What is a Vector in Java

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Vector implements a dynamic array. It is similar to ArrayList, but with two differences:  Vector is synchronized, and it contains many legacy methods that are not part of the collections framework.

In Core Java, a “vector” typically refers to the Vector class, which is a part of the Java Collections Framework. The Vector class implements a dynamic array that can grow or shrink as needed. It is similar to the ArrayList class but is synchronized, meaning it is thread-safe.

Here are some key points about the Vector class in Java:

  1. Synchronization: One of the main characteristics of Vector is that it is synchronized. This means that multiple threads can safely manipulate a Vector object without the need for external synchronization.
  2. Dynamic Size: Vector is a dynamic array, which means it can grow or shrink in size as needed. This is in contrast to traditional arrays in Java, which have a fixed size.
  3. Legacy Class: While Vector is part of the Java Collections Framework, it is considered a legacy class. In modern Java programming, ArrayList is often preferred over Vector because ArrayList is not synchronized by default, which can lead to better performance in single-threaded scenarios.

Here’s a simple example of using a Vector in Java:

java

import java.util.Vector;

public class VectorExample {
public static void main(String[] args) {
// Creating a Vector
Vector<String> vector = new Vector<>();

// Adding elements
vector.add(“Java”);
vector.add(“C++”);
vector.add(“Python”);

// Accessing elements
System.out.println(“Elements in the vector: “ + vector);

// Removing an element
vector.remove(“C++”);

// Iterating through the vector
System.out.println(“Elements after removal: “);
for (String language : vector) {
System.out.println(language);
}
}
}

In the example above, we create a Vector, add elements to it, remove an element, and then iterate through the remaining elements.