Hashtable (Java SE 25 & JDK 25)
Description: declaration: module: java.base, package: java.util, class: Hashtable
Keywords: java.util.Hashtable class

# Class Hashtable<K,V>

java.lang.Object
java.util.Dictionary<K,V>
java.util.Hashtable<K,V>

Type Parameters:
  `K` - the type of keys maintained by this map
  `V` - the type of mapped values

All Implemented Interfaces:
  `Serializable, Cloneable, Map<K,V>`

Direct Known Subclasses:
  `Properties, UIDefaults`

public class Hashtable<K,V> extends Dictionary<K,V> implements Map<K,V>, Cloneable, Serializable
This class implements a hash table, which maps keys to values. Any non-`null` object can be used as a key or as a value.

To successfully store and retrieve objects from a hashtable, the objects used as keys must implement the `hashCode` method and the `equals` method.

An instance of `Hashtable` has two parameters that affect its performance: initial capacity and load factor. The capacity is the number of buckets in the hash table, and the initial capacity is simply the capacity at the time the hash table is created. Note that the hash table is open: in the case of a "hash collision", a single bucket stores multiple entries, which must be searched sequentially. The load factor is a measure of how full the hash table is allowed to get before its capacity is automatically increased. The initial capacity and load factor parameters are merely hints to the implementation. The exact details as to when and whether the rehash method is invoked are implementation-dependent.

Generally, the default load factor (.75) offers a good tradeoff between time and space costs. Higher values decrease the space overhead but increase the time cost to look up an entry (which is reflected in most `Hashtable` operations, including `get` and `put`).

The initial capacity controls a tradeoff between wasted space and the need for `rehash` operations, which are time-consuming. No `rehash` operations will ever occur if the initial capacity is greater than the maximum number of entries the `Hashtable` will contain divided by its load factor. However, setting the initial capacity too high can waste space.

If many entries are to be made into a `Hashtable`, creating it with a sufficiently large capacity may allow the entries to be inserted more efficiently than letting it perform automatic rehashing as needed to grow the table.

This example creates a hashtable of numbers. It uses the names of the numbers as keys:

      Hashtable<String, Integer> numbers
        = new Hashtable<String, Integer>();
      numbers.put("one", 1);
      numbers.put("two", 2);
      numbers.put("three", 3);

To retrieve a number, use the following code:

      Integer n = numbers.get("two");
      if (n != null) {
        System.out.println("two = " + n);
      }

The iterators returned by the `iterator` method of the collections returned by all of this class's "collection view methods" are fail-fast: if the Hashtable is structurally modified at any time after the iterator is created, in any way except through the iterator's own `remove` method, the iterator will throw a `ConcurrentModificationException`. Thus, in the face of concurrent modification, the iterator fails quickly and cleanly, rather than risking arbitrary, non-deterministic behavior at an undetermined time in the future. The Enumerations returned by Hashtable's `keys` and `elements` methods are not fail-fast; if the Hashtable is structurally modified at any time after the enumeration is created then the results of enumerating are undefined.

Note that the fail-fast behavior of an iterator cannot be guaranteed as it is, generally speaking, impossible to make any hard guarantees in the presence of unsynchronized concurrent modification. Fail-fast iterators throw `ConcurrentModificationException` on a best-effort basis. Therefore, it would be wrong to write a program that depended on this exception for its correctness: the fail-fast behavior of iterators should be used only to detect bugs.

As of the Java 2 platform v1.2, this class was retrofitted to implement the `Map` interface, making it a member of the Java Collections Framework. Unlike the new collection implementations, `Hashtable` is synchronized. If a thread-safe implementation is not needed, it is recommended to use `HashMap` in place of `Hashtable`. If a thread-safe highly-concurrent implementation is desired, then it is recommended to use `ConcurrentHashMap` in place of `Hashtable`.

Since:
  1.0
See Also:
  - `Object.equals(java.lang.Object)`
  - `Object.hashCode()`
  - `rehash()`
  - `Collection`
  - `Map`
  - `HashMap`
  - `TreeMap`
  - Serialized Form

- ## Constructor Summary

  Constructors
  Constructor
  Description
  `Hashtable()`
  Constructs a new, empty hashtable with a default initial capacity (11) and load factor (0.75).
  `Hashtable(int initialCapacity)`
  Constructs a new, empty hashtable with the specified initial capacity and default load factor (0.75).
  `Hashtable(int initialCapacity, float loadFactor)`
  Constructs a new, empty hashtable with the specified initial capacity and the specified load factor.
  `Hashtable(Map<? extends K, ? extends V> t)`
  Constructs a new hashtable with the same mappings as the given Map.

- ## Method Summary

  Modifier and Type
  Method
  Description
  `void`
  `clear()`
  Clears this hashtable so that it contains no keys.
  `Object`
  `clone()`
  Creates a shallow copy of this hashtable.
  `V`
  `compute(K key, BiFunction<? super K, ? super V, ? extends V> remappingFunction)`
  Attempts to compute a mapping for the specified key and its current mapped value, or `null` if there is no current mapping (optional operation).
  `V`
  `computeIfAbsent(K key, Function<? super K, ? extends V> mappingFunction)`
  If the specified key is not already associated with a value (or is mapped to `null`), attempts to compute its value using the given mapping function and enters it into this map unless `null` (optional operation).
  `V`
  `computeIfPresent(K key, BiFunction<? super K, ? super V, ? extends V> remappingFunction)`
  If the value for the specified key is present and non-null, attempts to compute a new mapping given the key and its current mapped value (optional operation).
  `boolean`
  `contains(Object value)`
  Tests if some key maps into the specified value in this hashtable.
  `boolean`
  `containsKey(Object key)`
  Tests if the specified object is a key in this hashtable.
  `boolean`
  `containsValue(Object value)`
  Returns true if this hashtable maps one or more keys to this value.
  `Enumeration<V>`
  `elements()`
  Returns an enumeration of the values in this hashtable.
  `Set<Map.Entry<K,V>>`
  `entrySet()`
  Returns a `Set` view of the mappings contained in this map.
  `boolean`
  `equals(Object o)`
  Compares the specified Object with this Map for equality, as per the definition in the Map interface.
  `V`
  `get(Object key)`
  Returns the value to which the specified key is mapped, or `null` if this map contains no mapping for the key.
  `int`
  `hashCode()`
  Returns the hash code value for this Map as per the definition in the Map interface.
  `boolean`
  `isEmpty()`
  Tests if this hashtable maps no keys to values.
  `Enumeration<K>`
  `keys()`
  Returns an enumeration of the keys in this hashtable.
  `Set<K>`
  `keySet()`
  Returns a `Set` view of the keys contained in this map.
  `V`
  `merge(K key, V value, BiFunction<? super V, ? super V, ? extends V> remappingFunction)`
  If the specified key is not already associated with a value or is associated with null, associates it with the given non-null value (optional operation).
  `V`
  `put(K key, V value)`
  Maps the specified `key` to the specified `value` in this hashtable.
  `void`
  `putAll(Map<? extends K, ? extends V> t)`
  Copies all of the mappings from the specified map to this hashtable.
  `protected void`
  `rehash()`
  Increases the capacity of and internally reorganizes this hashtable, in order to accommodate and access its entries more efficiently.
  `V`
  `remove(Object key)`
  Removes the key (and its corresponding value) from this hashtable.
  `int`
  `size()`
  Returns the number of keys in this hashtable.
  `String`
  `toString()`
  Returns a string representation of this `Hashtable` object in the form of a set of entries, enclosed in braces and separated by the ASCII characters "`,` " (comma and space).
  `Collection<V>`
  `values()`
  Returns a `Collection` view of the values contained in this map.

  ### Methods declared in class Object

  `finalize, getClass, notify, notifyAll, wait, wait, wait`

  ### Methods declared in interface Map

  `forEach, getOrDefault, putIfAbsent, remove, replace, replace, replaceAll`

- ## Constructor Details

  - ### Hashtable

    public Hashtable(int initialCapacity, float loadFactor)
    Constructs a new, empty hashtable with the specified initial capacity and the specified load factor.
    Parameters:
      `initialCapacity` - the initial capacity of the hashtable.
      `loadFactor` - the load factor of the hashtable.
    Throws:
      `IllegalArgumentException` - if the initial capacity is less than zero, or if the load factor is nonpositive.

  - ### Hashtable

    public Hashtable(int initialCapacity)
    Constructs a new, empty hashtable with the specified initial capacity and default load factor (0.75).
    Parameters:
      `initialCapacity` - the initial capacity of the hashtable.
    Throws:
      `IllegalArgumentException` - if the initial capacity is less than zero.

  - ### Hashtable

    public Hashtable()
    Constructs a new, empty hashtable with a default initial capacity (11) and load factor (0.75).

  - ### Hashtable

    public Hashtable(Map<? extends K, ? extends V> t)
    Constructs a new hashtable with the same mappings as the given Map. The hashtable is created with an initial capacity sufficient to hold the mappings in the given Map and a default load factor (0.75).
    Parameters:
      `t` - the map whose mappings are to be placed in this map.
    Throws:
      `NullPointerException` - if the specified map is null.
    Since:
      1.2

- ## Method Details

  - ### size

    public int size()
    Returns the number of keys in this hashtable.
    Specified by:
      `size` in interface `Map<K,V>`
    Specified by:
      `size` in class `Dictionary<K,V>`
    Returns:
      the number of keys in this hashtable.

  - ### isEmpty

    public boolean isEmpty()
    Tests if this hashtable maps no keys to values.
    Specified by:
      `isEmpty` in interface `Map<K,V>`
    Specified by:
      `isEmpty` in class `Dictionary<K,V>`
    Returns:
      `true` if this hashtable maps no keys to values; `false` otherwise.

  - ### keys

    public Enumeration<K> keys()
    Returns an enumeration of the keys in this hashtable. Use the Enumeration methods on the returned object to fetch the keys sequentially. If the hashtable is structurally modified while enumerating over the keys then the results of enumerating are undefined.
    Specified by:
      `keys` in class `Dictionary<K,V>`
    Returns:
      an enumeration of the keys in this hashtable.
    See Also:
      - `Enumeration`
      - `elements()`
      - `keySet()`
      - `Map`

  - ### elements

    public Enumeration<V> elements()
    Returns an enumeration of the values in this hashtable. Use the Enumeration methods on the returned object to fetch the elements sequentially. If the hashtable is structurally modified while enumerating over the values then the results of enumerating are undefined.
    Specified by:
      `elements` in class `Dictionary<K,V>`
    Returns:
      an enumeration of the values in this hashtable.
    See Also:
      - `Enumeration`
      - `keys()`
      - `values()`
      - `Map`

  - ### contains

    public boolean contains(Object value)
    Tests if some key maps into the specified value in this hashtable. This operation is more expensive than the `containsKey` method.

    Note that this method is identical in functionality to `containsValue`, (which is part of the `Map` interface in the collections framework).

    Parameters:
      `value` - a value to search for
    Returns:
      `true` if and only if some key maps to the `value` argument in this hashtable as determined by the `equals` method; `false` otherwise.
    Throws:
      `NullPointerException` - if the value is `null`

  - ### containsValue

    public boolean containsValue(Object value)
    Returns true if this hashtable maps one or more keys to this value.

    Note that this method is identical in functionality to `contains` (which predates the `Map` interface).

    Specified by:
      `containsValue` in interface `Map<K,V>`
    Parameters:
      `value` - value whose presence in this hashtable is to be tested
    Returns:
      `true` if this map maps one or more keys to the specified value
    Throws:
      `NullPointerException` - if the value is `null`
    Since:
      1.2

  - ### containsKey

    public boolean containsKey(Object key)
    Tests if the specified object is a key in this hashtable.
    Specified by:
      `containsKey` in interface `Map<K,V>`
    Parameters:
      `key` - possible key
    Returns:
      `true` if and only if the specified object is a key in this hashtable, as determined by the `equals` method; `false` otherwise.
    Throws:
      `NullPointerException` - if the key is `null`
    See Also:
      - `contains(Object)`

  - ### get

    public V get(Object key)
    Returns the value to which the specified key is mapped, or `null` if this map contains no mapping for the key.

    More formally, if this map contains a mapping from a key `k` to a value `v` such that `(key.equals(k))`, then this method returns `v`; otherwise it returns `null`. (There can be at most one such mapping.)

    Specified by:
      `get` in interface `Map<K,V>`
    Specified by:
      `get` in class `Dictionary<K,V>`
    Parameters:
      `key` - the key whose associated value is to be returned
    Returns:
      the value to which the specified key is mapped, or `null` if this map contains no mapping for the key
    Throws:
      `NullPointerException` - if the specified key is null
    See Also:
      - `put(Object, Object)`

  - ### rehash

    protected void rehash()
    Increases the capacity of and internally reorganizes this hashtable, in order to accommodate and access its entries more efficiently. This method is called automatically when the number of keys in the hashtable exceeds this hashtable's capacity and load factor.

  - ### put

    public V put(K key, V value)
    Maps the specified `key` to the specified `value` in this hashtable. Neither the key nor the value can be `null`.

    The value can be retrieved by calling the `get` method with a key that is equal to the original key.

    Specified by:
      `put` in interface `Map<K,V>`
    Specified by:
      `put` in class `Dictionary<K,V>`
    Parameters:
      `key` - the hashtable key
      `value` - the value
    Returns:
      the previous value of the specified key in this hashtable, or `null` if it did not have one
    Throws:
      `NullPointerException` - if the key or value is `null`
    See Also:
      - `Object.equals(Object)`
      - `get(Object)`

  - ### remove

    public V remove(Object key)
    Removes the key (and its corresponding value) from this hashtable. This method does nothing if the key is not in the hashtable.
    Specified by:
      `remove` in interface `Map<K,V>`
    Specified by:
      `remove` in class `Dictionary<K,V>`
    Parameters:
      `key` - the key that needs to be removed
    Returns:
      the value to which the key had been mapped in this hashtable, or `null` if the key did not have a mapping
    Throws:
      `NullPointerException` - if the key is `null`

  - ### putAll

    public void putAll(Map<? extends K, ? extends V> t)
    Copies all of the mappings from the specified map to this hashtable. These mappings will replace any mappings that this hashtable had for any of the keys currently in the specified map.
    Specified by:
      `putAll` in interface `Map<K,V>`
    Parameters:
      `t` - mappings to be stored in this map
    Throws:
      `NullPointerException` - if the specified map is null
    Since:
      1.2

  - ### clear

    public void clear()
    Clears this hashtable so that it contains no keys.
    Specified by:
      `clear` in interface `Map<K,V>`

  - ### clone

    public Object clone()
    Creates a shallow copy of this hashtable. All the structure of the hashtable itself is copied, but the keys and values are not cloned. This is a relatively expensive operation.
    Overrides:
      `clone` in class `Object`
    Returns:
      a clone of the hashtable
    See Also:
      - `Cloneable`

  - ### toString

    public String toString()
    Returns a string representation of this `Hashtable` object in the form of a set of entries, enclosed in braces and separated by the ASCII characters "`,` " (comma and space). Each entry is rendered as the key, an equals sign `=`, and the associated element, where the `toString` method is used to convert the key and element to strings.
    Overrides:
      `toString` in class `Object`
    Returns:
      a string representation of this hashtable

  - ### keySet

    public Set<K> keySet()
    Returns a `Set` view of the keys contained in this map. The set is backed by the map, so changes to the map are reflected in the set, and vice-versa. If the map is modified while an iteration over the set is in progress (except through the iterator's own `remove` operation), the results of the iteration are undefined. The set supports element removal, which removes the corresponding mapping from the map, via the `Iterator.remove`, `Set.remove`, `removeAll`, `retainAll`, and `clear` operations. It does not support the `add` or `addAll` operations.
    Specified by:
      `keySet` in interface `Map<K,V>`
    Returns:
      a set view of the keys contained in this map
    Since:
      1.2

  - ### entrySet

    public Set<Map.Entry<K,V>> entrySet()
    Returns a `Set` view of the mappings contained in this map. The set is backed by the map, so changes to the map are reflected in the set, and vice-versa. If the map is modified while an iteration over the set is in progress (except through the iterator's own `remove` operation, or through the `setValue` operation on a map entry returned by the iterator) the results of the iteration are undefined. The set supports element removal, which removes the corresponding mapping from the map, via the `Iterator.remove`, `Set.remove`, `removeAll`, `retainAll` and `clear` operations. It does not support the `add` or `addAll` operations.
    Specified by:
      `entrySet` in interface `Map<K,V>`
    Returns:
      a set view of the mappings contained in this map
    Since:
      1.2

  - ### values

    public Collection<V> values()
    Returns a `Collection` view of the values contained in this map. The collection is backed by the map, so changes to the map are reflected in the collection, and vice-versa. If the map is modified while an iteration over the collection is in progress (except through the iterator's own `remove` operation), the results of the iteration are undefined. The collection supports element removal, which removes the corresponding mapping from the map, via the `Iterator.remove`, `Collection.remove`, `removeAll`, `retainAll` and `clear` operations. It does not support the `add` or `addAll` operations.
    Specified by:
      `values` in interface `Map<K,V>`
    Returns:
      a collection view of the values contained in this map
    Since:
      1.2

  - ### equals

    public boolean equals(Object o)
    Compares the specified Object with this Map for equality, as per the definition in the Map interface.
    Specified by:
      `equals` in interface `Map<K,V>`
    Overrides:
      `equals` in class `Object`
    Parameters:
      `o` - object to be compared for equality with this hashtable
    Returns:
      true if the specified Object is equal to this Map
    Since:
      1.2
    See Also:
      - `Map.equals(Object)`

  - ### hashCode

    public int hashCode()
    Returns the hash code value for this Map as per the definition in the Map interface.
    Specified by:
      `hashCode` in interface `Map<K,V>`
    Overrides:
      `hashCode` in class `Object`
    Returns:
      the hash code value for this map
    Since:
      1.2
    See Also:
      - `Map.hashCode()`

  - ### computeIfAbsent

    public V computeIfAbsent(K key, Function<? super K, ? extends V> mappingFunction)
    If the specified key is not already associated with a value (or is mapped to `null`), attempts to compute its value using the given mapping function and enters it into this map unless `null` (optional operation).

    If the mapping function returns `null`, no mapping is recorded. If the mapping function itself throws an (unchecked) exception, the exception is rethrown, and no mapping is recorded. The most common usage is to construct a new object serving as an initial mapped value or memoized result, as in:

        map.computeIfAbsent(key, k -> new Value(f(k)));

    Or to implement a multi-value map, `Map<K,Collection<V>>`, supporting multiple values per key:

        map.computeIfAbsent(key, k -> new HashSet<V>()).add(v);

    The mapping function should not modify this map during computation.

    This method will, on a best-effort basis, throw a `ConcurrentModificationException` if the mapping function modified this map during computation.

    Specified by:
      `computeIfAbsent` in interface `Map<K,V>`
    Parameters:
      `key` - key with which the specified value is to be associated
      `mappingFunction` - the mapping function to compute a value
    Returns:
      the current (existing or computed) value associated with the specified key, or null if the computed value is null
    Throws:
      `ConcurrentModificationException` - if it is detected that the mapping function modified this map

  - ### computeIfPresent

    public V computeIfPresent(K key, BiFunction<? super K, ? super V, ? extends V> remappingFunction)
    If the value for the specified key is present and non-null, attempts to compute a new mapping given the key and its current mapped value (optional operation).

    If the remapping function returns `null`, the mapping is removed. If the remapping function itself throws an (unchecked) exception, the exception is rethrown, and the current mapping is left unchanged.

    The remapping function should not modify this map during computation.

    This method will, on a best-effort basis, throw a `ConcurrentModificationException` if the remapping function modified this map during computation.

    Specified by:
      `computeIfPresent` in interface `Map<K,V>`
    Parameters:
      `key` - key with which the specified value is to be associated
      `remappingFunction` - the remapping function to compute a value
    Returns:
      the new value associated with the specified key, or null if none
    Throws:
      `ConcurrentModificationException` - if it is detected that the remapping function modified this map

  - ### compute

    public V compute(K key, BiFunction<? super K, ? super V, ? extends V> remappingFunction)
    Attempts to compute a mapping for the specified key and its current mapped value, or `null` if there is no current mapping (optional operation). For example, to either create or append a `String` msg to a value mapping:

        map.compute(key, (k, v) -> (v == null) ? msg : v.concat(msg))

    (Method `merge()` is often simpler to use for such purposes.)

    If the remapping function returns `null`, the mapping is removed (or remains absent if initially absent). If the remapping function itself throws an (unchecked) exception, the exception is rethrown, and the current mapping is left unchanged.

    The remapping function should not modify this map during computation.

    This method will, on a best-effort basis, throw a `ConcurrentModificationException` if the remapping function modified this map during computation.

    Specified by:
      `compute` in interface `Map<K,V>`
    Parameters:
      `key` - key with which the specified value is to be associated
      `remappingFunction` - the remapping function to compute a value
    Returns:
      the new value associated with the specified key, or null if none
    Throws:
      `ConcurrentModificationException` - if it is detected that the remapping function modified this map

  - ### merge

    public V merge(K key, V value, BiFunction<? super V, ? super V, ? extends V> remappingFunction)
    If the specified key is not already associated with a value or is associated with null, associates it with the given non-null value (optional operation). Otherwise, replaces the associated value with the results of the given remapping function, or removes if the result is `null`. This method may be of use when combining multiple mapped values for a key. For example, to either create or append a `String msg` to a value mapping:

        map.merge(key, msg, String::concat)

    If the remapping function returns `null`, the mapping is removed. If the remapping function itself throws an (unchecked) exception, the exception is rethrown, and the current mapping is left unchanged.

    The remapping function should not modify this map during computation.

    This method will, on a best-effort basis, throw a `ConcurrentModificationException` if the remapping function modified this map during computation.

    Specified by:
      `merge` in interface `Map<K,V>`
    Parameters:
      `key` - key with which the resulting value is to be associated
      `value` - the non-null value to be merged with the existing value associated with the key or, if no existing value or a null value is associated with the key, to be associated with the key
      `remappingFunction` - the remapping function to recompute a value if present
    Returns:
      the new value associated with the specified key, or null if no value is associated with the key
    Throws:
      `ConcurrentModificationException` - if it is detected that the remapping function modified this map