ExecutorService

About

The ExecutorService in Java is part of the java.util.concurrent package and provides a higher-level replacement for working with threads directly. It simplifies the management and control of thread execution and task scheduling. It abstracts away the complexities of thread management, allowing developers to focus on the core logic of their tasks.

Core Concepts

1. Executor Interface

• The Executor interface provides a single method, execute(Runnable command), to submit a task for execution. It is a interface designed to decouple task submission from the mechanics of how each task will be run.

public interface Executor {

    /**
     * Executes the given command at some time in the future.  The command
     * may execute in a new thread, in a pooled thread, or in the calling
     * thread, at the discretion of the {@code Executor} implementation.
     *
     * @param command the runnable task
     * @throws RejectedExecutionException if this task cannot be
     * accepted for execution
     * @throws NullPointerException if command is null
     */
    void execute(Runnable command);
}

Example

Executor executor = new Executor() {
            @Override
            public void execute(Runnable command) {
                new Thread(command).start();
            }
        };

executor.execute(() -> System.out.println("Task executed"));

// Anonymous new Executor() can be replaced with lambda
Executor executor = command -> new Thread(command).start();

executor.execute(() -> System.out.println("Task executed"));

2. ExecutorService Interface

• The ExecutorService interface extends the Executor interface, adding lifecycle management methods and more flexible task submission methods. It provides a higher-level abstraction for managing and controlling the execution of asynchronous tasks.

ExecutorService Interface

public interface ExecutorService extends Executor {

    /**
     * Initiates an orderly shutdown in which previously submitted
     * tasks are executed, but no new tasks will be accepted.
     * Invocation has no additional effect if already shut down.
     *
     * <p>This method does not wait for previously submitted tasks to
     * complete execution.  Use {@link #awaitTermination awaitTermination}
     * to do that.
     *
     * @throws SecurityException if a security manager exists and
     *         shutting down this ExecutorService may manipulate
     *         threads that the caller is not permitted to modify
     *         because it does not hold {@link
     *         java.lang.RuntimePermission}{@code ("modifyThread")},
     *         or the security manager's {@code checkAccess} method
     *         denies access.
     */
    void shutdown();

    /**
     * Attempts to stop all actively executing tasks, halts the
     * processing of waiting tasks, and returns a list of the tasks
     * that were awaiting execution.
     *
     * <p>This method does not wait for actively executing tasks to
     * terminate.  Use {@link #awaitTermination awaitTermination} to
     * do that.
     *
     * <p>There are no guarantees beyond best-effort attempts to stop
     * processing actively executing tasks.  For example, typical
     * implementations will cancel via {@link Thread#interrupt}, so any
     * task that fails to respond to interrupts may never terminate.
     *
     * @return list of tasks that never commenced execution
     * @throws SecurityException if a security manager exists and
     *         shutting down this ExecutorService may manipulate
     *         threads that the caller is not permitted to modify
     *         because it does not hold {@link
     *         java.lang.RuntimePermission}{@code ("modifyThread")},
     *         or the security manager's {@code checkAccess} method
     *         denies access.
     */
    List<Runnable> shutdownNow();

    /**
     * Returns {@code true} if this executor has been shut down.
     *
     * @return {@code true} if this executor has been shut down
     */
    boolean isShutdown();

    /**
     * Returns {@code true} if all tasks have completed following shut down.
     * Note that {@code isTerminated} is never {@code true} unless
     * either {@code shutdown} or {@code shutdownNow} was called first.
     *
     * @return {@code true} if all tasks have completed following shut down
     */
    boolean isTerminated();

    /**
     * Blocks until all tasks have completed execution after a shutdown
     * request, or the timeout occurs, or the current thread is
     * interrupted, whichever happens first.
     *
     * @param timeout the maximum time to wait
     * @param unit the time unit of the timeout argument
     * @return {@code true} if this executor terminated and
     *         {@code false} if the timeout elapsed before termination
     * @throws InterruptedException if interrupted while waiting
     */
    boolean awaitTermination(long timeout, TimeUnit unit)
        throws InterruptedException;

    /**
     * Submits a value-returning task for execution and returns a
     * Future representing the pending results of the task. The
     * Future's {@code get} method will return the task's result upon
     * successful completion.
     *
     * <p>
     * If you would like to immediately block waiting
     * for a task, you can use constructions of the form
     * {@code result = exec.submit(aCallable).get();}
     *
     * <p>Note: The {@link Executors} class includes a set of methods
     * that can convert some other common closure-like objects,
     * for example, {@link java.security.PrivilegedAction} to
     * {@link Callable} form so they can be submitted.
     *
     * @param task the task to submit
     * @param <T> the type of the task's result
     * @return a Future representing pending completion of the task
     * @throws RejectedExecutionException if the task cannot be
     *         scheduled for execution
     * @throws NullPointerException if the task is null
     */
    <T> Future<T> submit(Callable<T> task);

    /**
     * Submits a Runnable task for execution and returns a Future
     * representing that task. The Future's {@code get} method will
     * return the given result upon successful completion.
     *
     * @param task the task to submit
     * @param result the result to return
     * @param <T> the type of the result
     * @return a Future representing pending completion of the task
     * @throws RejectedExecutionException if the task cannot be
     *         scheduled for execution
     * @throws NullPointerException if the task is null
     */
    <T> Future<T> submit(Runnable task, T result);

    /**
     * Submits a Runnable task for execution and returns a Future
     * representing that task. The Future's {@code get} method will
     * return {@code null} upon <em>successful</em> completion.
     *
     * @param task the task to submit
     * @return a Future representing pending completion of the task
     * @throws RejectedExecutionException if the task cannot be
     *         scheduled for execution
     * @throws NullPointerException if the task is null
     */
    Future<?> submit(Runnable task);

    /**
     * Executes the given tasks, returning a list of Futures holding
     * their status and results when all complete.
     * {@link Future#isDone} is {@code true} for each
     * element of the returned list.
     * Note that a <em>completed</em> task could have
     * terminated either normally or by throwing an exception.
     * The results of this method are undefined if the given
     * collection is modified while this operation is in progress.
     *
     * @param tasks the collection of tasks
     * @param <T> the type of the values returned from the tasks
     * @return a list of Futures representing the tasks, in the same
     *         sequential order as produced by the iterator for the
     *         given task list, each of which has completed
     * @throws InterruptedException if interrupted while waiting, in
     *         which case unfinished tasks are cancelled
     * @throws NullPointerException if tasks or any of its elements are {@code null}
     * @throws RejectedExecutionException if any task cannot be
     *         scheduled for execution
     */
    <T> List<Future<T>> invokeAll(Collection<? extends Callable<T>> tasks)
        throws InterruptedException;

    /**
     * Executes the given tasks, returning a list of Futures holding
     * their status and results
     * when all complete or the timeout expires, whichever happens first.
     * {@link Future#isDone} is {@code true} for each
     * element of the returned list.
     * Upon return, tasks that have not completed are cancelled.
     * Note that a <em>completed</em> task could have
     * terminated either normally or by throwing an exception.
     * The results of this method are undefined if the given
     * collection is modified while this operation is in progress.
     *
     * @param tasks the collection of tasks
     * @param timeout the maximum time to wait
     * @param unit the time unit of the timeout argument
     * @param <T> the type of the values returned from the tasks
     * @return a list of Futures representing the tasks, in the same
     *         sequential order as produced by the iterator for the
     *         given task list. If the operation did not time out,
     *         each task will have completed. If it did time out, some
     *         of these tasks will not have completed.
     * @throws InterruptedException if interrupted while waiting, in
     *         which case unfinished tasks are cancelled
     * @throws NullPointerException if tasks, any of its elements, or
     *         unit are {@code null}
     * @throws RejectedExecutionException if any task cannot be scheduled
     *         for execution
     */
    <T> List<Future<T>> invokeAll(Collection<? extends Callable<T>> tasks,
                                  long timeout, TimeUnit unit)
        throws InterruptedException;

    /**
     * Executes the given tasks, returning the result
     * of one that has completed successfully (i.e., without throwing
     * an exception), if any do. Upon normal or exceptional return,
     * tasks that have not completed are cancelled.
     * The results of this method are undefined if the given
     * collection is modified while this operation is in progress.
     *
     * @param tasks the collection of tasks
     * @param <T> the type of the values returned from the tasks
     * @return the result returned by one of the tasks
     * @throws InterruptedException if interrupted while waiting
     * @throws NullPointerException if tasks or any element task
     *         subject to execution is {@code null}
     * @throws IllegalArgumentException if tasks is empty
     * @throws ExecutionException if no task successfully completes
     * @throws RejectedExecutionException if tasks cannot be scheduled
     *         for execution
     */
    <T> T invokeAny(Collection<? extends Callable<T>> tasks)
        throws InterruptedException, ExecutionException;

    /**
     * Executes the given tasks, returning the result
     * of one that has completed successfully (i.e., without throwing
     * an exception), if any do before the given timeout elapses.
     * Upon normal or exceptional return, tasks that have not
     * completed are cancelled.
     * The results of this method are undefined if the given
     * collection is modified while this operation is in progress.
     *
     * @param tasks the collection of tasks
     * @param timeout the maximum time to wait
     * @param unit the time unit of the timeout argument
     * @param <T> the type of the values returned from the tasks
     * @return the result returned by one of the tasks
     * @throws InterruptedException if interrupted while waiting
     * @throws NullPointerException if tasks, or unit, or any element
     *         task subject to execution is {@code null}
     * @throws TimeoutException if the given timeout elapses before
     *         any task successfully completes
     * @throws ExecutionException if no task successfully completes
     * @throws RejectedExecutionException if tasks cannot be scheduled
     *         for execution
     */
    <T> T invokeAny(Collection<? extends Callable<T>> tasks,
                    long timeout, TimeUnit unit)
        throws InterruptedException, ExecutionException, TimeoutException;
}

Key Methods:

1. Task Submission:

   • Future<?> submit(Runnable task): Submits a Runnable task for execution and returns a Futurerepresenting that task.

   • <T> Future<T> submit(Callable<T> task): Submits a Callable task for execution and returns a Futurerepresenting the task's result.

2. Task Management:

   • <T> List<Future<T>> invokeAll(Collection<? extends Callable<T>> tasks): Executes the given tasks, returning a list of Future objects representing the tasks.

   • <T> T invokeAny(Collection<? extends Callable<T>> tasks): Executes the given tasks, returning the result of one that has completed successfully.

3. Lifecycle Management:

   • void shutdown(): Initiates an orderly shutdown in which previously submitted tasks are executed, but no new tasks will be accepted.

   • List<Runnable> shutdownNow(): Attempts to stop all actively executing tasks and returns a list of the tasks that were awaiting execution.

   • boolean isShutdown(): Returns true if this executor has been shut down.

   • boolean isTerminated(): Returns true if all tasks have completed following a shutdown.

   • boolean awaitTermination(long timeout, TimeUnit unit): Blocks until all tasks have completed after a shutdown request, or the timeout occurs, or the current thread is interrupted.

3. Thread Pool

• A thread pool is a pool of worker threads that can be reused to execute multiple tasks. The thread pool reduces the overhead of thread creation and destruction by reusing existing threads. It is a collection of pre-instantiated reusable threads that can be used to execute tasks. It helps to manage and limit the number of active threads, improving performance and resource management.

Key Concepts:

• Core Pool Size: The number of threads to keep in the pool, even if they are idle.

• Maximum Pool Size: The maximum number of threads allowed in the pool.

• Keep Alive Time: The maximum time that excess idle threads will wait for new tasks before terminating.

• Work Queue: A queue used to hold tasks before they are executed.

Common Implementations:

• Fixed Thread Pool: A pool with a fixed number of threads.

• Cached Thread Pool: A pool that creates new threads as needed but will reuse previously constructed threads when they are available.

• Scheduled Thread Pool: A pool that can schedule commands to run after a given delay or to execute periodically.

• Single Thread Executor: A pool with a single thread to execute tasks sequentially.

4. ExecutorService Implementations

• Fixed Thread Pool (Executors.newFixedThreadPool(int nThreads)): A pool with a fixed number of threads.

• Cached Thread Pool (Executors.newCachedThreadPool()): A pool that creates new threads as needed but will reuse previously constructed threads when they are available.

• Scheduled Thread Pool (Executors.newScheduledThreadPool(int corePoolSize)): A pool that can schedule commands to run after a given delay or to execute periodically.

• Single Thread Executor (Executors.newSingleThreadExecutor()): A pool with a single thread to execute tasks sequentially