What are the best practices for using ConcurrentHashMap in Java?

What are the best practices for using ConcurrentHashMap in Java?

When using ConcurrentHashMap, it's important to understand its concurrency level and choose the right initial capacity.

Can you explain how the concurrency level affects performance?

The concurrency level determines the number of segments in the map, which can improve performance by allowing multiple threads to access different segments simultaneously.

Are there any specific methods I should avoid?

Yes, avoid using methods that are not thread-safe, like size() or isEmpty(), as they can lead to inconsistent results.

What about iterating over the map? Is it safe?

Iterating over a ConcurrentHashMap is safe, but be aware that the iterator reflects the state of the map at the time of creation and may not reflect subsequent changes.