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Java Notes

The document discusses how HashSet is implemented internally using a HashMap in Java. A HashSet creates a HashMap object whenever it is instantiated. The add method of HashSet uses the element to be added as the key in the HashMap and associates it with a dummy value. This allows unique keys to be added to the HashMap which implements the Set contract for HashSet.

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34 views1 page

Java Notes

The document discusses how HashSet is implemented internally using a HashMap in Java. A HashSet creates a HashMap object whenever it is instantiated. The add method of HashSet uses the element to be added as the key in the HashMap and associates it with a dummy value. This allows unique keys to be added to the HashMap which implements the Set contract for HashSet.

Uploaded by

Kev Lai
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as TXT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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http://javahungry.blogspot.com/p/interview.

html
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http://javahungry.blogspot.com/2014/02/hashmap-vs-concurrenthashmap-java-
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public class HashSet<E>


extends AbstractSet<E> implements Set<E>, Cloneable, java.io.Serializable {

private transient HashMap<E, Object> map;

// Dummy value to associate with an Object in the backing Map


private static final Object PRESENT = new Object();

public HashSet(){
map = new HashMap<>();
}

// SOME CODE, i.e. other methods in Hash St

public boolean add(E e){


return map.put(e, PRESENT) == null;
}

// SOME CODE, i.e. Other methods in Hash Set

Whenever you create an object of HashSet, an object of HashMap will be created.

In HashMap, each key is unique. So what we do in HashSet is that we pass the


argument in the add(Element E) that is E as a key in the HashMap. In order to pass
stuff into a HashMap, we need an key-value pair, so we pass (E, "a dummy value
called PRESENT").

Now going over to HashMap's put method, which returns null if key is unique and is
added to the map, returns the value of the key if that key is a duplicate

so we check if put() returns a null or not

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