Java ArrayBlockingQueue
The ArrayBlockingQueue class of the Java Collections framework provides the
blocking queue implementation using an array.
It implements the Java BlockingQueue interface.
Creating ArrayBlockingQueue
In order to create an array blocking queue, we must import the java.util.concurrent.ArrayBlockingQueue package.
Once we import the package, here is how we can create an array blocking queue in Java:
ArrayBlockingQueue<Type> animal = new ArrayBlockingQueue<>(int
capacity);
Here,
• Type - the type of the array blocking queue
• capacity - the size of the array blocking queue
For example,
// Creating String type ArrayBlockingQueue with size 5
ArrayBlockingQueue<String> animals = new ArrayBlockingQueue<>(5);
// Creating Integer type ArrayBlockingQueue with size 5
ArrayBlockingQueue<Integer> age = new ArrayBlockingQueue<>(5);
Note: It is compulsory to provide the size of the array.
Methods of ArrayBlockingQueue
• The ArrayBlockingQueue class provides the implementation of all the
methods in the BlockingQueue interface.
• These methods are used to insert, access and delete elements from array
blocking queues.
Insert Elements
• add() - Inserts the specified element to the array blocking queue. It throws
an exception if the queue is full.
• offer() - Inserts the specified element to the array blocking queue. It
returns false if the queue is full.
For example,
import java.util.concurrent.ArrayBlockingQueue;
class Main {
public static void main(String[] args) {
ArrayBlockingQueue<String> animals = new ArrayBlockingQueue<>(5);
// Using add()
animals.add("Dog");
animals.add("Cat");
// Using offer()
animals.offer("Horse");
System.out.println("ArrayBlockingQueue: " + animals);
}
}
Output
ArrayBlockingQueue: [Dog, Cat, Horse]
Access Elements
• peek() - Returns an element from the front of the array blocking queue. It
returns null if the queue is empty.
• iterator() - Returns an iterator object to sequentially access elements from
the array blocking queue. It throws an exception if the queue is empty. We
must import the java.util.Iterator package to use it.
For example,
import java.util.concurrent.ArrayBlockingQueue;
import java.util.Iterator;
class Main {
public static void main(String[] args) {
ArrayBlockingQueue<String> animals = new ArrayBlockingQueue<>(5);
// Add elements
animals.add("Dog");
animals.add("Cat");
animals.add("Horse");
System.out.println("ArrayBlockingQueue: " + animals);
// Using peek()
String element = animals.peek();
System.out.println("Accessed Element: " + element);
// Using iterator()
Iterator<String> iterate = animals.iterator();
System.out.print("ArrayBlockingQueue Elements: ");
while(iterate.hasNext()) {
System.out.print(iterate.next());
System.out.print(", ");
}
}
}
Output
ArrayBlockingQueue: [Dog, Cat, Horse]
Accessed Element: Dog
ArrayBlockingQueue Elements: Dog, Cat, Horse,
Remove Elements
• remove() - Returns and removes a specified element from the array
blocking queue. It throws an exception if the queue is empty.
• poll() - Returns and removes a specified element from the array blocking
queue. It returns null if the queue is empty.
• clear() - Removes all the elements from the array blocking queue.
For example,
import java.util.concurrent.ArrayBlockingQueue;
class Main {
public static void main(String[] args) {
ArrayBlockingQueue<String> animals = new ArrayBlockingQueue<>(5);
animals.add("Dog");
animals.add("Cat");
animals.add("Horse");
System.out.println("ArrayBlockingQueue: " + animals);
// Using remove()
String element1 = animals.remove();
System.out.println("Removed Element:");
System.out.println("Using remove(): " + element1);
// Using poll()
String element2 = animals.poll();
System.out.println("Using poll(): " + element2);
// Using clear()
animals.clear();
System.out.println("Updated ArrayBlockingQueue: " + animals);
}
}
Output
ArrayBlockingQueue: [Dog, Cat, Horse]
Removed Elements:
Using remove(): Dog
Using poll(): Cat
Updated ArrayBlockingQueue: []
put() and take() Method
In multithreading processes, we can use put() and take() to block the
operation of one thread to synchronize it with another thread. These methods
will wait until they can be successfully executed.
put() method
To add an element to the end of an array blocking queue, we can use
the put() method.
If the array blocking queue is full, it waits until there is space in the array
blocking queue to add an element.
For example,
import java.util.concurrent.ArrayBlockingQueue;
class Main {
public static void main(String[] args) {
ArrayBlockingQueue<String> animals = new ArrayBlockingQueue<>(5);
try {
// Add elements to animals
animals.put("Dog");
animals.put("Cat");
System.out.println("ArrayBlockingQueue: " + animals);
}
catch(Exception e) {
System.out.println(e);
}
}
}
Output
ArrayBlockingQueue: [Dog, Cat]
Here, the put() method may throw an InterruptedException if it is interrupted
while waiting. Hence, we must enclose it inside a try..catch block.
take() Method
• To return and remove an element from the front of the array blocking
queue, we can use the take() method.
• If the array blocking queue is empty, it waits until there are elements in
the array blocking queue to be deleted.
For example,
import java.util.concurrent.ArrayBlockingQueue;
class Main {
public static void main(String[] args) {
ArrayBlockingQueue<String> animals = new ArrayBlockingQueue<>(5);
try {
//Add elements to animals
animals.put("Dog");
animals.put("Cat");
System.out.println("ArrayBlockingQueue: " + animals);
// Remove an element
String element = animals.take();
System.out.println("Removed Element: " + element);
}
catch(Exception e) {
System.out.println(e);
}
}
}
Output
ArrayBlockingQueue: [Dog, Cat]
Removed Element: Dog
Here, the take() method will throw an InterrupedException if it is interrupted
while waiting. Hence, we must enclose it inside a try...catch block.
Other Methods
Methods Descriptions
Searches the array blocking queue for the
contains(element) specified element.If the element is found, it
returns true, if not it returns false.
Returns the length of the array blocking
size()
queue.
Converts array blocking queue to an array
toArray()
and returns it.
toString() Converts the array blocking queue to string
Why use ArrayBlockingQueue?
The ArrayBlockingQueue uses arrays as its internal storage.
It is considered as a thread-safe collection. Hence, it is generally used in multi-
threading applications.
Suppose, one thread is inserting elements to the queue and another thread is
removing elements from the queue.
Now, if the first thread is slower than the second thread, then the array
blocking queue can make the second thread waits until the first thread
completes its operations.
