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NavigableSet headSet() method in Java

Last Updated : 11 Jul, 2025
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The headSet() method of

NavigableSet interface in Java

is used to return a view of the portion of this set whose elements are less than (or equal to, if inclusive is true) toElement.

  • The returned set is backed by this set, so changes in the returned set are reflected in this set, and vice-versa.
  • The returned set supports all optional set operations that this set supports.

Note

: The returned set will throw an IllegalArgumentException on an attempt to insert an element outside its range.

Syntax

:

NavigableSet<E> headSet(E toElement,
boolean inclusive)

Where, E is the type of elements maintained by this Set container.

Parameters

: This function has two parameters :

  • toElement - high endpoint of the returned set
  • inclusive - true if the high endpoint is to be included in the returned view

Return Value

: It return a view of the portion of this set whose elements are less than (or equal to, if inclusive is true) toElement. Below programs illustrate the headSet() method in Java:

Program 1

: NavigableSet with integer elements.

Java
// A Java program to demonstrate
// headSet() method of NavigableSet

import java.util.NavigableSet;
import java.util.TreeSet;

public class GFG {
    public static void main(String[] args)
    {
        NavigableSet<Integer> ns = new TreeSet<>();
        ns.add(0);
        ns.add(1);
        ns.add(2);
        ns.add(3);
        ns.add(4);
        ns.add(5);
        ns.add(6);

        System.out.println("Map with key-value less than "+
                        "given argument : " + ns.headSet(6));

        System.out.println("Map with key-value less than or" + 
          " equal to  given argument : " + ns.headSet(6, true));
    }
}

Output
Map with key-value less than given argument : [0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Map with key-value less than or equal to  given argument : [0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]

Program 2:

NavigableSet with string elements.

Java
// A Java program to demonstrate
// headSet() method of NavigableSet

import java.util.NavigableSet;
import java.util.TreeSet;

public class GFG {
    public static void main(String[] args)
    {
        NavigableSet<String> ns = new TreeSet<>();
        ns.add("A");
        ns.add("B");
        ns.add("C");
        ns.add("D");
        ns.add("E");
        ns.add("F");
        ns.add("G");

        System.out.println("Map with key-value less than"+
                    " given argument : " + ns.headSet("F"));

        System.out.println("Map with key-value less than "+
           "or equal to given argument : " + ns.headSet("F"));
    }
}

Output
Map with key-value less than given argument : [A, B, C, D, E]
Map with key-value less than or equal to given argument : [A, B, C, D, E]

Reference

:

https://docs.oracle.com/javase/10/docs/api/java/util/NavigableSet.html#headSet(E)

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