Problem Statement
What are the performance characteristics of List, Set, and Map operations and how to choose the right collection?
Explanation
Lists provide O of 1 random access by index and fast iteration but O of n contains checks and removals scanning the entire list. ArrayList is best for random access and iteration, LinkedList for frequent insertions and removals at specific positions though rarely needed in Kotlin.
Sets provide O of 1 contains, add, and remove operations using hash-based implementations like HashSet, making them ideal for uniqueness checking or fast membership tests. LinkedHashSet maintains insertion order with slightly more memory, TreeSet provides sorting with O of log n operations.
Maps provide O of 1 key-based lookup, insertion, and removal using HashMap, perfect for lookups and associations. LinkedHashMap maintains insertion order, TreeMap provides sorted keys with O of log n operations, use when key ordering matters.
Choose List for ordered data with index access, Set for unique elements with fast membership testing, and Map for key-value associations with fast lookups. Consider memory usage and typical operations to pick the right implementation.
Practice Sets
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