Java Collections Framework – Complete Class &
Methods Notes
This document summarizes major interfaces, classes, and commonly used methods in the Java
Collections Framework along with a demonstration program.
1. Collection Interface
Collection Interface Methods Purpose
add(E e) Add element
addAll(Collection c) Add collection elements
remove(Object o) Remove element
removeAll(Collection c) Remove group of elements
retainAll(Collection c) Keep only specified elements
clear() Remove all elements
contains(Object o) Check if element exists
containsAll(Collection c) Check all elements
isEmpty() Check empty
size() Number of elements
iterator() Return iterator
toArray() Convert to array
2. List Interface (Classes: ArrayList, LinkedList, Vector)
List Methods Purpose
add(int,E) Insert at index
addAll(int,Collection) Insert collection at index
get(int) Get element
set(int,E) Update element
remove(int) Remove element
indexOf(Object) First index
lastIndexOf(Object) Last index
subList(start,end) Get part of list
listIterator() Bidirectional iterator
3. Set Interface
Set Implementations Description
HashSet Unordered unique elements
LinkedHashSet Maintains insertion order
TreeSet Sorted elements using tree
4. SortedSet Interface
SortedSet Methods Purpose
first() Return first element
last() Return last element
headSet(e) Elements before e
tailSet(e) Elements after e
subSet(a,b) Subset between a and b
5. Queue Interface (Classes: PriorityQueue, LinkedList)
Queue Methods Purpose
offer(E) Insert element
peek() View head
poll() Remove head
element() Return head
remove() Remove head
6. Deque Interface (Class: ArrayDeque)
Deque Methods Purpose
addFirst(E) Insert at beginning
addLast(E) Insert at end
getFirst() Get first element
getLast() Get last element
removeFirst() Remove first
removeLast() Remove last
peekFirst() View first
peekLast() View last
7. Map Interface (Classes: HashMap, TreeMap, LinkedHashMap,
IdentityHashMap, EnumMap)
Map Methods Purpose
put(K,V) Insert key-value
get(K) Retrieve value
remove(K) Remove entry
containsKey(K) Check key
containsValue(V) Check value
keySet() Return keys
values() Return values
entrySet() Return key-value entries
size() Map size
clear() Remove all entries
8. Iterator Interface
Iterator Methods Purpose
hasNext() Check next element
next() Return next element
remove() Remove current element
9. ListIterator Interface
ListIterator Methods Purpose
hasNext() Check next
hasPrevious() Check previous
next() Move forward
previous() Move backward
add(E) Insert element
set(E) Replace element
10. Comparator Interface
Comparator Methods Purpose
compare(o1,o2) Compare objects
equals(obj) Comparator equality
11. Collections Class Algorithms
Collections Utility Methods Purpose
sort() Sort collection
reverse() Reverse order
shuffle() Random order
min() Minimum element
max() Maximum element
binarySearch() Search element
swap() Swap elements
copy() Copy elements
12. Arrays Utility Class
Arrays Class Methods Purpose
sort() Sort array
binarySearch() Search element
copyOf() Copy array
equals() Compare arrays
fill() Fill array values
asList() Convert array to list
13. Demonstration Program
import [Link].*;
public class CollectionDemo {
public static void main(String[] args) {
ArrayList<String> al=new ArrayList<>();
[Link]("Apple"); [Link]("Banana"); [Link]("Mango");
Iterator<String> itr=[Link]();
while([Link]()) [Link]([Link]());
LinkedList<String> ll=new LinkedList<>();
[Link]("Red"); [Link]("Black"); [Link]("White");
ListIterator<String> litr=[Link]();
while([Link]()) [Link]([Link]());
HashSet<Integer> hs=new HashSet<>();
[Link](10); [Link](20); [Link](30);
for(int n:hs) [Link](n);
TreeSet<Integer> ts=new TreeSet<>();
[Link](5); [Link](1); [Link](9);
[Link]([Link]()+" "+[Link]());
HashMap<String,Integer> hm=new HashMap<>();
[Link]("John",85); [Link]("Alice",90);
for([Link]<String,Integer> e:[Link]())
[Link]([Link]()+":"+[Link]());
}
}