Java EnumSet and EnumMap made simple

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The EnumMap and EnumSet are specialized implementations in Java that are optimized for working with Enum keys and Enum values, respectively. In this article we will learn how to use them and which are the common use cases. Finally, we will also highlight the differences with the standard Map and Set objects.

Overview to Java Enums

Firstly, let’s provide some background on the concept of Enums. In Java you can declare Enums using the enum keyword. They consist of a fixed set of named constants, also known as enum constants. You typically define enums in uppercase letters and represent a specific type of object.

public enum DayOfWeek {
    MONDAY, TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY, FRIDAY, SATURDAY, SUNDAY
}

EnumSet Overview

An EnumSet is a specialized Set implementation in Java designed to work with enums.

  • It is highly optimized to handle enums efficiently and is used for storing a set of enum constants.
  • Provides constant-time performance for the basic operations (addition, removal, contains) and is very memory efficient.
  • Ideal for working with enums when the requirement is to perform set operations (like union, intersection) efficiently.

Here is an example of EnumSet:

EnumSet<DayOfWeek> weekdays = EnumSet.range(DayOfWeek.MONDAY, DayOfWeek.FRIDAY);

EnumMap Overview

An EnumMap is a specialized Map implementation in Java that works with enums as keys.

  • It’s internally represented as an array, making it highly efficient in terms of performance and memory usage.
  • Specifically designed to work with enums as keys, offering constant-time performance for key-related operations.
  • Often used when you need a mapping of enum constants to values, providing a structured way to associate values with specific enum constants.

Here is an example of EnumMap:

EnumMap<DayOfWeek, String> dayMessages = new EnumMap<>(DayOfWeek.class);
dayMessages.put(DayOfWeek.MONDAY, "Have a great start!");

A complete example

Next, we will show a full example which combines all the concepts discussed so far. This Java class demonstrates the use of EnumSet to create sets of DayOfWeek enum constants (weekend and weekdays) and EnumMap to associate messages with each day of the week (dayMessages). The program prints out the sets of days and their associated messages using these data structures.

import java.util.EnumSet;
import java.util.EnumMap;

enum DayOfWeek {
    MONDAY, TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY, FRIDAY, SATURDAY, SUNDAY
}

public class EnumSetEnumMapExample {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        // Using EnumSet
        EnumSet<DayOfWeek> weekend = EnumSet.of(DayOfWeek.SATURDAY, DayOfWeek.SUNDAY);
        EnumSet<DayOfWeek> weekdays = EnumSet.complementOf(weekend);

        System.out.println("Weekend days: " + weekend);
        System.out.println("Weekdays: " + weekdays);

        // Using EnumMap
        EnumMap<DayOfWeek, String> dayMessages = new EnumMap<>(DayOfWeek.class);
        dayMessages.put(DayOfWeek.MONDAY, "Have a great start!");
        dayMessages.put(DayOfWeek.TUESDAY, "Keep going!");
        dayMessages.put(DayOfWeek.WEDNESDAY, "Halfway there!");
        dayMessages.put(DayOfWeek.THURSDAY, "Almost done!");
        dayMessages.put(DayOfWeek.FRIDAY, "Weekend is near!");
        dayMessages.put(DayOfWeek.SATURDAY, "Enjoy your weekend!");
        dayMessages.put(DayOfWeek.SUNDAY, "Relax and recharge!");

        // Displaying messages for each day using EnumMap
        for (DayOfWeek day : DayOfWeek.values()) {
            System.out.println(day + ": " + dayMessages.get(day));
        }
    }
}

Run the above example and verify it prints the messages for each day:

Java EnumSet vs EnumMap

Comparing Enums Maps and EnumSets

The following tables compare the differences between the EnumMap and EnumSet type:

EnumSet

Maintain a collection of unique enum constants, offering efficient set operations.

Typically implemented using bit vectors or similar efficient structures, providing fast set operations

Supports set operations like union, intersection, complement, etc., typically used for set-related functionalities.

EnumMap

Used as a mapping structure, associating values with enum constants in a key-value pair format.

Internally uses arrays to store key-value pairs, optimized for enum keys.

Allows operations associated with maps, such as put, get, containsKey, etc., mainly used for key-value mappings.

Convert EnumMap to Map and EnumSet to List

Finally, we will provide some examples to convert the Enu types into the corresponding Java Collections Set and Map.

Firstly, here is how to convert EnumSet to List

EnumSet<Color> colorEnumSet = EnumSet.of(Color.RED, Color.GREEN, Color.BLUE);

// Convert EnumSet to List
List<Color> colorList = new ArrayList<>(colorEnumSet);

Then, here is how to convert the EnumMap to a Java Map:

// Create an EnumMap of DayOfWeek with String values
EnumMap<DayOfWeek, String> dayMessages = new EnumMap<>(DayOfWeek.class);
dayMessages.put(DayOfWeek.MONDAY, "Have a great start!");
dayMessages.put(DayOfWeek.TUESDAY, "Keep going!");

// Convert EnumMap to HashMap
Map<DayOfWeek, String> hashMapFromEnumMap = new HashMap<>(dayMessages);

Conclusion

This tutorial provided an overview of Java Enums and discusses the specific use cases and differences between EnumSet and EnumMap, showcasing their distinct functionalities and optimal use cases when working with enums in Java.

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