Java Collection.toArray Method
November 02, 2020
Collection.toArray method example. The toArray method returns an array containing all the elements of the collection. By default toArray method returns Object[]. We can specify type of array as T[] or IntFunction<T[]> as argument in toArray method to return. If the Collection gives the guarantee of order, the returned array will contain elements in same order.
Now find the examples.
1. toArray()
ThetoArray() returns an array containing all elements of the collection. If the Collection gives the guarantee of order, the returned object array will contain elements in same order. For example, if collection is ArrayList, the order will be maintained and if collection is HashSet the order will not be necessarily maintained.
Find the method declaration from Java doc.
Object[] toArray()
Object[].
Find the example.
ToArrayDemo.java
package com.concretepage;
import java.util.Collection;
import java.util.List;
public class ToArrayDemo {
public static void main(String[] args) {
System.out.println("--- Example 1 ---");
Collection<String> collection1 = List.of("A", "B" , "C");
Object[] objArr1 = collection1.toArray();
for(Object e : objArr1) {
System.out.print(String.valueOf(e + " "));
}
System.out.println("\n--- Example 2 ---");
Collection<Integer> collection2 = List.of(10, 20, 30);
Object[] objArr2 = collection2.toArray();
for(Object e : objArr2) {
System.out.print(e + " ");
}
}
}
--- Example 1 --- A B C --- Example 2 --- 10 20 30
2. toArray(T[] a)
Find thetoArray method of a type to contain the collection.
<T> T[] toArray(T[] a)
toArray method returns an array containing all the elements and the type of returned array is that of specified array.
1 If the size of specified array is equal or greater to the size of collection then same reference of specified array is returned. The element in the returned array immediately following the end of the collection is set to null.
2 If the size of specified array is less than the size of collection then new array is created and returned.
Find the examples to display above scenarios.
ToArrayWithArrayDemo.java
package com.concretepage;
import java.util.Collection;
import java.util.List;
public class ToArrayWithArrayDemo {
public static void main(String[] args) {
System.out.println("--- Example 1 ---");
Collection<Integer> collection1 = List.of(11, 12, 13);
Integer[] numArr1 = new Integer[5];
Integer[] numArr2 = collection1.toArray(numArr1);
if (numArr1 == numArr2) {
System.out.println(true);
} else {
System.out.println(false);
}
for (int i = 0; i < 3; i++) {
System.out.print(numArr2[i] + " ");
}
System.out.println("\nLength of numArr2: " + numArr2.length);
System.out.println("--- Example 2 ---");
Collection<String> collection2 = List.of("A", "B", "C");
String[] strArr1 = new String[2];
String[] strArr2 = collection2.toArray(strArr1);
if (strArr1 == strArr2) {
System.out.println(true);
} else {
System.out.println(false);
}
for (String s : strArr2) {
System.out.print(s + " ");
}
System.out.println("\nLength of strArr2: " + strArr2.length);
System.out.println("--- Example 3 ---");
Collection<String> collection3 = List.of("X", "Y", "Z");
String[] arr1 = { "A", "B", "C", "D", "E" };
String[] arr2 = collection3.toArray(arr1);
for (String s : arr2) {
System.out.print(s + " ");
}
System.out.println("\nLength of arr2: " + arr2.length);
}
}
--- Example 1 --- true 11 12 13 Length of numArr2: 5 --- Example 2 --- false A B C Length of strArr2: 3 --- Example 3 --- X Y Z null E Length of arr2: 5
3. toArray(IntFunction<T[]> generator)
In Java 11, theCollection has introduced a default method as toArray that accepts IntFunction as generator.
default <T> T[] toArray(IntFunction<T[]> generator)
Find the example.
ToArrayIntFunctionDemo.java
package com.concretepage;
import java.util.Arrays;
import java.util.Collection;
import java.util.function.IntFunction;
public class ToArrayIntFunctionDemo {
public static void main(String[] args) {
System.out.println("--- Example 1 ---");
Collection<Integer> collection1 = Arrays.asList(25, 35, 45);
IntFunction<Integer[]> generator1 = Integer[]::new;
Integer[] arr = collection1.toArray(generator1);
for (int e : arr) {
System.out.print(e + " ");
}
System.out.println("\n--- Example 2 ---");
Collection<String> collection2 = Arrays.asList("A", "B", "C");
IntFunction<String[]> generator2 = String[]::new;
String[] str = collection2.toArray(generator2);
for (String e : str) {
System.out.print(e + " ");
}
}
}
--- Example 1 --- 25 35 45 --- Example 2 --- A B C
