SortedMap Interface in Java

In Java, the SortedMap interface is part of the Java Collections Framework and extends the Map interface. It represents a map that maintains its entries in a sorted order based on the keys. Unlike the standard Map interface, which does not guarantee any specific order of keys, a SortedMap ensures that the keys are sorted according to their natural order or a custom comparator provided during map creation. This makes SortedMap useful when you need to work with key-value pairs in a specific order. Here's an overview of the SortedMap interface and some common implementations:

1. SortedMap Interface (java.util.SortedMap):

The SortedMap interface defines methods for managing key-value pairs while maintaining a sorted order of keys:

• comparator(): Returns the comparator used to order the keys, or null if the natural ordering of keys is used.

• subMap(K fromKey, K toKey): Returns a view of the portion of the map whose keys range from fromKey (inclusive) to toKey (exclusive).

• headMap(K toKey): Returns a view of the portion of the map whose keys are less than toKey.

• tailMap(K fromKey): Returns a view of the portion of the map whose keys are greater than or equal to fromKey.

• firstKey(): Returns the first (lowest) key in the map.

• lastKey(): Returns the last (highest) key in the map.

Common SortedMap Implementations:

Java provides several implementations of the SortedMap interface to suit different use cases. Some common ones include:

1. TreeMap (java.util.TreeMap):

• Implemented as a Red-Black tree, which ensures that key-value pairs are sorted according to their keys.

• Allows the use of a custom comparator for sorting.

• Supports efficient retrieval of key-value pairs in sorted order.

• Suitable when you need a map with keys in sorted order.

Example of Using TreeMap as a SortedMap:

Here's an example of using TreeMap as a SortedMap:

import java.util.SortedMap;
import java.util.TreeMap;

public class TreeMapExample {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        // Create a TreeMap of names and ages
        SortedMap<String, Integer> ages = new TreeMap<>();

        // Add key-value pairs
        ages.put("Alice", 25);
        ages.put("Bob", 30);
        ages.put("Charlie", 22);

        // Retrieve values by key
        int aliceAge = ages.get("Alice"); // 25

        // Check if a key exists
        boolean hasKey = ages.containsKey("David"); // false

        // Iterate through the key-value pairs in sorted order
        for (String name : ages.keySet()) {
            int age = ages.get(name);
            System.out.println("Name: " + name + ", Age: " + age);
        }
    }
}

In the example above, the TreeMap maintains the key-value pairs in sorted order based on the keys. This allows you to retrieve entries in sorted order, which can be useful for various applications, such as maintaining a sorted dictionary or addressing cases where keys need to be processed in a specific order.