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CapgeminiRealTimeInterview

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CapgeminiRealTimeInterview

Uploaded by

tellapuri.naresh
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as TXT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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If you use a custom object in a `HashMap` and override its `hashCode()` method to

always return `100`, it will have significant performance implications for the
`HashMap`. Here’s what happens:

---

### **Impact of Always Returning the Same Hash Code**


1. **All Objects Fall into the Same Bucket**:
- `HashMap` organizes entries into buckets based on the hash code of the key.
- If all objects return `100` for `hashCode()`, they all will be placed in the
same bucket.

2. **Collisions Increase**:
- A hash collision occurs when multiple keys map to the same bucket.
- In this case, every key will map to the bucket corresponding to hash code
`100`.

3. **Degraded Performance**:
- When retrieving or storing an entry, the `HashMap` first identifies the bucket
using the hash code.
- If all entries are in one bucket, the `HashMap` must iterate through all
entries in that bucket to find the correct one.
- **Time Complexity**:
- Ideal: `O(1)` (when the hash codes are well-distributed).
- Worst Case: `O(n)` (if all entries fall into one bucket, which happens
here).

4. **Memory and Lookup Inefficiency**:


- The primary purpose of using `HashMap` is its efficient key-based retrieval.
- By always returning the same hash code, you're negating the benefits of
hashing, making the `HashMap` behave like a **linked list** for that bucket.

---

### **Example Scenario**


```java
import java.util.HashMap;

class CustomKey {
private String value;

public CustomKey(String value) {


this.value = value;
}

@Override
public int hashCode() {
return 100; // Same hash code for all keys
}

@Override
public boolean equals(Object obj) {
if (this == obj) return true;
if (obj == null || getClass() != obj.getClass()) return false;
CustomKey that = (CustomKey) obj;
return value.equals(that.value);
}
}
public class Main {
public static void main(String[] args) {
HashMap<CustomKey, String> map = new HashMap<>();
map.put(new CustomKey("key1"), "value1");
map.put(new CustomKey("key2"), "value2");
map.put(new CustomKey("key3"), "value3");

System.out.println("Size of map: " + map.size()); // Output: 3


System.out.println("Retrieve key2: " + map.get(new CustomKey("key2"))); //
Output: "value2"
}
}
```

---

### **Key Observations**:


1. **Insertion**:
- All entries go into the same bucket because their hash codes are identical.
- The `HashMap` must iterate over the bucket's list to check for duplicate keys.

2. **Retrieval**:
- For every retrieval, the `equals()` method is called for every object in the
bucket until a match is found.

---

### **Best Practices**


1. **Use a Properly Defined `hashCode()`**:
- The `hashCode()` method should distribute keys uniformly across buckets to
minimize collisions.
- Include fields of the custom object in the hash calculation.

Example:
```java
@Override
public int hashCode() {
return Objects.hash(value); // Generate hash code based on fields
}
```

2. **Maintain `hashCode()` and `equals()` Contract**:


- Ensure that if two objects are equal according to `equals()`, their
`hashCode()` values must also be the same.

---

By ensuring a well-implemented `hashCode()` method, you preserve the efficiency and


performance of the `HashMap`. Always returning a constant value like `100` defeats
the purpose of hashing.
==========================================
If you don't override the `hashCode()` method in a custom object and use it as a
key in a `HashMap`, the default implementation provided by the `Object` class will
be used. Here's the impact of this decision:

---

### **Default `hashCode()` Behavior**


The `Object` class's `hashCode()` implementation typically returns a value derived
from the memory address of the object. As a result:
- Each instance of the custom class will have a unique hash code (unless the JVM
optimizes memory addresses).

---

### **Implications of Not Overriding `hashCode()`**

#### **1. Unique Hash Codes for Every Object**


- Since the default `hashCode()` implementation generates unique hash codes for
objects, even two logically equal objects (based on their field values) will have
different hash codes unless they're the same object reference.

Example:
```java
class CustomKey {
private String value;

public CustomKey(String value) {


this.value = value;
}
}

public class Main {


public static void main(String[] args) {
HashMap<CustomKey, String> map = new HashMap<>();
CustomKey key1 = new CustomKey("key");
CustomKey key2 = new CustomKey("key");

map.put(key1, "value1");

// Retrieve using logically equal key


System.out.println(map.get(key2)); // Output: null
}
}
```
- Even though `key1` and `key2` logically represent the same value, their hash
codes will be different because `hashCode()` is not overridden.

---

#### **2. Breaks `HashMap` Contract**


- The `HashMap` relies on the **`hashCode()` and `equals()` contract**:
- If two objects are equal according to the `equals()` method, they must have
the same `hashCode()`.
- Not overriding `hashCode()` can lead to incorrect behavior in a `HashMap` if
`equals()` is overridden to compare field values.

---

#### **3. Unexpected Retrieval Failures**


- When you store an object in a `HashMap` and try to retrieve it using another
logically equivalent object, retrieval will fail because the hash code of the
second object does not match the hash code of the first.

---

### **When You Must Override `hashCode()`**


You must override `hashCode()` whenever:
1. You plan to use the object as a key in a `HashMap`, `HashSet`, or any other
hash-based collection.
2. You override the `equals()` method to compare object values instead of object
references.

---

### **Proper Implementation of `hashCode()`**


1. Use all relevant fields of the class to generate a consistent and unique hash
code.
2. You can use `Objects.hash()` or implement your logic manually.

Example:
```java
class CustomKey {
private String value;

public CustomKey(String value) {


this.value = value;
}

@Override
public boolean equals(Object obj) {
if (this == obj) return true;
if (obj == null || getClass() != obj.getClass()) return false;
CustomKey that = (CustomKey) obj;
return value.equals(that.value);
}

@Override
public int hashCode() {
return Objects.hash(value); // Generate hash code using fields
}
}

public class Main {


public static void main(String[] args) {
HashMap<CustomKey, String> map = new HashMap<>();
CustomKey key1 = new CustomKey("key");
CustomKey key2 = new CustomKey("key");

map.put(key1, "value1");
System.out.println(map.get(key2)); // Output: value1
}
}
```

---

### **Conclusion**
If you don’t override `hashCode()`:
- The `HashMap` may behave incorrectly, especially if you override `equals()`.
- Objects that are logically equal will not work as expected when used as keys in a
hash-based collection.
To ensure correctness and maintain the `HashMap` contract, always override
`hashCode()` and `equals()` together.
=========================

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