Best implementation for hashCode method for a collection

Omnipotent_11193 0
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How do we decide on the best implementation of hashCode() method for a collection (assuming that equals method has been overridden correctly) ?

hashcode hash equals java
20 Answers

The best implementation? That is a hard question because it depends on the usage pattern.

A for nearly all cases reasonable good implementation was proposed in Josh Bloch's Effective Java in Item 8 (second edition). The best thing is to look it up there because the author explains there why the approach is good.

A short version

  1. Create a int result and assign a non-zero value.

  2. For every field f tested in the equals() method, calculate a hash code c by:

    • If the field f is a boolean: calculate (f ? 0 : 1);
    • If the field f is a byte, char, short or int: calculate (int)f;
    • If the field f is a long: calculate (int)(f ^ (f >>> 32));
    • If the field f is a float: calculate Float.floatToIntBits(f);
    • If the field f is a double: calculate Double.doubleToLongBits(f) and handle the return value like every long value;
    • If the field f is an object: Use the result of the hashCode() method or 0 if f == null;
    • If the field f is an array: see every field as separate element and calculate the hash value in a recursive fashion and combine the values as described next.

  3. Combine the hash value c with result:

    result = 37 * result + c

  4. Return result

This should result in a proper distribution of hash values for most use situations.

user_41940

It is better to use the functionality provided by Eclipse which does a pretty good job and you can put your efforts and energy in developing the business logic.

Warrior_409330

First make sure that equals is implemented correctly. From an IBM DeveloperWorks article:

  • Symmetry: For two references, a and b, a.equals(b) if and only if b.equals(a)
  • Reflexivity: For all non-null references, a.equals(a)
  • Transitivity: If a.equals(b) and b.equals(c), then a.equals(c)

Then make sure that their relation with hashCode respects the contact (from the same article):

  • Consistency with hashCode(): Two equal objects must have the same hashCode() value

Finally a good hash function should strive to approach the ideal hash function.

Cd-MaN_12650

about8.blogspot.com, you said

if equals() returns true for two objects, then hashCode() should return the same value. If equals() returns false, then hashCode() should return different values

I cannot agree with you. If two objects have the same hashcode it doesn't have to mean that they are equal.

If A equals B then A.hashcode must be equal to B.hascode

but

if A.hashcode equals B.hascode it does not mean that A must equals B

Admin1
Rudi_Adianto_184670

If you use eclipse, you can generate equals() and hashCode() using:

Source -> Generate hashCode() and equals().

Using this function you can decide which fields you want to use for equality and hash code calculation, and Eclipse generates the corresponding methods.

user_23670

Just a quick note for completing other more detailed answer (in term of code):

If I consider the question how-do-i-create-a-hash-table-in-java and especially the jGuru FAQ entry, I believe some other criteria upon which a hash code could be judged are:

  • synchronization (does the algo support concurrent access or not) ?
  • fail safe iteration (does the algo detect a collection which changes during iteration)
  • null value (does the hash code support null value in the collection)
VonC_63090

If I understand your question correctly, you have a custom collection class (i.e. a new class that extends from the Collection interface) and you want to implement the hashCode() method.

If your collection class extends AbstractList, then you don't have to worry about it, there is already an implementation of equals() and hashCode() that works by iterating through all the objects and adding their hashCodes() together.

   public int hashCode() {
      int hashCode = 1;
      Iterator i = iterator();
      while (i.hasNext()) {
        Object obj = i.next();
        hashCode = 31*hashCode + (obj==null ? 0 : obj.hashCode());
      }
  return hashCode;
   }

Now if what you want is the best way to calculate the hash code for a specific class, I normally use the ^ (bitwise exclusive or) operator to process all fields that I use in the equals method:

public int hashCode(){
   return intMember ^ (stringField != null ? stringField.hashCode() : 0);
}
user_23090

@about8 : there is a pretty serious bug there. 

Zam obj1 = new Zam("foo", "bar", "baz");
Zam obj2 = new Zam("fo", "obar", "baz");

same hashcode

you probably want something like

public int hashCode() {
    return (getFoo().hashCode() + getBar().hashCode()).toString().hashCode();

(can you get hashCode directly from int in Java these days? I think it does some autocasting.. if that's the case, skip the toString, it's ugly.)

user_159620

As you specifically asked for collections, I'd like to add an aspect that the other answers haven't mentioned yet: A HashMap doesn't expect their keys to change their hashcode once they are added to the collection. Would defeat the whole purpose...

user_134470
Vihung_154520
Chii_173350

I prefer using utility methods fromm Google Collections lib from class Objects that helps me to keep my code clean. Very often equals and hashcode methods are made from IDE's template, so their are not clean to read.

Admin1

For a simple class it is often easiest to implement hashCode() based on the class fields which are checked by the equals() implementation.

public class Zam {
    private String foo;
    private String bar;
    private String somethingElse;

    public boolean equals(Object obj) {
        if (this == obj) {
            return true;
        }

        if (obj == null) {
            return false;
        }

        if (getClass() != obj.getClass()) {
            return false;
        }

        Zam otherObj = (Zam)obj;

        if ((getFoo() == null && otherObj.getFoo() == null) || (getFoo() != null && getFoo().equals(otherObj.getFoo()))) {
            if ((getBar() == null && otherObj. getBar() == null) || (getBar() != null && getBar().equals(otherObj. getBar()))) {
                return true;
            }
        }

        return false;
    }

    public int hashCode() {
        return (getFoo() + getBar()).hashCode();
    }

    public String getFoo() {
        return foo;
    }

    public String getBar() {
        return bar;
    }
}

The most important thing is to keep hashCode() and equals() consistent: if equals() returns true for two objects, then hashCode() should return the same value. If equals() returns false, then hashCode() should return different values.

user_11190
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