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Map
Interface –
The Power of
Key-Value
Pairing
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What is a Map?
A Map in Java is a collection that maps
unique keys to values.
Keys are unique, but values can be
duplicated.
Null keys and values are supported in some
implementations.
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Key Features of
Map
1. Key-Value Pairing: Allows retrieval of
values based on unique keys.
2. No Duplicate Keys: Each key maps to at
most one value.
3. Efficient Lookups: Designed for fast data
retrieval based on keys.
4. Custom Implementations: Offers
different trade-offs between speed,
concurrency, and ordering.
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Key Methods in
the Map Interface
put(K key, V value): Associates the
specified value with the specified key.
get(Object key): Returns the value to which
the key is mapped, or null if no mapping
exists.
remove(Object key): Removes the mapping
for a key if it exists.
containsKey(Object key): Checks if the
map contains the specified key.
containsValue(Object value): Checks if the
map contains the specified value.
keySet(): Returns a set of all keys.
values(): Returns a collection of all values.
entrySet(): Returns a set of all key-value
mappings.
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Common
Implementations
/extends of Map
AbstractMap (Abstract Class)
Purpose: Provides a skeletal implementation
of the Map interface to minimize effort
required to implement a map.
Use Case: Extend this class to create
custom map implementations.
Example: HashMap, TreeMap, and other
maps extend this class.
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AbstractMap (Abstract Class)
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Common
Implementations
/extends of Map
HashMap (Class)
Backed by: Hash table.
Order: No guaranteed order of keys.
Null Support: Allows one null key and
multiple null values.
Performance: Fast insertion and lookup
(O(1) in most cases).
Use Case: General-purpose map for non-
thread-safe applications.
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HashMap (Class)
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Common
Implementations
/extends of Map
LinkedHashMap (Class)
Extends: HashMap with predictable
iteration order.
Order: Maintains insertion order or access
order (if configured).
Performance: Slightly slower than HashMap
due to ordering overhead.
Use Case: When you need predictable
iteration order for keys or values.
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LinkedHashMap (Class)
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Common
Implementations
/extends of Map
ConcurrentMap (Interface)
Extends: Map.
Purpose: Provides atomic operations for
thread-safe maps.
Implementation: ConcurrentHashMap is the
primary implementation.
Use Case: Ideal for multithreaded
environments where thread safety is a
priority.
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ConcurrentMap (Interface)
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Common
Implementations
/extends of Map
WeakHashMap (Class)
Purpose: Uses weak references for keys,
allowing garbage collection when no strong
reference exists to the key.
Use Case: Caches or temporary mappings
where memory-sensitive cleanup is needed.
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WeakHashMap (Class)
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Common
Implementations
/extends of Map
Hashtable (Class)
Purpose: Legacy synchronized
implementation of Map.
Order: No guaranteed order of keys.
Null Support: Does not allow null keys or
values.
Performance: Slower than HashMap due to
synchronization overhead.
Use Case: Avoid unless thread safety is
required in legacy applications.
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Hashtable (Class)
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Common
Implementations
/extends of Map
SortedMap (Interface)
Extends: Map to provide sorting
capabilities.
Implementation:
TreeMap: Automatically sorts keys in
natural order or based on a custom
comparator.
Use Case: When sorted keys are essential
for your application logic.
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SortedMap (Interface)
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Key Takeaways
Use HashMap for general-purpose needs.
Opt for TreeMap or LinkedHashMap if
ordering is essential.
Leverage ConcurrentHashMap for
multithreaded scenarios.
Specialized maps like WeakHashMap or
IdentityHashMap cater to unique use cases.
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Important Note
For this post, we’ve only considered classes,
interfaces, and abstract classes that directly
extend or implement the Map interface. In future
posts, we will discuss additional derived classes
and specialized implementations in detail.
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