Comparing Map and MultivaluedMap in Java

When it comes to storing information in Java, two of the most common types of maps are Maps and Multi-valued Maps. Both of these classes provide a convenient way of organizing and manipulating data, but they have some key differences that make them useful in different scenarios.

Map: A Map is an object that stores key-value pairs. This means that each element has a key associated with it that acts as a unique identifier for that element. Each element can only exist once in the map, and can only be accessed by its key.

MultivaluedMap: A MultivaluedMap is similar to a Map, but it allows a single key to be associated with multiple values. This is useful when you need to store data where the same element needs to appear multiple times in different ways. For example, if you were storing a list of user accounts, you could use a MultivaluedMap to store different attributes such as passwords, email addresses, and addresses.

Differences: The main difference between a Map and a MultivaluedMap is the ability to store multiple values for the same key. Maps only allow one key-value pair per element, while MultivaluedMaps allow multiple values to be associated with a single key.

Another difference is that MultivaluedMaps allow you to retrieve all values associated with a particular key, whereas with a Map you would need to loop through all entries to find the appropriate value. Finally, MultivaluedMaps also have other features such as the ability to retrieve subsets of values based on certain criteria.