Java Collections Framework
Beginner-Friendly Course | 20-
Minute Session
Agenda
• - What is the Collections Framework?
• - Why use Collections?
• - Core Interfaces
• - Common Implementations
• - Use Cases and Examples
• - Q&A
What is the Collections
Framework?
• • A unified architecture for representing and
manipulating collections.
• • Provides interfaces, implementations, and
algorithms.
• • Available in java.util package.
Why Use Collections?
• • Simplifies code with reusable data
structures.
• • Improves performance and memory usage.
• • Provides flexibility and scalability.
• • Supports algorithms like sorting and
searching.
Key Interfaces
• • List - Ordered collection (e.g., ArrayList,
LinkedList).
• • Set - No duplicates allowed (e.g., HashSet,
TreeSet).
• • Queue - FIFO structure (e.g., PriorityQueue).
• • Map - Key-value pairs (e.g., HashMap,
TreeMap).
List Interface
• • Allows duplicate elements.
• • Maintains insertion order.
• • Common implementations:
• - ArrayList (resizable array)
• - LinkedList (doubly-linked list)
Set Interface
• • No duplicate elements.
• • Unordered or sorted depending on
implementation.
• • Common implementations:
• - HashSet (unordered)
• - TreeSet (sorted)
Queue Interface
• • Follows FIFO (First In First Out).
• • Used for scheduling and buffering.
• • Common implementations:
• - PriorityQueue (priority-based)
• - LinkedList (also implements Queue)
Map Interface
• • Stores key-value pairs.
• • Keys are unique.
• • Common implementations:
• - HashMap (unordered)
• - TreeMap (sorted by keys)
Comparison Table
• • List: Ordered, Duplicates allowed
• • Set: Unordered/Ordered, No duplicates
• • Map: Key-value pairs, Unique keys
• • Queue: FIFO, May allow duplicates
How to Choose the Right
Collection?
• • Need ordering? Use List.
• • No duplicates? Use Set.
• • Need key-value storage? Use Map.
• • Scheduling or processing? Use Queue.
Useful Methods
• • add(), remove(), contains(), size()
• • get(), put(), clear(), isEmpty()
• • forEach(), iterator()
Example: ArrayList
• import java.util.*;
• List<String> names = new ArrayList<>();
• names.add("Alice");
• names.add("Bob");
• System.out.println(names);
Example: HashMap
• Map<String, Integer> scores = new
HashMap<>();
• scores.put("Math", 95);
• scores.put("English", 90);
• System.out.println(scores);
Example: HashSet
• Set<Integer> uniqueNumbers = new
HashSet<>();
• uniqueNumbers.add(1);
• uniqueNumbers.add(2);
• uniqueNumbers.add(1); // Ignored
• System.out.println(uniqueNumbers);
Example: PriorityQueue
• Queue<Integer> pq = new PriorityQueue<>();
• pq.add(10);
• pq.add(5);
• System.out.println(pq.poll()); // prints 5
Best Practices
• • Use interfaces as reference types.
• • Choose implementation based on use case.
• • Avoid nulls in collections.
• • Use generics to avoid type-casting.
Common Pitfalls
• • Concurrent modification exceptions.
• • Choosing wrong implementation (e.g., using
List for unique elements).
• • Forgetting to initialize collections.
Real-World Use Cases
• • Web form data: List
• • User roles: Set
• • Shopping cart: Map
• • Task scheduling: Queue
Summary
• • Collections simplify and organize data.
• • Know the core interfaces and when to use
them.
• • Practice with examples for better
understanding.
Q&A
• Feel free to ask any questions!
