ArrayBlockingQueue poll() Method in Java

Last Updated : 04 Apr, 2023

ArrayBlockingQueue is bounded, blocking queue that stores the elements internally backed by an array.

ArrayBlockingQueue class is a member of the Java Collections Framework.
Bounded means it will have a fixed size, you can not store number the elements more than the capacity of the queue.
The queue also follows FIFO (first-in-first-out) rule for storing and removing elements from the queue.
If you try to put an element into a full queue or to take an element from an empty queue then the queue will block you.

There are two types of poll() method depending upon no of parameter passed.

The poll() method retrieves and removes element from head of this queue.If queue is empty then method will return null.
Syntax:

public E poll()

Return Value: The method returns the element from the head of this queue, or null if this queue is empty.

Below programs illustrate poll() method of ArrayBlockingQueue.

Program 1:

   /* 
*Program Demonstrate poll() method of ArrayBlockingQueue. 
*/
  
import java.util.concurrent.ArrayBlockingQueue; 
  
public class GFG { 
  
    public static void main(String[] args) 
    { 
        // define capacity of ArrayBlockingQueue 
        int capacity = 5; 
  
        // create object of ArrayBlockingQueue 
        ArrayBlockingQueue<Integer> queue = new 
               ArrayBlockingQueue<Integer>(capacity); 
  
        // Add elements to ArrayBlockingQueue 
        queue.offer(423); 
        queue.offer(233); 
        queue.offer(356); 
  
        // print elements 
        System.out.println("Queue Contains" + queue); 
  
        // try to poll  elements 
        System.out.println("Removing From head: " +  
                                       queue.poll()); 
        System.out.println("Queue Contains" + queue); 
        System.out.println("Removing From head: " +  
                                       queue.poll()); 
        System.out.println("Queue Contains" + queue); 
        System.out.println("Removing From head: " +  
                                       queue.poll()); 
        System.out.println("Queue Contains" + queue); 
        System.out.println("Removing From head: " +  
                                       queue.poll()); 
        System.out.println("Queue Contains" + queue); 
    } 
} 
 
  

Output:

  Queue Contains[423, 233, 356]  Removing From head: 423  Queue Contains[233, 356]  Removing From head: 233  Queue Contains[356]  Removing From head: 356  Queue Contains[]  Removing From head: null  Queue Contains[]

Program 2:

   /* 
* Program Demonstrate poll() method of ArrayBlockingQueue. 
*/
  
import java.util.concurrent.ArrayBlockingQueue; 
  
public class GFG { 
  
    // Create a User Object with name and age as an attribute 
    public class User { 
  
        public String name; 
        public String age; 
        User(String name, String age) 
        { 
            this.name = name; 
            this.age = age; 
        } 
    } 
  
    // Main Method 
    public static void main(String[] args) 
    { 
        GFG gfg = new GFG(); 
        gfg.pollMethodExample(); 
    } 
  
    // Method to give example of poll function 
    public void pollMethodExample() 
    { 
  
        // Define the capacity of ArrayBlockingQueue 
        int capacity = 5; 
  
        // Create object of ArrayBlockingQueue 
        ArrayBlockingQueue<User> queue =  
               new ArrayBlockingQueue<User>(capacity); 
  
        // Create user objects 
        User user1 = new User("Aman", "24"); 
        User user3 = new User("Sanjeet", "25"); 
  
        // Add Objects to ArrayBlockingQueue 
        queue.offer(user1); 
        queue.offer(user3); 
  
        // Poll users from queue 
        User user = queue.poll(); 
        System.out.println("removing user having name = "
                                            + user.name); 
        user = queue.poll(); 
        System.out.println("removing user having name = "
                                            + user.name); 
  
        // Now queue is empty 
        // Try to remove it will return null 
        user = queue.poll(); 
        System.out.println("removing user having name = "
                                                 + user); 
    } 
} 
 
  

Output:

  removing user having name = Aman  removing user having name = Sanjeet  removing user having name = null

The poll(long timeout, TimeUnit unit) method retrieves and removes element from head of this queue. If the queue is empty then it will, wait till a specified time for an element to become available.
Syntax:

public E poll(long timeout, TimeUnit unit) throws InterruptedException

Parameters: The method takes two parameters:

timeout (long) – how long to wait before giving up, in units of unit.
unit (TimeUnit)- a TimeUnit determining how to interpret the timeout parameter.

Return Value: The method returns the head of this queue, or null if the specified waiting time elapses before an element is available.
Exception: The method throws InterruptedException if interrupted while waiting.

Below program illustrates poll(long timeout, TimeUnit unit)method of ArrayBlockingQueue.

   /* 
* Program Demonstrate offer(E e, long timeout, TimeUnit unit) 
* method of ArrayBlockingQueue. 
*/
  
import java.util.concurrent.ArrayBlockingQueue; 
import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit; 
  
public class GFG { 
  
    public static void main(String[] args)  
                       throws InterruptedException 
    { 
        // Define capacity of ArrayBlockingQueue 
        int capacity = 5; 
  
        // Create object of ArrayBlockingQueue 
        ArrayBlockingQueue<Integer> queue =  
            new ArrayBlockingQueue<Integer>(capacity); 
  
        // Add elements to ArrayBlockingQueue 
        queue.offer(423); 
        queue.offer(233); 
        queue.offer(356); 
  
        // Print elements 
        System.out.println("Queue Contains" + queue); 
  
        // Try to poll  elements 
        System.out.println("Removing From head: " 
                  + queue.poll(10, TimeUnit.SECONDS)); 
        System.out.println("Queue Contains" + queue); 
        System.out.println("Removing From head: " 
                  + queue.poll(10, TimeUnit.SECONDS)); 
        System.out.println("Queue Contains" + queue); 
        System.out.println("Removing From head: " +  
                    queue.poll(10, TimeUnit.SECONDS)); 
        System.out.println("Queue Contains" + queue); 
        System.out.println("Removing From head: " +  
                   queue.poll(10, TimeUnit.SECONDS)); 
    } 
} 
 
  

Output:

  Queue Contains[423, 233, 356]  Removing From head: 423  Queue Contains[233, 356]  Removing From head: 233  Queue Contains[356]  Removing From head: 356  Queue Contains[]  Removing From head: null

Reference:
https://docs.oracle.com/javase/7/docs/api/java/util/concurrent/ArrayBlockingQueue.html#poll()