the object and avoiding
simplistic hash code implementations.
Example:

@Override
public int hashCode() {
return [Link](field1, field2);
}

2. Avoid Using Very Large Key Sets with Limited Initial

Capacity

When initializing a HashMap , set the initial capacity

appropriately. If your HashMap will store a large number
of keys, make sure the initial capacity is large enough
to avoid triggering frequent resizing and collisions.

You can set the initial capacity and load factor when
creating the HashMap .

HashMap<String, Integer> map = new HashMap<>(100, 0.75f); //

Initial capacity of 100

Rehashing When Collisions Occur

• If you notice that your map is experiencing

frequent collisions, consider increasing its
capacity (or decreasing the load factor). This
allows for a more spacious bucket array, which
will reduce the likelihood of collisions.
• HashMap automatically resizes itself when the
number of entries exceeds the load factor
threshold, but you can control this by choosing a

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smaller load factor.

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•

HashMap<String, Integer> map = new HashMap<>(16, 0.5f); //

Lower load factor (50%)

1. Choosing a Proper Bucket Size

• If your hash table’s bucket size (capacity) is
too small, there will be more collisions. On
the other hand, a large capacity could lead to
wasted space. Choose a capacity that balances
performance and space.
• Keep in mind that the HashMap automatically
grows when needed, but setting an optimal
initial capacity can help avoid unnecessary
resizing.
2. Using Custom Hashing Strategies for Specific Use
Cases
• If you know certain properties of your keys,
you can design custom hashing strategies. For
example, if you are using strings as keys, and
you know that they are relatively short or that
they follow certain patterns, you can use a
more specialized hash function to spread the
keys across buckets evenly.
3. Minimize Key Clustering
• Keys that are similar in nature or have similar
hash values (e.g., sequential strings or
numbers) may end up in the same bucket. This is
called key clustering, and it can lead to more
collisions.
• Avoid creating keys that are too predictable or
uniform.

How Does HashMap Resolve Collisions?

1. Before Java 8: Linked List in Buckets

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• When
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a collision
Add new
occurs (i.e., multiple keys
Edit this post
hash to the same bucket), the HashMap stores
the key-value pairs in a linked list within
that bucket.
• This works well for a small number of
collisions, but as the number of collisions
increases, the performance degrades to O(n),
where n is the number of elements in the
bucket.
Example:

// Bucket 1: [Apple -> 10, Banana -> 20] (Collision)

Java 8 and Later: Red-Black Tree in Buckets

2. In Java 8 and later, if a bucket exceeds 8

entries, the HashMap converts the linked list
into a Red-Black Tree to maintain O(log n)
performance for operations like get() , put() , and
remove() .
3. Why a Red-Black Tree?: A Red-Black Tree provides
balanced tree structure with logarithmic time
complexity for searching, insertion, and deletion.
4. Example of Tree in Bucket:

// Bucket 3: [Apple -> 10, Banana -> 20, Cherry -> 30, Date -
> 40] (Using Red-Black Tree)

Real-world Example of Collisions

Let’s say you have a HashMap that stores employees, where
the key is the employee’s ID (a string) and the value is the
employee’s name.

• Good Case: Employee IDs like E001 , E002 , E003 ,

E004 have different hash codes, so no collision
occurs, and the HashMap is efficient.
• Collision Example: If employee IDs are generated
using a simple mechanism like sequential numbers
( E001 , E002 , E003 ), the hash codes may collide,
especially if the number range is small. This

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would result in the keys being stored in the same

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bucket, affecting performance.

FAQ on HashMap Collision Resolution

1. What is the time complexity of HashMap operations
with collisions?
• If there are no collisions, the time complexity
for get() , put() , and remove() operations is
O(1).
• If there are many collisions and they are
stored in a linked list, the time complexity
can degrade to O(n), where n is the number of
elements in the bucket.
• If collisions trigger a Red-Black Tree (in Java
8+), the time complexity improves to O(log n).
2. Can you manually resolve collisions in a HashMap ?
• In a typical use case, HashMap automatically
handles collisions through linked lists and
Red-Black Trees, so manual intervention is
usually not required.
• However, you can optimize your hashing function
or choose a better initial capacity to reduce
collisions.
3. What happens if the hashCode() method returns the
same value for multiple keys?
• If the hashCode() method generates the same
value for multiple keys, the HashMap will
store those keys in the same bucket. The
performance will degrade, and you’ll need to
rely on proper collision handling (linked lists
or Red-Black Trees) to maintain efficiency.
4. Can you reduce collisions by choosing better keys?
• Yes, choosing keys that have diverse
characteristics (e.g., using strings with
varied lengths or numbers with diverse
distributions) can help reduce collisions. Keys
with uniform characteristics are more likely to

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produce the same hash code.

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• Collisions in HashMap can degrade performance,

but they are handled efficiently by using linked
lists and Red-Black Trees.
• To avoid collisions, ensure you have a good hash
function and avoid using keys with similar or
predictable hash values.
• Properly set the initial capacity and load factor
to minimize the need for resizing.
• Consider rehashing when the number of entries
increases and when the bucket size becomes
inadequate.

Interview FAQ Based on HashMap

1. What happens when the number of elements exceeds
the load factor threshold?
• When the number of elements exceeds the load
factor threshold (capacity * load factor), the
HashMap resizes. It doubles the number of
buckets and rehashes the existing entries to
distribute them evenly across the new array.
2. How does HashMap handle hash collisions?
• Hash collisions are handled by storing multiple
entries in the same bucket. Before Java 8, a
linked list was used; after Java 8, if the
bucket exceeds a threshold (more than 8
entries), a Red-Black Tree is used for better
performance.
3. What is the difference between HashMap and
TreeMap ?
• A HashMap uses hashing for storing key-value
pairs and offers constant-time O(1) access on
average, but with possible collisions. A

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TreeMap , on Edit
thethisother hand, uses a red-black
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tree structure and ensures O(log n) time
complexity for all operations, but it requires
the keys to be ordered.
4. What are the performance considerations when
dealing with collisions in HashMap ?
• If the HashMap has many collisions (i.e., many
keys hash to the same bucket), performance can
degrade from O(1) to O(n) for lookup,
insertion, and deletion operations. Using a
good hash function can help distribute keys
evenly across buckets, reducing the chances of
collisions.
5. What is the default initial capacity and load
factor of HashMap ?
• The default initial capacity is 16 and the default
load factor is 0.75. This means the map will resize
when it is 75% full.

Thanks for reading HashMap Internal from Nitesh

Synergy………………

Next→

LinkedHashMap Overview
LinkedHashMap is a hash table and linked list combination
that maintains the insertion order (or optionally access
order) of the keys. It implements the Map interface, like
HashMap , but adds extra functionality to maintain the
ordering of elements.

• Insertion Order: By default, it maintains the

order in which entries are inserted into the map.
• Access Order: You can also configure it to
maintain the order in which the entries were last

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accessed, which can be useful for certain caching

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strategies.

Thread-Safety of LinkedHashMap
LinkedHashMap is not thread-safe by default. Like HashMap ,
if multiple threads access a LinkedHashMap concurrently, and
at least one of them modifies the map, it should be
externally synchronized (e.g., using
[Link]() or ConcurrentHashMap if thread
safety is required).

Thread-Safety Workaround
If thread safety is a concern, you can:

• Use [Link](new
LinkedHashMap<K, V>()) to make it synchronized.
• Or, you can use ConcurrentHashMap , though it may
behave slightly differently due to its concurrent
access features.

Use Case for LinkedHashMap

• Maintaining Insertion Order: If you want to keep the
order in which elements were added to the map,
LinkedHashMap is ideal.

Example: You are storing user session data and want to

process the data in the order it was inserted.

• LRU Cache Implementation: By setting it to access order,

LinkedHashMap can be used for implementing a Least
Recently Used (LRU) cache. The least recently accessed
elements are moved to the front or back of the map,
making it easy to remove them when the cache exceeds a
certain size.

Example: Caching the 10 most recent items accessed from a

database, where the least recently used data can be
discarded when space is needed.

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package [Link];
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import [Link];
import [Link];

public class Demo02LinkedHashMap {

public static void main(String[] args) {
// Create a LinkedHashMap
LinkedHashMap<String, Integer> map = new
LinkedHashMap<>();

// Adding elements to the LinkedHashMap

[Link]("A", 1);
[Link]("B", 2);
[Link]("C", 3);
[Link]("D", 4);

// 1. Accessing using keySet()

[Link]("Using keySet():");
for (String key : [Link]()) {
[Link](key + ": " + [Link](key));
}

// 2. Accessing using values()

[Link]("\nUsing values():");
for (Integer value : [Link]()) {
[Link](value);
}

// 3. Accessing using entrySet()

[Link]("\nUsing entrySet():");
for ([Link]<String, Integer> entry :
[Link]()) {
[Link]([Link]() + ": " +
[Link]());
}

// 4. Accessing using forEach (Java 8+)

[Link]("\nUsing forEach (Java 8+):");
[Link]((key, value) -> [Link](key +
": " + value));

// Checking insertion order

[Link]("\nInsertion Order Maintained:");
for ([Link]<String, Integer> entry :
[Link]()) {
[Link]([Link]() + ": " +
[Link]());

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}
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}
}

4 Ways to Access LHM

package [Link];

import [Link];
import [Link];

public class LinkedHashMapAccessExample {

public static void main(String[] args) {
// Create and populate a LinkedHashMap
LinkedHashMap<String, Integer> map = new
LinkedHashMap<>();
[Link]("A", 1);
[Link]("B", 2);
[Link]("C", 3);

// 1. Using keySet()
[Link]("Using keySet():");
for (String key : [Link]()) {
[Link](key + ": " + [Link](key));
}

// 2. Using values()
[Link]("\nUsing values():");
for (Integer value : [Link]()) {
[Link](value);
}

// 3. Using entrySet()
[Link]("\nUsing entrySet():");
for ([Link]<String, Integer> entry :
[Link]()) {
[Link]([Link]() + ": " +
[Link]());
}

// 4. Using forEach() (Java 8+)

[Link]("\nUsing forEach():");
[Link]((key, value) -> [Link](key +
": " + value));
}

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}
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🧠 What is
ConcurrentHashMap ?
ConcurrentHashMap is part of [Link] and is a
thread-safe version of HashMap .

Unlike HashMap , it's designed to handle concurrent access by

multiple threads without throwing
ConcurrentModificationException .

🎮 Gaming Example
Use Case: Multiplayer Online
Game
Scenario:
You have a game server managing player scores in real time.
Multiple threads update scores as players perform actions
like kills, assists, etc.

🔧 Code Example:

java

import [Link];

public class GameScoreboard {

// Thread-safe map of player names to their

scores

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private static ConcurrentHashMap<String,

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Integer> playerScores = new ConcurrentHashMap<>();

public static void main(String[] args) {

// Simulate players scoring points from
different threads
Thread player1 = new Thread(() ->
updateScore("Player1", 10));
Thread player2 = new Thread(() ->
updateScore("Player1", 15)); // same player, more
points
Thread player3 = new Thread(() ->
updateScore("Player2", 20));

[Link]();
[Link]();
[Link]();

try {
[Link]();
[Link]();
[Link]();
} catch (InterruptedException e) {
[Link]();
}

[Link]("Final Scores: " +

playerScores);
}

public static void updateScore(String player,

int points) {
// Atomically update or add a new score
[Link](player, points,
Integer::sum);
}
}

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🔍 Key Add
Methods
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this post

• merge() :
Atomically updates the score. If the player
exists, it adds the points; if not, it inserts the
new player with points.
• Thread-safe:
No need for external synchronization (like
synchronized blocks or locks).

🔄 How It Works
Internally
(Simplified):
• Internally uses segments (or buckets) for
partitioned locking — allowing multiple threads to
update different parts of the map without blocking
each other.
• Lock striping: Only locks the bucket needed,
unlike Hashtable which locks the entire map.
• Non-blocking reads: Reads usually happen without
locking.

🚀 Why You Should

Use It
Feature HashMap Hashtable ConcurrentHashMap

✅ Yes (better
Thread-safe ❌ No ✅ Yes
performance)

Performance
(multi- ❌ Low ⚠ Poor ✅ High
thread)

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Feature
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Mapthis Hpost
ashtable ConcurrentHashMap

Null keys/ ❌ Null ❌ Not

❌ Not allowed
values key OK allowed

How
ConcurrentHashMa
p Works
Internally in
Java — Step by
Step Explanation
ConcurrentHashMap is a thread-safe variant of HashMap
introduced in Java to allow concurrent read and write
operations without locking the entire map. It is widely used
in multithreaded environments where you want to achieve high
throughput with minimal contention.

What is
ConcurrentHashMap ?
• A concurrent, thread-safe implementation of the
Map interface.
• Allows multiple threads to read and write
concurrently.
• Does not lock the entire map during updates.
• Uses internal partitioning (segments or bins) and

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fine-grained locking to achieve concurrency.

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Why
ConcurrentHashMap ?
Regular HashMap is not thread-safe and can cause data
inconsistency or infinite loops if used concurrently.
Hashtable is thread-safe but locks the entire table on every
operation, leading to poor performance.

ConcurrentHashMap solves these problems by allowing high

concurrency with fine-grained locking.

How
ConcurrentHashMap
Works Internally?
1. Data Structure & Partitioning
• Internally, it uses an array of nodes (buckets),
similar to HashMap .
• Earlier versions (Java 7) used Segments — an array
of lockable segments, each responsible for a part
of the map.
• From Java 8 onwards, it uses a lock-free
optimistic concurrency control with CAS operations
and synchronized blocks only for bucket-level
locking.
• Buckets are linked lists or balanced trees (red-
black trees) if bucket size exceeds a threshold.

2. Key Steps in Operations

Insert (put):

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• Compute
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the hashEditof
Add new
the key.
this post
• Find the appropriate bucket index by (hash & (n -
1)) where n is table size.
• If bucket is empty, use CAS (Compare-And-Swap) to
insert node.
• If bucket exists:
◦ If bucket is a linked list, lock the bucket
node and insert/update the key.
◦ If bucket is a tree (due to many collisions),
perform tree-based insert.
• Update count using atomic operations.
• Resize if necessary.

Get:
• Compute hash of the key.
• Find bucket index.
• Traverse bucket to find the key (linked list or
tree).
• Return value if found, else null.
• No locking required for get (reads are mostly
lock-free).

Remove:
• Compute hash and find bucket.
• Lock bucket, remove node if present.
• Update count atomically.

3. Step-by-Step Example: put(K key,

V value)
Suppose you want to add (key = "apple", value = 10) in a
ConcurrentHashMap .

Step 1: Compute Hash

Java uses a special spread function to hash the key to
reduce collisions.

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int hash = spread([Link]());

Step 2: Find Bucket Index

Calculate the index using:

int index = ([Link] - 1) & hash;

Suppose [Link] is 16, so index is in 0–15.

Step 3: Check If Bucket Empty

• If bucket is empty, use CAS to insert the node.
• CAS ensures atomic insert without locking.

Step 4: If Bucket is Not

Empty
• Lock the bucket node (synchronize on the first
node).
• Traverse linked list or tree to find if the key
exists:
◦ If yes, update the value.
◦ If no, add a new node at the end.
• Unlock the bucket.

Step 5: Update Count & Resize

If Needed
• Increase size count atomically.
• If size exceeds threshold, resize the map.

4. Thread Safety Techniques

• CAS (Compare-And-Swap): For lock-free insertion
into empty buckets.
• Synchronized locking: Only for bucket nodes when

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collision exists.
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• Volatile variables: Ensure visibility of changes.
• Treeify: When bucket linked list length > 8,
convert to balanced tree for efficient lookup.

5. Visual Diagram of put Operation

+-------------+ +------------+ +------------+

| Key Hash | --> | Bucket idx | --> | Bucket |
+-------------+ +------------+ +------------+
|
+---------------+
| Linked List / |
| Tree Nodes |
+---------------+
|

+----------------------------+
| Check if key exists
|
| / \
|
Yes update No insert new
node |
|
|
Update value Lock
bucket node
Add new
node at end

6. Benefits of ConcurrentHashMap

Feature Benefit

Lock-free
Fast concurrent reads
reads

Fine-grained Multiple threads update different

locking buckets concurrently

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Feature
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Edit it post

Tree bins Faster lookup on heavy collisions

No global High throughput in multithreaded

locking apps

Operation Locks/Sync Description

get No locks Lock-free read using volatile fields

Lock Lock bucket on collisions; CAS for

put
bucket empty bucket

Lock Lock bucket to safely remove

remove
bucket node

🧩 Summary:
• ConcurrentHashMap is critical for concurrent
programming where shared state (like a scoreboard)
is updated by multiple threads.
• Offers high concurrency, low contention, and safe
access without external locks.
• Ideal for high-performance apps like games, real-
time systems, or servers.

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 43 min read

 Nov 19, 2024

 By Nitesh Synergy

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