Merge multiple map with java stream api

Question

I am trying to merge multiple map with Java stream API. The reqiurements like ...

• this method can receive multiple map, does not care hot many of it
• support 2 merge method: intersection, union
• if key duplicates, it overwrites with later value

Here is basic code I wrote,

public class MapMergeHelper {
    public static Map<String, String> merge (MapMergeOperation mergeOperation, Map<String, String> ... maps) {
        Map<String, String> merged;
        switch (mergeOperation) {
            case INTERSECTION -> {
                Set<Map.Entry<String, String>> entrySet = maps[0].entrySet();
                for (int i = 1; i < maps.length; i++) {
                    final int current = i;
                    entrySet = entrySet.stream().filter(entry -> maps[current].containsKey(entry.getKey()))
                            .collect(Collectors.toSet());
                }
                merged = entrySet.stream()
                        .collect(Collectors.toMap(entry -> entry.getKey(), entry -> entry.getValue()));
            }
            default -> {
                // UNION -> If key duplicates, then override
                merged = Stream.of(maps)
                        .flatMap(entry -> entry.entrySet().stream())
                        .collect(Collectors.toMap(entry -> entry.getKey(), entry -> entry.getValue(), (o, o2) -> o2));
            }
        }
        return merged;
    }
}

MapMergeOperation is simple Enum like this

public enum MapMergeOperation {
    UNION,
    INTERSECTION
}

And here is the testcase

public class MapMergeHelperTest {

    @Test
    public void testMerge() {
        Map<String, String> testEntryMapA = Map.of("key1", "a", "key2", "b", "key3", "c", "key4", "d");
        Map<String, String> testEntryMapB = Map.of("key1", "b");
        Map<String, String> testEntryMapC = Map.of("key1", "a", "key5", "e");
        {
            // test intersection
            Map<String, String> actual = MapMergeHelper.merge(MapMergeOperation.INTERSECTION, testEntryMapA, testEntryMapB, testEntryMapC);
            assertThat(actual.keySet()).containsExactly("key1");
            assertThat(actual.get("key1")).isEqualTo("a"); // override
        }

        {
            // test union
            Map<String, String> actual = MapMergeHelper.merge(MapMergeOperation.UNION, testEntryMapA, testEntryMapB, testEntryMapC);
            assertThat(actual.keySet()).containsExactlyInAnyOrder("key1", "key2", "key3", "key4", "key5");
        }

    }
}

The problem is, I think it is not efficient enough because calling collect(Collections.toSet()) every time inside of for loop.

I am looking for a way to achieve goal in better readable, efficient way!

Answer 1

Some basic tips:

• Split this into 2 methods, drop the enum. It doesn't do you any good unless something is really forcing you to have it there. It will be a lot more readable and easier to have 2 separate functions intersect and union. Then you can worry about them separately, make separate tests for each of those as individual parts.
• Don't mix streams and for loops. Choose one and stick with it. This makes the code confusing and less readable.
• No point of this line final int current = i;, just use i directly or rename i to current.
• Collecting to set is fine, but your logic could be improved. Take at look at Set.retainAll
• Variable merged is unnecessary, you always assign it only to return in the next line. Just return the result already.