Java WeakHashMap
In Java, WeakHashMap is a class that implements the Map interface and provides a key-value based data structure. It is part of the java.util package and is similar to the HashMap class, except that it uses weak references to its keys.
A weak reference is a type of reference that does not prevent the object that it refers to from being garbage collected. When the key of a mapping in a WeakHashMap is no longer strongly reachable from the application code (i.e., there are no strong references to the key), the mapping is automatically removed from the WeakHashMap.
Here are some of the most commonly used methods in the WeakHashMap class:
void clear(): This method removes all the key-value mappings from theWeakHashMap.boolean containsKey(Object key): This method returnstrueif theWeakHashMapcontains a mapping for the specified key, otherwisefalse.boolean containsValue(Object value): This method returnstrueif theWeakHashMapcontains one or more mappings to the specified value, otherwisefalse.Set<Map.Entry<K, V>> entrySet(): This method returns aSetview of the key-value mappings in theWeakHashMap.V get(Object key): This method returns the value to which the specified key is mapped, ornullif the key is not mapped to any value.boolean isEmpty(): This method returnstrueif theWeakHashMapcontains no key-value mappings, otherwisefalse.Set<K> keySet(): This method returns aSetview of the keys in theWeakHashMap.V put(K key, V value): This method associates the specified value with the specified key in theWeakHashMap. If theWeakHashMappreviously contained a mapping for the key, the old value is replaced with the new value and the old value is returned.void putAll(Map<? extends K, ? extends V> m): This method copies all of the mappings from the specifiedMapto thisWeakHashMap.V remove(Object key): This method removes the mapping for the specified key from theWeakHashMap, if it is present.int size(): This method returns the number of key-value mappings in theWeakHashMap.Collection<V> values(): This method returns aCollectionview of the values in theWeakHashMap.
The use of weak references in WeakHashMap can be useful in certain situations where the keys are temporary or the application code does not need to maintain strong references to them. However, it can also make the behavior of WeakHashMap harder to predict, since the mappings can be removed at any time by the garbage collector.
