Atomic & Concurrent Collections
Learn to use atomic variables and concurrent collections for thread safety.
Atomic & Concurrent Collections is a free Java Academy lesson on CoddyKit — lesson 2 of 3. You can read the complete lesson below for free — then practise it hands-on in the browser with a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor. It is part of the Java Academy learning path, one of 3 lessons in the course, and your progress syncs across the web and the CoddyKit app.
Intro
Atomic variables and concurrent collections simplify thread-safe programming.
AtomicInteger
AtomicInteger offers atomic increment, decrement, and compare-and-set operations.
Code: AtomicInteger
AtomicInteger ensures updates are thread-safe without explicit locks.
import java.util.concurrent.atomic.*;public class Main {
public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {
AtomicInteger count = new AtomicInteger(0);
Thread t1 = new Thread(() -> { for(int i=0;i<1000;i++) count.incrementAndGet(); });
Thread t2 = new Thread(() -> { for(int i=0;i<1000;i++) count.incrementAndGet(); });
t1.start(); t2.start();
t1.join(); t2.join();
System.out.println("Count = " + count.get());
}
}
Concurrent collections
Concurrent collections like ConcurrentHashMap or CopyOnWriteArrayList handle concurrent access safely.
Code: ConcurrentHashMap
ConcurrentHashMap allows safe concurrent writes and reads.
import java.util.concurrent.*;public class Main {
public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {
ConcurrentHashMap<String, Integer> map = new ConcurrentHashMap<>();
Thread t1 = new Thread(() -> { map.put("A", 1); });
Thread t2 = new Thread(() -> { map.put("B", 2); });
t1.start(); t2.start();
t1.join(); t2.join();
System.out.println(map);
}
}
Code: CopyOnWriteArrayList
CopyOnWriteArrayList avoids ConcurrentModificationException during iteration.
import java.util.concurrent.*;public class Main {
public static void main(String[] args) {
CopyOnWriteArrayList<String> list = new CopyOnWriteArrayList<>();
list.add("Hello");
list.add("World");
for(String s : list) {
list.add("Extra"); // safe even during iteration
System.out.println(s);
}
}
}
Atomic/Concurrent check
Quick check: Why use an AtomicInteger instead of a normal int with multiple threads?
Recap
Recap: Use atomic classes for thread-safe counters and concurrent collections for safe shared data structures.
Frequently asked questions
Is the “Atomic & Concurrent Collections” lesson free?
Yes — the full text of “Atomic & Concurrent Collections” is free to read here on the web, and the Java Academy course includes 3 lessons in total. To practise it interactively (a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor) and unlock the rest of the Java Academy course, upgrade to CoddyKit PRO.
What will I learn in “Atomic & Concurrent Collections”?
Learn to use atomic variables and concurrent collections for thread safety. You practise Java Academy with hands-on code you run directly in the browser, and a 24/7 AI tutor answers your questions as you work through the lesson.
Do I need any experience to start Java Academy?
No prior experience is required. Java Academy on CoddyKit is structured for beginners through advanced learners; this is — lesson 2 of 3, so you can start here or from the beginning and move at your own pace.
How long does the “Atomic & Concurrent Collections” lesson take?
Most CoddyKit lessons take about 5–10 minutes. Each one is bite-sized and interactive, so you make steady progress and pick up exactly where you left off across the web and the app.
Can I write and run code in this Java Academy lesson?
Yes. Every Java Academy lesson includes a built-in code editor, so you write and run real code right in your browser and get instant AI feedback — no local setup required.
All lessons in this course
- Synchronization & Locks
- Atomic & Concurrent Collections
- Common Concurrency Bugs