ArrayList removeAll() method in Java with Examples

Difficulty Level : Easy
Last Updated : 14 May, 2019

The removeAll() method of java.util.ArrayList class is used to remove from this list all of its elements that are contained in the specified collection.

Syntax:

public boolean removeAll(Collection c)

Parameters: This method takes collection c as a parameter containing elements to be removed from this list.

Returns Value: This method returns true if this list changed as a result of the call.

Exception: This method throws NullPointerException if this list contains a null element and the specified collection does not permit null elements (optional), or if the specified collection is null.

Below are the examples to illustrate the removeAll() method.

Example 1:

// Java program to demonstrate
// removeAll() method for Integer value
  
import java.util.*;
  
public class GFG1 {
    public static void main(String[] argv) throws Exception
    {
  
        try {
  
            // Creating object of ArrayList<Integer>
            ArrayList<Integer>
                arrlist1 = new ArrayList<Integer>();
  
            // Populating arrlist1
            arrlist1.add(1);
            arrlist1.add(2);
            arrlist1.add(3);
            arrlist1.add(4);
            arrlist1.add(5);
  
            // print arrlist1
            System.out.println("ArrayList before "
                               + "removeAll() operation : "
                               + arrlist1);
  
            // Creating another object of  ArrayList<Integer>
            ArrayList<Integer>
                arrlist2 = new ArrayList<Integer>();
            arrlist2.add(1);
            arrlist2.add(2);
            arrlist2.add(3);
  
            // print arrlist2
            System.out.println("Collection Elements"
                               + " to be removed : "
                               + arrlist2);
  
            // Removing elements from arrlist
            // specified in arrlist2
            // using removeAll() method
            arrlist1.removeAll(arrlist2);
  
            // print arrlist1
            System.out.println("ArrayList after "
                               + "removeAll() operation : "
                               + arrlist1);
        }
  
        catch (NullPointerException e) {
            System.out.println("Exception thrown : " + e);
        }
    }
}

Output:

ArrayList before removeAll() operation : [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Collection Elements to be removed : [1, 2, 3]
ArrayList after removeAll() operation : [4, 5]

Example 2: For NullPointerException

// Java program to demonstrate
// removeAll() method for Integer value
  
import java.util.*;
  
public class GFG1 {
    public static void main(String[] argv) throws Exception
    {
  
        try {
  
            // Creating object of ArrayList<Integer>
            ArrayList<Integer>
                arrlist1 = new ArrayList<Integer>();
  
            // Populating arrlist1
            arrlist1.add(1);
            arrlist1.add(2);
            arrlist1.add(3);
            arrlist1.add(4);
            arrlist1.add(5);
  
            // print arrlist1
            System.out.println("ArrayList before "
                               + "removeAll() operation : "
                               + arrlist1);
  
            // Creating another object of  ArrayList<Integer>
            ArrayList<Integer>
                arrlist2 = null;
  
            // print arrlist2
            System.out.println("Collection Elements"
                               + " to be removed : "
                               + arrlist2);
  
            System.out.println("\nTrying to pass "
                               + "null as a specified elelemnt\n");
  
            // Removing elements from arrlist
            // specified in arrlist2
            // using removeAll() method
            arrlist1.removeAll(arrlist2);
  
            // print arrlist1
            System.out.println("ArrayList after "
                               + "removeAll() operation : "
                               + arrlist1);
        }
  
        catch (NullPointerException e) {
            System.out.println("Exception thrown : " + e);
        }
    }
}

Output:

ArrayList before removeAll() operation : [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Collection Elements to be removed : null

Trying to pass null as a specified elelemnt

Exception thrown : java.lang.NullPointerException

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