Java Collections Framework: Complete Guide with Examples
The Java Collections Framework is essential for every Java developer. Here’s a comprehensive guide. Collection Hierarchy Collection ├── List │ ├── ArrayList │ ├── LinkedList │ └── Vector ├── Set │ ├── HashSet │ ├── LinkedHashSet │ └── TreeSet └── Queue ├── PriorityQueue └── Deque └── ArrayDeque Lists ArrayList List<String> list = new ArrayList<>(); list.add("Java"); list.add("Python"); list.get(0); // "Java" list.remove(0); LinkedList List<String> list = new LinkedList<>(); list.add("First"); list.add("Last"); // Better for frequent insertions/deletions Sets HashSet Set<String> set = new HashSet<>(); set.add("Java"); set.add("Java"); // Duplicate ignored set.contains("Java"); // true TreeSet Set<String> set = new TreeSet<>(); set.add("Zebra"); set.add("Apple"); // Automatically sorted: [Apple, Zebra] Maps Map<String, Integer> map = new HashMap<>(); map.put("Java", 1); map.put("Python", 2); map.get("Java"); // 1 map.containsKey("Java"); // true Best Practices Use ArrayList for random access Use LinkedList for frequent insertions Use HashSet for unique elements Use TreeSet for sorted unique elements Use HashMap for key-value pairs Conclusion Master Java Collections to write efficient code! 📚