# Class SynchronousQueue<E>

java.lang.Object
java.util.AbstractCollection<E>
java.util.AbstractQueue<E>
java.util.concurrent.SynchronousQueue<E>

Type Parameters:
  `E` - the type of elements held in this queue

All Implemented Interfaces:
  `Serializable, Iterable<E>, Collection<E>, BlockingQueue<E>, Queue<E>`

public class SynchronousQueue<E> extends AbstractQueue<E> implements BlockingQueue<E>, Serializable
A blocking queue in which each insert operation must wait for a corresponding remove operation by another thread, and vice versa. A synchronous queue does not have any internal capacity, not even a capacity of one. You cannot `peek` at a synchronous queue because an element is only present when you try to remove it; you cannot insert an element (using any method) unless another thread is trying to remove it; you cannot iterate as there is nothing to iterate. The head of the queue is the element that the first queued inserting thread is trying to add to the queue; if there is no such queued thread then no element is available for removal and `poll()` will return `null`. For purposes of other `Collection` methods (for example `contains`), a `SynchronousQueue` acts as an empty collection. This queue does not permit `null` elements.

Synchronous queues are similar to rendezvous channels used in CSP and Ada. They are well suited for handoff designs, in which an object running in one thread must sync up with an object running in another thread in order to hand it some information, event, or task.

This class supports an optional fairness policy for ordering waiting producer and consumer threads. By default, this ordering is not guaranteed. However, a queue constructed with fairness set to `true` grants threads access in FIFO order.

This class and its iterator implement all of the optional methods of the `Collection` and `Iterator` interfaces.

This class is a member of the Java Collections Framework.

Since:
  1.5
See Also:
  - Serialized Form

## Constructor Summary

Constructors
Constructor
Description
`SynchronousQueue()`
Creates a `SynchronousQueue` with nonfair access policy.
`SynchronousQueue(boolean fair)`
Creates a `SynchronousQueue` with the specified fairness policy.

## Method Summary

Modifier and Type
Method
Description
`void`
`clear()`
Does nothing.
`boolean`
`contains(Object o)`
Always returns `false`.
`boolean`
`containsAll(Collection<?> c)`
Returns `false` unless the given collection is empty.
`int`
`drainTo(Collection<? super E> c)`
Removes all available elements from this queue and adds them to the given collection.
`int`
`drainTo(Collection<? super E> c, int maxElements)`
Removes at most the given number of available elements from this queue and adds them to the given collection.
`boolean`
`isEmpty()`
Always returns `true`.
`Iterator<E>`
`iterator()`
Returns an empty iterator in which `hasNext` always returns `false`.
`boolean`
`offer(E e)`
Inserts the specified element into this queue, if another thread is waiting to receive it.
`boolean`
`offer(E e, long timeout, TimeUnit unit)`
Inserts the specified element into this queue, waiting if necessary up to the specified wait time for another thread to receive it.
`E`
`peek()`
Always returns `null`.
`E`
`poll()`
Retrieves and removes the head of this queue, if another thread is currently making an element available.
`E`
`poll(long timeout, TimeUnit unit)`
Retrieves and removes the head of this queue, waiting if necessary up to the specified wait time, for another thread to insert it.
`void`
`put(E e)`
Adds the specified element to this queue, waiting if necessary for another thread to receive it.
`int`
`remainingCapacity()`
Always returns zero.
`boolean`
`remove(Object o)`
Always returns `false`.
`boolean`
`removeAll(Collection<?> c)`
Always returns `false`.
`boolean`
`retainAll(Collection<?> c)`
Always returns `false`.
`int`
`size()`
Always returns zero.
`Spliterator<E>`
`spliterator()`
Returns an empty spliterator in which calls to `trySplit` always return `null`.
`E`
`take()`
Retrieves and removes the head of this queue, waiting if necessary for another thread to insert it.
`Object[]`
`toArray()`
Returns a zero-length array.
`<T> T[]`
`toArray(T[] a)`
Sets the zeroth element of the specified array to `null` (if the array has non-zero length) and returns it.
`String`
`toString()`
Always returns `"[]"`.

### Methods declared in class AbstractQueue

`add, addAll, element, remove`

### Methods declared in class Object

`clone, equals, finalize, getClass, hashCode, notify, notifyAll, wait, wait, wait`

### Methods declared in interface BlockingQueue

`add`

### Methods declared in interface Collection

`addAll, equals, hashCode, parallelStream, removeIf, stream, toArray`

### Methods declared in interface Iterable

`forEach`

### Methods declared in interface Queue

`element, remove`

## Constructor Details

### SynchronousQueue

public SynchronousQueue()
Creates a `SynchronousQueue` with nonfair access policy.

### SynchronousQueue

public SynchronousQueue(boolean fair)
Creates a `SynchronousQueue` with the specified fairness policy.

Parameters:
  `fair` - if true, waiting threads contend in FIFO order for access; otherwise the order is unspecified.

## Method Details

### put

public void put(E e) throws InterruptedException
Adds the specified element to this queue, waiting if necessary for another thread to receive it.

Specified by:
  `put` in interface `BlockingQueue<E>`
Parameters:
  `e` - the element to add
Throws:
  `InterruptedException` - if interrupted while waiting
  `NullPointerException` - if the specified element is null

### offer

public boolean offer(E e, long timeout, TimeUnit unit) throws InterruptedException
Inserts the specified element into this queue, waiting if necessary up to the specified wait time for another thread to receive it.

Specified by:
  `offer` in interface `BlockingQueue<E>`
Parameters:
  `e` - the element to add
  `timeout` - how long to wait before giving up, in units of `unit`
  `unit` - a `TimeUnit` determining how to interpret the `timeout` parameter
Returns:
  `true` if successful, or `false` if the specified waiting time elapses before a consumer appears
Throws:
  `InterruptedException` - if interrupted while waiting
  `NullPointerException` - if the specified element is null

### offer

public boolean offer(E e)
Inserts the specified element into this queue, if another thread is waiting to receive it.

Specified by:
  `offer` in interface `BlockingQueue<E>`
Specified by:
  `offer` in interface `Queue<E>`
Parameters:
  `e` - the element to add
Returns:
  `true` if the element was added to this queue, else `false`
Throws:
  `NullPointerException` - if the specified element is null

### take

public E take() throws InterruptedException
Retrieves and removes the head of this queue, waiting if necessary for another thread to insert it.

Specified by:
  `take` in interface `BlockingQueue<E>`
Returns:
  the head of this queue
Throws:
  `InterruptedException` - if interrupted while waiting

### poll

public E poll(long timeout, TimeUnit unit) throws InterruptedException
Retrieves and removes the head of this queue, waiting if necessary up to the specified wait time, for another thread to insert it.

Specified by:
  `poll` in interface `BlockingQueue<E>`
Parameters:
  `timeout` - how long to wait before giving up, in units of `unit`
  `unit` - a `TimeUnit` determining how to interpret the `timeout` parameter
Returns:
  the head of this queue, or `null` if the specified waiting time elapses before an element is present
Throws:
  `InterruptedException` - if interrupted while waiting

### poll

public E poll()
Retrieves and removes the head of this queue, if another thread is currently making an element available.

Specified by:
  `poll` in interface `Queue<E>`
Returns:
  the head of this queue, or `null` if no element is available

### isEmpty

public boolean isEmpty()
Always returns `true`. A `SynchronousQueue` has no internal capacity.

Specified by:
  `isEmpty` in interface `Collection<E>`
Overrides:
  `isEmpty` in class `AbstractCollection<E>`
Returns:
  `true`

### size

public int size()
Always returns zero. A `SynchronousQueue` has no internal capacity.

Specified by:
  `size` in interface `Collection<E>`
Returns:
  zero

### remainingCapacity

public int remainingCapacity()
Always returns zero. A `SynchronousQueue` has no internal capacity.

Specified by:
  `remainingCapacity` in interface `BlockingQueue<E>`
Returns:
  zero

### clear

public void clear()
Does nothing. A `SynchronousQueue` has no internal capacity.

Specified by:
  `clear` in interface `Collection<E>`
Overrides:
  `clear` in class `AbstractQueue<E>`

### contains

public boolean contains(Object o)
Always returns `false`. A `SynchronousQueue` has no internal capacity.

Specified by:
  `contains` in interface `BlockingQueue<E>`
Specified by:
  `contains` in interface `Collection<E>`
Overrides:
  `contains` in class `AbstractCollection<E>`
Parameters:
  `o` - the element
Returns:
  `false`

### remove

public boolean remove(Object o)
Always returns `false`. A `SynchronousQueue` has no internal capacity.

Specified by:
  `remove` in interface `BlockingQueue<E>`
Specified by:
  `remove` in interface `Collection<E>`
Overrides:
  `remove` in class `AbstractCollection<E>`
Parameters:
  `o` - the element to remove
Returns:
  `false`

### containsAll

public boolean containsAll(Collection<?> c)
Returns `false` unless the given collection is empty. A `SynchronousQueue` has no internal capacity.

Specified by:
  `containsAll` in interface `Collection<E>`
Overrides:
  `containsAll` in class `AbstractCollection<E>`
Parameters:
  `c` - the collection
Returns:
  `false` unless given collection is empty
See Also:
  - `AbstractCollection.contains(Object)`

### removeAll

public boolean removeAll(Collection<?> c)
Always returns `false`. A `SynchronousQueue` has no internal capacity.

Specified by:
  `removeAll` in interface `Collection<E>`
Overrides:
  `removeAll` in class `AbstractCollection<E>`
Parameters:
  `c` - the collection
Returns:
  `false`
See Also:
  - `AbstractCollection.remove(Object)`
  - `AbstractCollection.contains(Object)`

### retainAll

public boolean retainAll(Collection<?> c)
Always returns `false`. A `SynchronousQueue` has no internal capacity.

Specified by:
  `retainAll` in interface `Collection<E>`
Overrides:
  `retainAll` in class `AbstractCollection<E>`
Parameters:
  `c` - the collection
Returns:
  `false`
See Also:
  - `AbstractCollection.remove(Object)`
  - `AbstractCollection.contains(Object)`

### peek

public E peek()
Always returns `null`. A `SynchronousQueue` does not return elements unless actively waited on.

Specified by:
  `peek` in interface `Queue<E>`
Returns:
  `null`

### iterator

public Iterator<E> iterator()
Returns an empty iterator in which `hasNext` always returns `false`.

Specified by:
  `iterator` in interface `Collection<E>`
Specified by:
  `iterator` in interface `Iterable<E>`
Specified by:
  `iterator` in class `AbstractCollection<E>`
Returns:
  an empty iterator

### spliterator

public Spliterator<E> spliterator()
Returns an empty spliterator in which calls to `trySplit` always return `null`.

Specified by:
  `spliterator` in interface `Collection<E>`
Specified by:
  `spliterator` in interface `Iterable<E>`
Returns:
  an empty spliterator
Since:
  1.8

### toArray

public Object[] toArray()
Returns a zero-length array.

Specified by:
  `toArray` in interface `Collection<E>`
Overrides:
  `toArray` in class `AbstractCollection<E>`
Returns:
  a zero-length array

### toArray

public <T> T[] toArray(T[] a)
Sets the zeroth element of the specified array to `null` (if the array has non-zero length) and returns it.

Specified by:
  `toArray` in interface `Collection<E>`
Overrides:
  `toArray` in class `AbstractCollection<E>`
Type Parameters:
  `T` - the component type of the array to contain the collection
Parameters:
  `a` - the array
Returns:
  the specified array
Throws:
  `NullPointerException` - if the specified array is null

### toString

public String toString()
Always returns `"[]"`.

Overrides:
  `toString` in class `AbstractCollection<E>`
Returns:
  `"[]"`

### drainTo

public int drainTo(Collection<? super E> c)
Description copied from interface: `BlockingQueue`
Removes all available elements from this queue and adds them to the given collection. This operation may be more efficient than repeatedly polling this queue. A failure encountered while attempting to add elements to collection `c` may result in elements being in neither, either or both collections when the associated exception is thrown. Attempts to drain a queue to itself result in `IllegalArgumentException`. Further, the behavior of this operation is undefined if the specified collection is modified while the operation is in progress.

Specified by:
  `drainTo` in interface `BlockingQueue<E>`
Parameters:
  `c` - the collection to transfer elements into
Returns:
  the number of elements transferred
Throws:
  `UnsupportedOperationException` - if addition of elements is not supported by the specified collection
  `ClassCastException` - if the class of an element of this queue prevents it from being added to the specified collection
  `NullPointerException` - if the specified collection is null
  `IllegalArgumentException` - if the specified collection is this queue, or some property of an element of this queue prevents it from being added to the specified collection

### drainTo

public int drainTo(Collection<? super E> c, int maxElements)
Description copied from interface: `BlockingQueue`
Removes at most the given number of available elements from this queue and adds them to the given collection. A failure encountered while attempting to add elements to collection `c` may result in elements being in neither, either or both collections when the associated exception is thrown. Attempts to drain a queue to itself result in `IllegalArgumentException`. Further, the behavior of this operation is undefined if the specified collection is modified while the operation is in progress.

Specified by:
  `drainTo` in interface `BlockingQueue<E>`
Parameters:
  `c` - the collection to transfer elements into
  `maxElements` - the maximum number of elements to transfer
Returns:
  the number of elements transferred
Throws:
  `UnsupportedOperationException` - if addition of elements is not supported by the specified collection
  `ClassCastException` - if the class of an element of this queue prevents it from being added to the specified collection
  `NullPointerException` - if the specified collection is null
  `IllegalArgumentException` - if the specified collection is this queue, or some property of an element of this queue prevents it from being added to the specified collection