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Students will gain expertise in using Java's advanced data structures for efficient data manipulation. They will learn about different interfaces like List, Set, and Map, and their various implementations.
By the end of this unit, students will be able to use the Java Collections Framework to handle complex data structures in their applications, improving both efficiency and code organization.
Each lesson in this unit follows the same structure:
- Read the concept
- Study the example
- Write or modify Java code
- Compile the program
- Run the code
- Review the output
- Complete a hands-on lab
- Answer review questions
List interface and implementations
The List interface represents an ordered collection that allows duplicate elements. ArrayList stores elements in a dynamically resizable array and provides fast random access. LinkedList stores elements as a doubly linked chain and provides efficient insertion and deletion at any position. Students will practice choosing between ArrayList and LinkedList based on the performance characteristics needed for a given task.
Set interface and implementations
The Set interface represents a collection that does not allow duplicate elements. HashSet stores elements in a hash table with no guaranteed order and provides very fast add, remove, and contains operations. TreeSet stores elements in a sorted tree structure, maintaining elements in natural ascending order. Students will practice using sets to remove duplicates and perform set operations such as union and intersection.
Map interface and implementations
The Map interface represents a collection of key-value pairs where each key is unique. HashMap stores pairs in a hash table with no guaranteed order and provides fast lookup by key. TreeMap stores pairs sorted by key in natural ascending order. Students will practice storing, retrieving, updating, and iterating over map entries.
Queue and Deque interfaces
The Queue interface represents a first-in, first-out collection used to process elements in the order they were added. The Deque interface extends Queue to support insertion and removal at both ends, making it usable as both a queue and a stack. Students will practice using LinkedList as a Queue implementation for processing tasks in order.
Iterators and the for-each loop
An Iterator provides a standard way to traverse the elements of any collection one at a time. The remove method on an Iterator allows safe removal of elements during traversal. The enhanced for-each loop provides a cleaner syntax for iterating over collections when removal is not needed. Students will practice both approaches and understand when each is appropriate.
Comparable and Comparator interfaces
The Comparable interface allows a class to define its natural ordering by implementing the compareTo method. The Comparator interface allows a separate class or lambda expression to define a custom ordering without modifying the original class. Students will practice sorting collections using both approaches and understand the difference between natural ordering and custom ordering.
This unit is the final unit for College / University — Year 2 and is included in the Year 3 track as well.
| Academic Level | Track |
|---|---|
| College / University — Year 2 | Units 1–11 |
| College / University — Year 3 | Units 1–13 |
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