How to convert LinkedList to contain unique elements in ascending order

In this article, we will discuss how to sort contents of LinkedList in ascending order containing only unique elements

 

Approach :

• convert to TreeSet
• which allows only unique elements and maintains ascending-order
• which uses default natural ordering for String objects

 

To sort LinkedList contents in ascending-order :

Steps:

1. Iterate through ArrayList to check duplicate elements
2. Create TreeSet using inter-conversion collection constructors
3. Add ArrayList object to TreeSet’ constructor-argument
4. Again, iterate through TreeSet which stores only unique elements
5. Note: If NULL is present; NullPointerException will be thrown (starting Java 1.7 version)

SortingLinkedListContentsInAscendingOrder.java

package in.bench.resources.java.collections;

import java.util.LinkedList;
import java.util.TreeSet;

public class SortingLinkedListContentsInAscendingOrder {

	public static void main(String[] args) {

		// creating LinkedList object of type String
		LinkedList<String> companies = new LinkedList<String>();

		// adding elements to LinkedList object
		companies.add("Oracle");
		companies.add("Google");
		companies.add("LinkedIn");
		companies.add("Facebook");
		companies.add("Oracle");
		companies.add("Amazon");
		companies.add("Google");

		// Iterating using enhanced for-looap
		System.out.println("Before Sorting : Insertion Order\n");
		for(String company : companies) {
			System.out.println(company);
		}


		// convert to TreeSet
		TreeSet<String> ts = new TreeSet<String>(companies);

		// reverse order of LinkedList contents
		System.out.println("\n\n\nTreeSet : unique elements "
				+ "and ascending order\n");
		for(String company : ts) {
			System.out.println(company);
		}
	}
}

Output:

Before Sorting : Insertion Order

Oracle
Google
LinkedIn
Facebook
Oracle
Amazon
Google



TreeSet : unique elements and ascending order

Amazon
Facebook
Google
LinkedIn
Oracle

From above example, LinkedList

• allows duplicate elements
• null object is allowed
• while iterating insertion-order is maintained

From above example, TreeSet

• doesn’t allow duplicate elements
• while iterating, retrieve elements in ascending-order

 

References:

• https://docs.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/collections/intro/
• https://docs.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/collections/interfaces/collection.html
• https://docs.oracle.com/javase/7/docs/api/java/util/Collection.html
• https://docs.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/collections/interfaces/list.html
• https://docs.oracle.com/javase/7/docs/api/java/util/LinkedList.html
• https://docs.oracle.com/javase/7/docs/api/java/util/List.html
• https://docs.oracle.com/javase/8/docs/api/java/util/List.html
• https://docs.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/collections/interfaces/order.html
• https://docs.oracle.com/javase/7/docs/api/java/util/Collections.html

 

Happy Coding !!
Happy Learning !!