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Collections and Generics

In this section, we will explore two important concepts in Java programming: collections and generics. Collections allow us to store and manipulate groups of objects, while generics provide a way to create reusable and type-safe code. Understanding these concepts is essential for building robust and efficient Java applications.

Collections in Java

Collections in Java are classes and interfaces that represent groups of objects. They provide various methods for managing and manipulating the elements within the collection. Java provides a rich set of collection classes in the java.util package, including lists, sets, queues, and maps. Some commonly used collection classes are:

List

List<String> names = new ArrayList<>();
names.add("John");
names.add("Jane");
names.add("Alice");

Set

Set<Integer> numbers = new HashSet<>();
numbers.add(1);
numbers.add(2);
numbers.add(3);

Queue

Queue<String> tasks = new LinkedList<>();
tasks.add("Task 1");
tasks.add("Task 2");
tasks.add("Task 3");

Map

Map<String, Integer> scores = new HashMap<>();
scores.put("John", 90);
scores.put("Jane", 95);
scores.put("Alice", 85);

You can perform various operations on collections, such as adding or removing elements, searching for specific items, sorting, and iterating over the elements. Collections provide a flexible and efficient way to handle groups of objects in Java.

Generics

Generics in Java allow us to define classes, interfaces, and methods that can work with different data types. By using generics, we can create reusable code that is type-safe at compile-time. Generics are denoted using angle brackets (<>) and can be applied to classes, interfaces, and methods.

Generic Classes

public class Box<T> {
    private T content;
    
    public void setContent(T content) {
        this.content = content;
    }
    
    public T getContent() {
        return content;
    }
}

In the example above, the Box class is a generic class that can hold any type of object. The type parameter T is replaced with the actual type when an instance of Box is created.

Generic Methods

public static <T> T findMax(T[] array) {
    T max = array[0];
    for (T item : array) {
        if (item.compareTo(max) > 0) {
            max = item;
        }
    }
    return max;
}

The findMax method is a generic method that can find the maximum value in an array of any type that implements the Comparable interface. The type parameter T is defined before the return type and is used to infer the actual type at compile-time.

By using generics, we can write code that is more reusable, type-safe, and less prone to errors. Generics also enable us to create collections that are strongly typed and provide compile-time type checking.

Conclusion

Collections and generics are fundamental concepts in Java programming. Collections provide a powerful way to manipulate groups of objects, while generics allow us to create reusable and type-safe code. Mastering these concepts will enhance your ability to build efficient and maintainable Java applications.