Fri. Mar 29th, 2024

Sometimes an application will have a large number of Strings. Due to memory we certainly do not want to keep multiple instances of duplicate strings in memory. A string cache can greatly reduce the number of Strings in memory. I had a case where I had millions of strings, and greatly needed to reduce the memory used. Thus a created a StringCache class. Making use of a WeakHashMap the number of instances of strings in memory.

   /**
     * Weak has map to allow Strings to be removed when only the cache has a link to
     * them.
     */
    private WeakHashMap<String, WeakReference<String>> cache = null;

A WeakHashMap will allow the the value to be garbage collected when only the Map contains a reference. Now the WeakReference is used to eliminate it as a reference. To cache the a string and get the reference to use we have a simple cache method,

   /**
     * Returns the string matching the string from the cache.
     *
     * @param key String to find cache value.
     * @return Cached instance of the string.
     */
    public synchronized String cache(final String key) {
        String cachedString = null;
        if (this.cache.containsKey(key)) {
            final WeakReference<String> ref = this.cache.get(key);

            if (ref != null) {
                cachedString = ref.get();
                this.collisionCount++;
            }
        }

        if (cachedString == null) {
            this.cache.put(key, new WeakReference<>(key));
            cachedString = key;
        }

        return cachedString;
    }

We check if the map contains the key if it does we use the reference already stored. If it does not we then create WeakReference and store it in the Map. Properties is an object that contains a number of strings. I created a convenience method to cache Properties.

    /**
     * Return a Properties object with all strings Cached.
     * @param properties Properties to convert to Cached Strings
     * @return new Properties object with cached strings.
     */
    public Properties cacheProperties(Properties properties) {
        Properties cacheProperties = new Properties();
        Set<String> propertyNames = properties.stringPropertyNames();
        propertyNames.forEach(propertyName -> cacheProperties.put(this.cache(propertyName),this.cache(properties.getProperty(propertyName))));

        return cacheProperties;
    }

Below is the entire class

/*
  Copyright 2018 MyMiller Consulting LLC.
  <p>
  Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may not
  use this file except in compliance with the License.  You may obtain a copy
  of the License at
  <p>
  http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
  <p>
  Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
  distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT
  WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.  See the
  License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations under
  the License.
 */
/*

 */
package name.mymiller.containers;

import java.lang.ref.WeakReference;
import java.util.Properties;
import java.util.Set;
import java.util.WeakHashMap;

/**
 * String Cache to remove redundant String objects that contain the same data.
 *
 * @author jmiller
 */
public class StringCache {
    /**
     * Initial capacity of the cache.
     */
    private static final int globalInitialCapacity = 65535;
    /**
     * Initial Load factor to grow the map.
     */
    private static final float globalLoadFactor = (float) 0.75;

    /**
     * Global static instance of the cache.
     */
    private static final StringCache globalInstance = new StringCache();
    /**
     * Number of collisions the cache has saved.
     */
    private int collisionCount = 0;
    /**
     * Weak has map to allow Strings to be removed when only the cache has a link to
     * them.
     */
    private WeakHashMap<String, WeakReference<String>> cache = null;

    /**
     * Protected constructor forcing the use of the getInstance methods.
     */
    protected StringCache() {
        this.cache = new WeakHashMap<>(StringCache.globalInitialCapacity, StringCache.globalLoadFactor);
    }

    /**
     * Protected constructor allowing the configuration of the capacity and load
     * factor
     *
     * @param globalInitialCapacity Initial Capacity of the cache
     * @param globalLoadFactor      Load factor for growth.
     */
    protected StringCache(final int globalInitialCapacity, final float globalLoadFactor) {
        this.cache = new WeakHashMap<>(globalInitialCapacity, globalLoadFactor);
    }

    /**
     * Method to get a cache with default settings
     *
     * @return Global Cache
     */
    public static StringCache getInstance() {
        return StringCache.globalInstance;
    }

    /**
     * Returns the string matching the string from the cache.
     *
     * @param key String to find cache value.
     * @return Cached instance of the string.
     */
    public synchronized String cache(final String key) {
        String cachedString = null;
        if (this.cache.containsKey(key)) {
            final WeakReference<String> ref = this.cache.get(key);

            if (ref != null) {
                cachedString = ref.get();
                this.collisionCount++;
            }
        }

        if (cachedString == null) {
            this.cache.put(key, new WeakReference<>(key));
            cachedString = key;
        }

        return cachedString;
    }

    /**
     * Clears the cache
     */
    public synchronized void clear() {
        this.cache.clear();
        this.collisionCount = 0;
    }

    /**
     * Determines if the cache contains a String.
     *
     * @param key String to check if it is in the Cache.
     * @return boolean indicating if the String was found.
     * @see WeakHashMap#containsKey(Object)
     */
    public synchronized boolean containsKey(final String key) {
        return this.cache.containsKey(key);
    }

    /*
     * (non-Javadoc)
     *
     * @see java.name.mymiller.lang.Object#equals(java.name.mymiller.
     * extensions.lang.Object)
     */
    @Override
    public synchronized boolean equals(final Object obj) {
        if (this == obj) {
            return true;
        }
        if (obj == null) {
            return false;
        }
        if (!(obj instanceof StringCache)) {
            return false;
        }
        final StringCache other = (StringCache) obj;
        if (this.cache == null) {
            return other.cache == null;
        } else {
            return this.cache.equals(other.cache);
        }
    }

    /**
     * Returns a Set view of the strings this cache.
     *
     * @return Set View
     */
    public synchronized String[] getCached() {
        return this.cache.keySet().toArray(new String[0]);
    }

    /**
     *
     * @return Number of Collisions that have occurred.
     */
    public int getCollisionCount() {
        return this.collisionCount;
    }

    /*
     * (non-Javadoc)
     *
     * @see java.name.mymiller.lang.Object#hashCode()
     */
    @Override
    public synchronized int hashCode() {
        final int prime = 31;
        int result = 1;
        result = (prime * result) + ((this.cache == null) ? 0 : this.cache.hashCode());
        return result;
    }

    /**
     * Inserts an existing String cache into this instance.
     *
     * @param insert Cache to insert.
     */
    protected synchronized void insertCache(final StringCache insert) {
        this.cache.putAll(insert.cache);
    }

    /**
     * Remove a String from the Cache.
     *
     * @param key String to remove.
     */
    public synchronized void remove(final String key) {
        this.cache.remove(key);
    }

    /**
     * @return The size of the Cache.
     * @see WeakHashMap#size()
     */
    public synchronized int size() {
        return this.cache.size();
    }

    /**
     * Return a Properties object with all strings Cached.
     * @param properties Properties to convert to Cached Strings
     * @return new Properties object with cached strings.
     */
    public Properties cacheProperties(Properties properties) {
        Properties cacheProperties = new Properties();
        Set<String> propertyNames = properties.stringPropertyNames();
        propertyNames.forEach(propertyName -> cacheProperties.put(this.cache(propertyName),this.cache(properties.getProperty(propertyName))));

        return cacheProperties;
    }
}

By Jeffery Miller

I am known for being able to quickly decipher difficult problems to assist development teams in producing a solution. I have been called upon to be the Team Lead for multiple large-scale projects. I have a keen interest in learning new technologies, always ready for a new challenge.

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