Deque (Java SE 26 & JDK 26)
Description: declaration: module: java.base, package: java.util, interface: Deque
Keywords: java.util.Deque interface

# Interface Deque<E>

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

All Superinterfaces:
  `Collection<E>, Iterable<E>, Queue<E>, SequencedCollection<E>`

All Known Subinterfaces:
  `BlockingDeque<E>`

All Known Implementing Classes:
  `ArrayDeque, ConcurrentLinkedDeque, LinkedBlockingDeque, LinkedList`

public interface Deque<E> extends Queue<E>, SequencedCollection<E>
A linear collection that supports element insertion and removal at both ends. The name deque is short for "double ended queue" and is usually pronounced "deck". Most `Deque` implementations place no fixed limits on the number of elements they may contain, but this interface supports capacity-restricted deques as well as those with no fixed size limit.

This interface defines methods to access the elements at both ends of the deque. Methods are provided to insert, remove, and examine the element. Each of these methods exists in two forms: one throws an exception if the operation fails, the other returns a special value (either `null` or `false`, depending on the operation). The latter form of the insert operation is designed specifically for use with capacity-restricted `Deque` implementations; in most implementations, insert operations cannot fail.

The twelve methods described above are summarized in the following table:

Summary of Deque methods
| First Element (Head) | Last Element (Tail)
Throws exception | Special value | Throws exception | Special value
--- | --- | --- | ---
Insert | `addFirst(e)` | `offerFirst(e)` | `addLast(e)` | `offerLast(e)`
Remove | `removeFirst()` | `pollFirst()` | `removeLast()` | `pollLast()`
Examine | `getFirst()` | `peekFirst()` | `getLast()` | `peekLast()`

This interface extends the `Queue` interface. When a deque is used as a queue, FIFO (First-In-First-Out) behavior results. Elements are added at the end of the deque and removed from the beginning. The methods inherited from the `Queue` interface are precisely equivalent to `Deque` methods as indicated in the following table:

Comparison of Queue and Deque methods
`Queue` Method | Equivalent `Deque` Method
--- | ---
`add(e)` | `addLast(e)`
`offer(e)` | `offerLast(e)`
`remove()` | `removeFirst()`
`poll()` | `pollFirst()`
`element()` | `getFirst()`
`peek()` | `peekFirst()`

Deques can also be used as LIFO (Last-In-First-Out) stacks. This interface should be used in preference to the legacy `Stack` class. When a deque is used as a stack, elements are pushed and popped from the beginning of the deque. Stack methods are equivalent to `Deque` methods as indicated in the table below:

Comparison of Stack and Deque methods
Stack Method | Equivalent `Deque` Method
--- | ---
`push(e)` | `addFirst(e)`
`pop()` | `removeFirst()`
`peek()` | `peekFirst()`

Note that the `peek` method works equally well when a deque is used as a queue or a stack; in either case, elements are drawn from the beginning of the deque.

This interface provides two methods to remove interior elements, `removeFirstOccurrence` and `removeLastOccurrence`.

Unlike the `List` interface, this interface does not provide support for indexed access to elements.

While `Deque` implementations are not strictly required to prohibit the insertion of null elements, they are strongly encouraged to do so. Users of any `Deque` implementations that do allow null elements are strongly encouraged not to take advantage of the ability to insert nulls. This is so because `null` is used as a special return value by various methods to indicate that the deque is empty.

`Deque` implementations generally do not define element-based versions of the `equals` and `hashCode` methods, but instead inherit the identity-based versions from class `Object`.

This interface is a member of the Java Collections Framework.

Since:
  1.6

- ## Method Summary

  Modifier and Type
  Method
  Description
  `boolean`
  `add(E e)`
  Inserts the specified element into the queue represented by this deque (in other words, at the tail of this deque) if it is possible to do so immediately without violating capacity restrictions, returning `true` upon success and throwing an `IllegalStateException` if no space is currently available.
  `boolean`
  `addAll(Collection<? extends E> c)`
  Adds all of the elements in the specified collection at the end of this deque, as if by calling `addLast(E)` on each one, in the order that they are returned by the collection's iterator.
  `void`
  `addFirst(E e)`
  Inserts the specified element at the front of this deque if it is possible to do so immediately without violating capacity restrictions, throwing an `IllegalStateException` if no space is currently available.
  `void`
  `addLast(E e)`
  Inserts the specified element at the end of this deque if it is possible to do so immediately without violating capacity restrictions, throwing an `IllegalStateException` if no space is currently available.
  `boolean`
  `contains(Object o)`
  Returns `true` if this deque contains the specified element.
  `Iterator<E>`
  `descendingIterator()`
  Returns an iterator over the elements in this deque in reverse sequential order.
  `E`
  `element()`
  Retrieves, but does not remove, the head of the queue represented by this deque (in other words, the first element of this deque).
  `E`
  `getFirst()`
  Retrieves, but does not remove, the first element of this deque.
  `E`
  `getLast()`
  Retrieves, but does not remove, the last element of this deque.
  `Iterator<E>`
  `iterator()`
  Returns an iterator over the elements in this deque in proper sequence.
  `boolean`
  `offer(E e)`
  Inserts the specified element into the queue represented by this deque (in other words, at the tail of this deque) if it is possible to do so immediately without violating capacity restrictions, returning `true` upon success and `false` if no space is currently available.
  `boolean`
  `offerFirst(E e)`
  Inserts the specified element at the front of this deque unless it would violate capacity restrictions.
  `boolean`
  `offerLast(E e)`
  Inserts the specified element at the end of this deque unless it would violate capacity restrictions.
  `E`
  `peek()`
  Retrieves, but does not remove, the head of the queue represented by this deque (in other words, the first element of this deque), or returns `null` if this deque is empty.
  `E`
  `peekFirst()`
  Retrieves, but does not remove, the first element of this deque, or returns `null` if this deque is empty.
  `E`
  `peekLast()`
  Retrieves, but does not remove, the last element of this deque, or returns `null` if this deque is empty.
  `E`
  `poll()`
  Retrieves and removes the head of the queue represented by this deque (in other words, the first element of this deque), or returns `null` if this deque is empty.
  `E`
  `pollFirst()`
  Retrieves and removes the first element of this deque, or returns `null` if this deque is empty.
  `E`
  `pollLast()`
  Retrieves and removes the last element of this deque, or returns `null` if this deque is empty.
  `E`
  `pop()`
  Pops an element from the stack represented by this deque.
  `void`
  `push(E e)`
  Pushes an element onto the stack represented by this deque (in other words, at the head of this deque) if it is possible to do so immediately without violating capacity restrictions, throwing an `IllegalStateException` if no space is currently available.
  `E`
  `remove()`
  Retrieves and removes the head of the queue represented by this deque (in other words, the first element of this deque).
  `boolean`
  `remove(Object o)`
  Removes the first occurrence of the specified element from this deque.
  `E`
  `removeFirst()`
  Retrieves and removes the first element of this deque.
  `boolean`
  `removeFirstOccurrence(Object o)`
  Removes the first occurrence of the specified element from this deque.
  `E`
  `removeLast()`
  Retrieves and removes the last element of this deque.
  `boolean`
  `removeLastOccurrence(Object o)`
  Removes the last occurrence of the specified element from this deque.
  `default Deque<E>`
  `reversed()`
  Returns a reverse-ordered view of this collection.
  `int`
  `size()`
  Returns the number of elements in this deque.

  ### Methods declared in interface Collection

  `clear, containsAll, equals, hashCode, isEmpty, parallelStream, removeAll, removeIf, retainAll, spliterator, stream, toArray, toArray, toArray`
  Modifier and Type
  Method
  Description
  `void`
  `clear()`
  Removes all of the elements from this collection (optional operation).
  `boolean`
  `containsAll(Collection<?> c)`
  Returns `true` if this collection contains all of the elements in the specified collection.
  `boolean`
  `equals(Object o)`
  Compares the specified object with this collection for equality.
  `int`
  `hashCode()`
  Returns the hash code value for this collection.
  `boolean`
  `isEmpty()`
  Returns `true` if this collection contains no elements.
  `default Stream<E>`
  `parallelStream()`
  Returns a possibly parallel `Stream` with this collection as its source.
  `boolean`
  `removeAll(Collection<?> c)`
  Removes all of this collection's elements that are also contained in the specified collection (optional operation).
  `default boolean`
  `removeIf(Predicate<? super E> filter)`
  Removes all of the elements of this collection that satisfy the given predicate (optional operation).
  `boolean`
  `retainAll(Collection<?> c)`
  Retains only the elements in this collection that are contained in the specified collection (optional operation).
  `default Spliterator<E>`
  `spliterator()`
  Creates a `Spliterator` over the elements in this collection.
  `default Stream<E>`
  `stream()`
  Returns a sequential `Stream` with this collection as its source.
  `Object[]`
  `toArray()`
  Returns an array containing all of the elements in this collection.
  `default <T> T[]`
  `toArray(IntFunction<T[]> generator)`
  Returns an array containing all of the elements in this collection, using the provided `generator` function to allocate the returned array.
  `<T> T[]`
  `toArray(T[] a)`
  Returns an array containing all of the elements in this collection; the runtime type of the returned array is that of the specified array.

  ### Methods declared in interface Iterable

  `forEach`
  Modifier and Type
  Method
  Description
  `default void`
  `forEach(Consumer<? super E> action)`
  Performs the given action for each element of the `Iterable` until all elements have been processed or the action throws an exception.

- ## Method Details

  - ### addFirst

    void addFirst(E e)
    Inserts the specified element at the front of this deque if it is possible to do so immediately without violating capacity restrictions, throwing an `IllegalStateException` if no space is currently available. When using a capacity-restricted deque, it is generally preferable to use method `offerFirst(E)`.
    Specified by:
      `addFirst` in interface `SequencedCollection<E>`
    Parameters:
      `e` - the element to add
    Throws:
      `IllegalStateException` - if the element cannot be added at this time due to capacity restrictions
      `ClassCastException` - if the class of the specified element prevents it from being added to this deque
      `NullPointerException` - if the specified element is null and this deque does not permit null elements
      `IllegalArgumentException` - if some property of the specified element prevents it from being added to this deque

  - ### addLast

    void addLast(E e)
    Inserts the specified element at the end of this deque if it is possible to do so immediately without violating capacity restrictions, throwing an `IllegalStateException` if no space is currently available. When using a capacity-restricted deque, it is generally preferable to use method `offerLast(E)`.

    This method is equivalent to `add(E)`.

    Specified by:
      `addLast` in interface `SequencedCollection<E>`
    Parameters:
      `e` - the element to add
    Throws:
      `IllegalStateException` - if the element cannot be added at this time due to capacity restrictions
      `ClassCastException` - if the class of the specified element prevents it from being added to this deque
      `NullPointerException` - if the specified element is null and this deque does not permit null elements
      `IllegalArgumentException` - if some property of the specified element prevents it from being added to this deque

  - ### offerFirst

    boolean offerFirst(E e)
    Inserts the specified element at the front of this deque unless it would violate capacity restrictions. When using a capacity-restricted deque, this method is generally preferable to the `addFirst(E)` method, which can fail to insert an element only by throwing an exception.
    Parameters:
      `e` - the element to add
    Returns:
      `true` if the element was added to this deque, else `false`
    Throws:
      `ClassCastException` - if the class of the specified element prevents it from being added to this deque
      `NullPointerException` - if the specified element is null and this deque does not permit null elements
      `IllegalArgumentException` - if some property of the specified element prevents it from being added to this deque

  - ### offerLast

    boolean offerLast(E e)
    Inserts the specified element at the end of this deque unless it would violate capacity restrictions. When using a capacity-restricted deque, this method is generally preferable to the `addLast(E)` method, which can fail to insert an element only by throwing an exception.
    Parameters:
      `e` - the element to add
    Returns:
      `true` if the element was added to this deque, else `false`
    Throws:
      `ClassCastException` - if the class of the specified element prevents it from being added to this deque
      `NullPointerException` - if the specified element is null and this deque does not permit null elements
      `IllegalArgumentException` - if some property of the specified element prevents it from being added to this deque

  - ### removeFirst

    E removeFirst()
    Retrieves and removes the first element of this deque. This method differs from `pollFirst` only in that it throws an exception if this deque is empty.
    Specified by:
      `removeFirst` in interface `SequencedCollection<E>`
    Returns:
      the head of this deque
    Throws:
      `NoSuchElementException` - if this deque is empty

  - ### removeLast

    E removeLast()
    Retrieves and removes the last element of this deque. This method differs from `pollLast` only in that it throws an exception if this deque is empty.
    Specified by:
      `removeLast` in interface `SequencedCollection<E>`
    Returns:
      the tail of this deque
    Throws:
      `NoSuchElementException` - if this deque is empty

  - ### pollFirst

    E pollFirst()
    Retrieves and removes the first element of this deque, or returns `null` if this deque is empty.
    Returns:
      the head of this deque, or `null` if this deque is empty

  - ### pollLast

    E pollLast()
    Retrieves and removes the last element of this deque, or returns `null` if this deque is empty.
    Returns:
      the tail of this deque, or `null` if this deque is empty

  - ### getFirst

    E getFirst()
    Retrieves, but does not remove, the first element of this deque. This method differs from `peekFirst` only in that it throws an exception if this deque is empty.
    Specified by:
      `getFirst` in interface `SequencedCollection<E>`
    Returns:
      the head of this deque
    Throws:
      `NoSuchElementException` - if this deque is empty

  - ### getLast

    E getLast()
    Retrieves, but does not remove, the last element of this deque. This method differs from `peekLast` only in that it throws an exception if this deque is empty.
    Specified by:
      `getLast` in interface `SequencedCollection<E>`
    Returns:
      the tail of this deque
    Throws:
      `NoSuchElementException` - if this deque is empty

  - ### peekFirst

    E peekFirst()
    Retrieves, but does not remove, the first element of this deque, or returns `null` if this deque is empty.
    Returns:
      the head of this deque, or `null` if this deque is empty

  - ### peekLast

    E peekLast()
    Retrieves, but does not remove, the last element of this deque, or returns `null` if this deque is empty.
    Returns:
      the tail of this deque, or `null` if this deque is empty

  - ### removeFirstOccurrence

    boolean removeFirstOccurrence(Object o)
    Removes the first occurrence of the specified element from this deque. If the deque does not contain the element, it is unchanged. More formally, removes the first element `e` such that `Objects.equals(o, e)` (if such an element exists). Returns `true` if this deque contained the specified element (or equivalently, if this deque changed as a result of the call).
    Parameters:
      `o` - element to be removed from this deque, if present
    Returns:
      `true` if an element was removed as a result of this call
    Throws:
      `ClassCastException` - if the class of the specified element is incompatible with this deque (optional)
      `NullPointerException` - if the specified element is null and this deque does not permit null elements (optional)

  - ### removeLastOccurrence

    boolean removeLastOccurrence(Object o)
    Removes the last occurrence of the specified element from this deque. If the deque does not contain the element, it is unchanged. More formally, removes the last element `e` such that `Objects.equals(o, e)` (if such an element exists). Returns `true` if this deque contained the specified element (or equivalently, if this deque changed as a result of the call).
    Parameters:
      `o` - element to be removed from this deque, if present
    Returns:
      `true` if an element was removed as a result of this call
    Throws:
      `ClassCastException` - if the class of the specified element is incompatible with this deque (optional)
      `NullPointerException` - if the specified element is null and this deque does not permit null elements (optional)

  - ### add

    boolean add(E e)
    Inserts the specified element into the queue represented by this deque (in other words, at the tail of this deque) if it is possible to do so immediately without violating capacity restrictions, returning `true` upon success and throwing an `IllegalStateException` if no space is currently available. When using a capacity-restricted deque, it is generally preferable to use `offer`.

    This method is equivalent to `addLast(E)`.

    Specified by:
      `add` in interface `Collection<E>`
    Specified by:
      `add` in interface `Queue<E>`
    Parameters:
      `e` - the element to add
    Returns:
      `true` (as specified by `Collection.add(E)`)
    Throws:
      `IllegalStateException` - if the element cannot be added at this time due to capacity restrictions
      `ClassCastException` - if the class of the specified element prevents it from being added to this deque
      `NullPointerException` - if the specified element is null and this deque does not permit null elements
      `IllegalArgumentException` - if some property of the specified element prevents it from being added to this deque

  - ### offer

    boolean offer(E e)
    Inserts the specified element into the queue represented by this deque (in other words, at the tail of this deque) if it is possible to do so immediately without violating capacity restrictions, returning `true` upon success and `false` if no space is currently available. When using a capacity-restricted deque, this method is generally preferable to the `add(E)` method, which can fail to insert an element only by throwing an exception.

    This method is equivalent to `offerLast(E)`.

    Specified by:
      `offer` in interface `Queue<E>`
    Parameters:
      `e` - the element to add
    Returns:
      `true` if the element was added to this deque, else `false`
    Throws:
      `ClassCastException` - if the class of the specified element prevents it from being added to this deque
      `NullPointerException` - if the specified element is null and this deque does not permit null elements
      `IllegalArgumentException` - if some property of the specified element prevents it from being added to this deque

  - ### remove

    E remove()
    Retrieves and removes the head of the queue represented by this deque (in other words, the first element of this deque). This method differs from `poll()` only in that it throws an exception if this deque is empty.

    This method is equivalent to `removeFirst()`.

    Specified by:
      `remove` in interface `Queue<E>`
    Returns:
      the head of the queue represented by this deque
    Throws:
      `NoSuchElementException` - if this deque is empty

  - ### poll

    E poll()
    Retrieves and removes the head of the queue represented by this deque (in other words, the first element of this deque), or returns `null` if this deque is empty.

    This method is equivalent to `pollFirst()`.

    Specified by:
      `poll` in interface `Queue<E>`
    Returns:
      the first element of this deque, or `null` if this deque is empty

  - ### element

    E element()
    Retrieves, but does not remove, the head of the queue represented by this deque (in other words, the first element of this deque). This method differs from `peek` only in that it throws an exception if this deque is empty.

    This method is equivalent to `getFirst()`.

    Specified by:
      `element` in interface `Queue<E>`
    Returns:
      the head of the queue represented by this deque
    Throws:
      `NoSuchElementException` - if this deque is empty

  - ### peek

    E peek()
    Retrieves, but does not remove, the head of the queue represented by this deque (in other words, the first element of this deque), or returns `null` if this deque is empty.

    This method is equivalent to `peekFirst()`.

    Specified by:
      `peek` in interface `Queue<E>`
    Returns:
      the head of the queue represented by this deque, or `null` if this deque is empty

  - ### addAll

    boolean addAll(Collection<? extends E> c)
    Adds all of the elements in the specified collection at the end of this deque, as if by calling `addLast(E)` on each one, in the order that they are returned by the collection's iterator.

    When using a capacity-restricted deque, it is generally preferable to call `offer` separately on each element.

    An exception encountered while trying to add an element may result in only some of the elements having been successfully added when the associated exception is thrown.

    Specified by:
      `addAll` in interface `Collection<E>`
    Parameters:
      `c` - the elements to be inserted into this deque
    Returns:
      `true` if this deque changed as a result of the call
    Throws:
      `IllegalStateException` - if not all the elements can be added at this time due to insertion restrictions
      `ClassCastException` - if the class of an element of the specified collection prevents it from being added to this deque
      `NullPointerException` - if the specified collection contains a null element and this deque does not permit null elements, or if the specified collection is null
      `IllegalArgumentException` - if some property of an element of the specified collection prevents it from being added to this deque
    See Also:
      - `Collection.add(Object)`

  - ### push

    void push(E e)
    Pushes an element onto the stack represented by this deque (in other words, at the head of this deque) if it is possible to do so immediately without violating capacity restrictions, throwing an `IllegalStateException` if no space is currently available.

    This method is equivalent to `addFirst(E)`.

    Parameters:
      `e` - the element to push
    Throws:
      `IllegalStateException` - if the element cannot be added at this time due to capacity restrictions
      `ClassCastException` - if the class of the specified element prevents it from being added to this deque
      `NullPointerException` - if the specified element is null and this deque does not permit null elements
      `IllegalArgumentException` - if some property of the specified element prevents it from being added to this deque

  - ### pop

    E pop()
    Pops an element from the stack represented by this deque. In other words, removes and returns the first element of this deque.

    This method is equivalent to `removeFirst()`.

    Returns:
      the element at the front of this deque (which is the top of the stack represented by this deque)
    Throws:
      `NoSuchElementException` - if this deque is empty

  - ### remove

    boolean remove(Object o)
    Removes the first occurrence of the specified element from this deque. If the deque does not contain the element, it is unchanged. More formally, removes the first element `e` such that `Objects.equals(o, e)` (if such an element exists). Returns `true` if this deque contained the specified element (or equivalently, if this deque changed as a result of the call).

    This method is equivalent to `removeFirstOccurrence(Object)`.

    Specified by:
      `remove` in interface `Collection<E>`
    Parameters:
      `o` - element to be removed from this deque, if present
    Returns:
      `true` if an element was removed as a result of this call
    Throws:
      `ClassCastException` - if the class of the specified element is incompatible with this deque (optional)
      `NullPointerException` - if the specified element is null and this deque does not permit null elements (optional)

  - ### contains

    boolean contains(Object o)
    Returns `true` if this deque contains the specified element. More formally, returns `true` if and only if this deque contains at least one element `e` such that `Objects.equals(o, e)`.
    Specified by:
      `contains` in interface `Collection<E>`
    Parameters:
      `o` - element whose presence in this deque is to be tested
    Returns:
      `true` if this deque contains the specified element
    Throws:
      `ClassCastException` - if the class of the specified element is incompatible with this deque (optional)
      `NullPointerException` - if the specified element is null and this deque does not permit null elements (optional)

  - ### size

    int size()
    Returns the number of elements in this deque.
    Specified by:
      `size` in interface `Collection<E>`
    Returns:
      the number of elements in this deque

  - ### iterator

    Iterator<E> iterator()
    Returns an iterator over the elements in this deque in proper sequence. The elements will be returned in order from first (head) to last (tail).
    Specified by:
      `iterator` in interface `Collection<E>`
    Specified by:
      `iterator` in interface `Iterable<E>`
    Returns:
      an iterator over the elements in this deque in proper sequence

  - ### descendingIterator

    Iterator<E> descendingIterator()
    Returns an iterator over the elements in this deque in reverse sequential order. The elements will be returned in order from last (tail) to first (head).
    Returns:
      an iterator over the elements in this deque in reverse sequence

  - ### reversed

    default Deque<E> reversed()
    Returns a reverse-ordered view of this collection. The encounter order of elements in the returned view is the inverse of the encounter order of elements in this collection. The reverse ordering affects all order-sensitive operations, including those on the view collections of the returned view. If the collection implementation permits modifications to this view, the modifications "write through" to the underlying collection. Changes to the underlying collection might or might not be visible in this reversed view, depending upon the implementation.
    Specified by:
      `reversed` in interface `SequencedCollection<E>`
    Implementation Requirements:
      The implementation in this interface returns a reverse-ordered Deque view. The `reversed()` method of the view returns a reference to this Deque. Other operations on the view are implemented via calls to public methods on this Deque. The exact relationship between calls on the view and calls on this Deque is unspecified. However, order-sensitive operations generally behave as if they delegate to the appropriate method with the opposite orientation. For example, calling `getFirst` on the view might result in a call to `getLast` on this Deque.
    Returns:
      a reverse-ordered view of this collection, as a `Deque`
    Since:
      21