Difference Between IdentityHashMap, WeakHashMap, and EnumMap in Java
The IdentityHashMap, WeakHashMap, and EnumMap all are the classes in java collection that implements the Map interface. But there are few differences exists between them.
1. IdentityHashMap: The IdentityHashMap implements the Map interface. It follows reference-equality in place of object-equality when comparing keys (and values). This class is used when the user requires the objects to be compared via reference. It is not synchronized and must be synchronized externally. The iterators in this class are fail-fast, throw ConcurrentModificationException in an attempt to modify while iterating.
Working of IdentityHashMap:
Java
// Java program to illustrate the // working of IdentityHashmap import java.util.*; public class IteratingIdentityHashMap { public static void main(String[] args) { // Creating an empty IdentityHashMap IdentityHashMap<Integer, String> ihmap = new IdentityHashMap<Integer, String>(); // Mapping string values to int keys ihmap.put( 10 , "Beginner" ); ihmap.put( 20 , "4" ); ihmap.put( 30 , "Beginner" ); ihmap.put( 40 , "Welcomes" ); ihmap.put( 50 , "You" ); // Displaying the size of IdentityHashMap System.out.println( "IdentityHashMap size : " + ihmap.size()); // Displaying the IdentityHashMap System.out.println( "Initial identity hash map: " + ihmap); // Create an Iterator over the // IdentityHashMap Iterator<IdentityHashMap.Entry<Integer, String> > itr = ihmap.entrySet().iterator(); // The hasNext() method is used to check if there is // a next element The next() method is used to // retrieve the next element while (itr.hasNext()) { IdentityHashMap.Entry<Integer, String> entry = itr.next(); System.out.println( "Key = " + entry.getKey() + ", Value = " + entry.getValue()); } } } |
IdentityHashMap size : 5 Initial identity hash map: {10=Beginner, 40=Welcomes, 50=You, 30=Beginner, 20=4} Key = 10, Value = Beginner Key = 40, Value = Welcomes Key = 50, Value = You Key = 30, Value = Beginner Key = 20, Value = 4
2. WeakHashMap: WeakHashMap is the implementation of the Map interface that stores only weak keys. In WeakHashMap, we can store only weak references of its key that allows a key-value pairs to be garbage collected when its key is no longer in ordinary use. WeakHashMap is the HashTable based implementation, but it is not synchronized. It allows you to store both null key and null values.
Working of WeakHashMap:
Java
// Java program to illustrate // the WeakHashMap import java.util.Collection; import java.util.Map; import java.util.Set; import java.util.WeakHashMap; class WeakHashMapdemo { public static void main(String[] arg) { Map<Number, String> whmap = new WeakHashMap<Number, String>(); whmap.put( 1 , "Beginner" ); whmap.put( 2 , "4" ); whmap.put( 3 , "Beginner" ); whmap.put( 4 , "welcomes" ); whmap.put( 5 , "you" ); // Displaying weak hash map System.out.println( "WeakHashMap is : " + whmap); // Checking if "welcomes" exist if (whmap.containsValue( "welcomes" )) System.out.println( "Yes welcomes exist" ); // Checking if 3 exist as a key in map if (whmap.containsKey( 3 )) System.out.println( "Yes 3 exist" ); // Creating set for key Set keyset = whmap.keySet(); // Displaying key set System.out.println( "key Set : " + keyset); Collection values = whmap.values(); // Displaying values of map System.out.println( "Values : " + values); // Removing all data whmap.clear(); // Checking whether map is empty or not if (whmap.isEmpty()) System.out.println( "Empty WeakHashMap: " + whmap); } } |
WeakHashMap is : {5=you, 4=welcomes, 3=Beginner, 2=4, 1=Beginner} Yes welcomes exist Yes 3 exist key Set : [5, 4, 3, 2, 1] Values : [you, welcomes, Beginner, 4, Beginner] Empty WeakHashMap: {}
3. EnumMap: EnumMap is a specialized implementation of the Map interface for enumeration types. It extends AbstractMap and implements the Map interface in Java. Few important features of EnumMap are as follows:
- EnumMap class is a member of the Java Collections Framework and it is not synchronized.
- EnumMap is an ordered collection, and they are maintained in the natural order of their keys(the natural order of keys means the order on which enum constant are declared inside enum type)
- EnumMap is much faster than HashMap.
- All keys of each EnumMap instance must be keys of a same enum type.
- EnumMap doesn’t allow to insert null key if we try to insert the null key, it will throw NullPointerException.
- EnumMap is internally represented as arrays therefore it gives the better performance.
Working of EnumMap:
Java
// Java program to illustrate working // of EnumMap import java.util.*; class EnumMapExample { public enum Months { January, February, March, April; } public static void main(String[] args) { // Creating an EnumMap of the Days enum EnumMap<Months, Integer> enumMap = new EnumMap<>(Months. class ); // Insert using put() method enumMap.put(Months.January, 31 ); enumMap.put(Months.February, 28 ); enumMap.put(Months.March, 31 ); enumMap.put(Months.April, 30 ); // Printing size of EnumMap System.out.println( "Size of EnumMap: " + enumMap.size()); // Printing the EnumMap for (Map.Entry m : enumMap.entrySet()) { System.out.println(m.getKey() + " " + m.getValue()); } } } |
Size of EnumMap: 4 January 31 February 28 March 31 April 30
Difference between IdentityHashMap, WeakHashMap, and EnumMap:
PROPERTIES | IdentityHashMap | WeakHashMap | EnumMap |
---|---|---|---|
References | IdentityHashMap stores strong key reference. | WeakHashMap stores the weak key reference. | EnumMap stores the strong key reference. |
Search and get the values | It uses equality operator (==) to search and get the values. | It uses equals() method for that purpose. | It also uses equals() method for that purpose. |
Keys | It allows to store any type of keys. | It also allows to store any type of keys. | It allows to store only enum type keys. |
Underlined data structure | It uses the array as an underlined data structure. | It uses the HashTable as an underlined data structure. | It uses the array as an underlined data structure. |
Iterator | Iterator used in IdentityHashMap is Fail-fast. | Iterator used in WeakHashMap is Fail-fast. | Iterator used in EnumMap is weakly consistent. |
Null Values | It allows to store null values. | It allows to store null values. | It doesn’t allow to store null values |