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go-05-lru-cache

1.000
10/10 tests· data-structures
Challenge · difficulty 4/5
# Generic LRU cache

Implement **`solution.go`** in `package challenge` exporting a generic
least-recently-used cache:

```go
type LRUCache[K comparable, V any] struct { /* unexported fields */ }

func NewLRUCache[K comparable, V any](capacity int) *LRUCache[K, V]

func (c *LRUCache[K, V]) Get(key K) (V, bool)
func (c *LRUCache[K, V]) Put(key K, value V)
func (c *LRUCache[K, V]) Len() int
```

Behavior:

- `NewLRUCache(capacity)` creates an empty cache that holds at most `capacity`
  entries. If `capacity <= 0`, treat it as `0`: the cache stores nothing and
  `Len()` is always `0`.
- `Get(key)` returns the stored value and `true` if `key` is present, or the
  zero value of `V` and `false` otherwise. A successful `Get` counts as a
  **use**, making `key` the most-recently-used entry.
- `Put(key, value)` inserts or updates `key`. Inserting or updating makes `key`
  the most-recently-used entry. If adding a **new** key would exceed `capacity`,
  the **least-recently-used** entry is evicted first. Updating the value of an
  existing key never evicts anything.
- `Len()` returns the current number of stored entries.
- Works for any `comparable` key type and any value type (e.g. `string`/`int`
  keys, struct or pointer values).

Examples:

```go
c := NewLRUCache[string, int](2)
c.Put("a", 1)
c.Put("b", 2)
c.Get("a")        // (1, true); now "b" is least-recently-used
c.Put("c", 3)     // evicts "b"
c.Get("b")        // (0, false)
c.Len()           // 2
```
tests/solution_test.go
package challenge

import "testing"

func TestLRUBasicGetPut(t *testing.T) {
	c := NewLRUCache[string, int](2)
	if _, ok := c.Get("missing"); ok {
		t.Fatalf("Get on empty cache returned ok=true")
	}
	c.Put("a", 1)
	c.Put("b", 2)
	if v, ok := c.Get("a"); !ok || v != 1 {
		t.Fatalf("Get(a) = (%d, %v), want (1, true)", v, ok)
	}
	if v, ok := c.Get("b"); !ok || v != 2 {
		t.Fatalf("Get(b) = (%d, %v), want (2, true)", v, ok)
	}
	if c.Len() != 2 {
		t.Fatalf("Len = %d, want 2", c.Len())
	}
}

func TestLRUZeroValueOnMiss(t *testing.T) {
	c := NewLRUCache[int, string](2)
	if v, ok := c.Get(99); ok || v != "" {
		t.Fatalf("Get(miss) = (%q, %v), want (\"\", false)", v, ok)
	}
}

func TestLRUEvictsLeastRecentlyUsed(t *testing.T) {
	c := NewLRUCache[string, int](2)
	c.Put("a", 1)
	c.Put("b", 2)
	c.Put("c", 3) // capacity 2: "a" is LRU, evicted
	if _, ok := c.Get("a"); ok {
		t.Fatalf("expected a to be evicted")
	}
	if v, ok := c.Get("b"); !ok || v != 2 {
		t.Fatalf("Get(b) = (%d, %v), want (2, true)", v, ok)
	}
	if v, ok := c.Get("c"); !ok || v != 3 {
		t.Fatalf("Get(c) = (%d, %v), want (3, true)", v, ok)
	}
	if c.Len() != 2 {
		t.Fatalf("Len = %d, want 2", c.Len())
	}
}

func TestLRUGetCountsAsUse(t *testing.T) {
	c := NewLRUCache[string, int](2)
	c.Put("a", 1)
	c.Put("b", 2)
	if v, ok := c.Get("a"); !ok || v != 1 { // "a" now most-recently-used
		t.Fatalf("Get(a) = (%d, %v), want (1, true)", v, ok)
	}
	c.Put("c", 3) // "b" is LRU now, should be evicted
	if _, ok := c.Get("b"); ok {
		t.Fatalf("expected b to be evicted (Get should have refreshed a)")
	}
	if v, ok := c.Get("a"); !ok || v != 1 {
		t.Fatalf("Get(a) = (%d, %v), want (1, true)", v, ok)
	}
	if v, ok := c.Get("c"); !ok || v != 3 {
		t.Fatalf("Get(c) = (%d, %v), want (3, true)", v, ok)
	}
}

func TestLRUUpdateExistingKey(t *testing.T) {
	c := NewLRUCache[string, int](2)
	c.Put("a", 1)
	c.Put("b", 2)
	c.Put("a", 100) // update value, refresh a; no eviction
	if c.Len() != 2 {
		t.Fatalf("Len = %d, want 2 (update must not evict)", c.Len())
	}
	if v, ok := c.Get("a"); !ok || v != 100 {
		t.Fatalf("Get(a) = (%d, %v), want (100, true)", v, ok)
	}
	c.Put("c", 3) // "b" is LRU, evicted
	if _, ok := c.Get("b"); ok {
		t.Fatalf("expected b to be evicted after updating a then inserting c")
	}
}

func TestLRUUpdateRefreshesRecency(t *testing.T) {
	c := NewLRUCache[string, int](2)
	c.Put("a", 1)
	c.Put("b", 2)
	c.Put("a", 10) // refresh "a" via update => "b" becomes LRU
	c.Put("c", 3)  // evicts "b"
	if _, ok := c.Get("b"); ok {
		t.Fatalf("expected b to be evicted; updating a should refresh its recency")
	}
	if v, ok := c.Get("a"); !ok || v != 10 {
		t.Fatalf("Get(a) = (%d, %v), want (10, true)", v, ok)
	}
}

func TestLRUCapacityOne(t *testing.T) {
	c := NewLRUCache[int, int](1)
	c.Put(1, 10)
	c.Put(2, 20) // evicts 1
	if _, ok := c.Get(1); ok {
		t.Fatalf("expected key 1 evicted in capacity-1 cache")
	}
	if v, ok := c.Get(2); !ok || v != 20 {
		t.Fatalf("Get(2) = (%d, %v), want (20, true)", v, ok)
	}
	if c.Len() != 1 {
		t.Fatalf("Len = %d, want 1", c.Len())
	}
}

func TestLRUZeroCapacity(t *testing.T) {
	c := NewLRUCache[string, int](0)
	c.Put("a", 1)
	if _, ok := c.Get("a"); ok {
		t.Fatalf("zero-capacity cache must store nothing")
	}
	if c.Len() != 0 {
		t.Fatalf("Len = %d, want 0", c.Len())
	}
}

func TestLRUStringValues(t *testing.T) {
	c := NewLRUCache[int, string](3)
	c.Put(1, "one")
	c.Put(2, "two")
	c.Put(3, "three")
	c.Get(1) // refresh 1
	c.Put(4, "four") // evicts 2 (LRU)
	if _, ok := c.Get(2); ok {
		t.Fatalf("expected key 2 evicted")
	}
	for _, want := range []struct {
		k int
		v string
	}{{1, "one"}, {3, "three"}, {4, "four"}} {
		if v, ok := c.Get(want.k); !ok || v != want.v {
			t.Errorf("Get(%d) = (%q, %v), want (%q, true)", want.k, v, ok, want.v)
		}
	}
}

func TestLRUEvictionChain(t *testing.T) {
	c := NewLRUCache[int, int](3)
	for i := 0; i < 6; i++ {
		c.Put(i, i*i)
	}
	// Only the last 3 inserts survive: 3,4,5.
	for _, k := range []int{0, 1, 2} {
		if _, ok := c.Get(k); ok {
			t.Errorf("expected key %d evicted", k)
		}
	}
	for _, k := range []int{3, 4, 5} {
		if v, ok := c.Get(k); !ok || v != k*k {
			t.Errorf("Get(%d) = (%d, %v), want (%d, true)", k, v, ok, k*k)
		}
	}
	if c.Len() != 3 {
		t.Fatalf("Len = %d, want 3", c.Len())
	}
}
System prompt
You are an expert programmer. Solve the task exactly as specified. Output your solution as fenced code blocks using the required file name(s) and the exact function/type signatures requested. Prefer correctness; do not include prose outside code unless asked.
Proposed solution
```go
package challenge

import (
	"container/list"
)

type LRUCache[K comparable, V any] struct {
	capacity int
	cache    map[K]*list.Element
	l        *list.List
}

type entry[K comparable, V any] struct {
	key   K
	value V
}

func NewLRUCache[K comparable, V any](capacity int) *LRUCache[K, V] {
	return &LRUCache[K, V]{
		capacity: max(capacity, 0),
		cache:    make(map[K]*list.Element),
		l:        list.New(),
	}
}

func (c *LRUCache[K, V]) Get(key K) (V, bool) {
	if elem, ok := c.cache[key]; ok {
		c.l.MoveToFront(elem)
		return elem.Value.(*entry[K, V]).value, true
	}
	var zero V
	return zero, false
}

func (c *LRUCache[K, V]) Put(key K, value V) {
	if c.capacity <= 0 {
		return
	}

	if elem, ok := c.cache[key]; ok {
		c.l.MoveToFront(elem)
		elem.Value.(*entry[K, V]).value = value
		return
	}

	if c.l.Len() >= c.capacity {
		back := c.l.Back()
		if back != nil {
			c.l.Remove(back)
			delete(c.cache, back.Value.(*entry[K, V]).key)
		}
	}

	elem := c.l.PushFront(&entry[K, V]{key: key, value: value})
	c.cache[key] = elem
}

func (c *LRUCache[K, V]) Len() int {
	return c.l.Len()
}

func max(a, b int) int {
	if a > b {
		return a
	}
	return b
}
```

Test output (stdout)

sAsUse","Output":"--- PASS: TestLRUGetCountsAsUse (0.00s)\n"}
{"Time":"2026-07-02T00:07:50.284556594+02:00","Action":"pass","Package":"challenge","Test":"TestLRUGetCountsAsUse","Elapsed":0}
{"Time":"2026-07-02T00:07:50.284557934+02:00","Action":"run","Package":"challenge","Test":"TestLRUUpdateExistingKey"}
{"Time":"2026-07-02T00:07:50.284559654+02:00","Action":"output","Package":"challenge","Test":"TestLRUUpdateExistingKey","Output":"=== RUN   TestLRUUpdateExistingKey\n"}
{"Time":"2026-07-02T00:07:50.284561324+02:00","Action":"output","Package":"challenge","Test":"TestLRUUpdateExistingKey","Output":"--- PASS: TestLRUUpdateExistingKey (0.00s)\n"}
{"Time":"2026-07-02T00:07:50.284564124+02:00","Action":"pass","Package":"challenge","Test":"TestLRUUpdateExistingKey","Elapsed":0}
{"Time":"2026-07-02T00:07:50.284565974+02:00","Action":"run","Package":"challenge","Test":"TestLRUUpdateRefreshesRecency"}
{"Time":"2026-07-02T00:07:50.284567474+02:00","Action":"output","Package":"challenge","Test":"TestLRUUpdateRefreshesRecency","Output":"=== RUN   TestLRUUpdateRefreshesRecency\n"}
{"Time":"2026-07-02T00:07:50.284569244+02:00","Action":"output","Package":"challenge","Test":"TestLRUUpdateRefreshesRecency","Output":"--- PASS: TestLRUUpdateRefreshesRecency (0.00s)\n"}
{"Time":"2026-07-02T00:07:50.284571134+02:00","Action":"pass","Package":"challenge","Test":"TestLRUUpdateRefreshesRecency","Elapsed":0}
{"Time":"2026-07-02T00:07:50.284572724+02:00","Action":"run","Package":"challenge","Test":"TestLRUCapacityOne"}
{"Time":"2026-07-02T00:07:50.284574354+02:00","Action":"output","Package":"challenge","Test":"TestLRUCapacityOne","Output":"=== RUN   TestLRUCapacityOne\n"}
{"Time":"2026-07-02T00:07:50.284576194+02:00","Action":"output","Package":"challenge","Test":"TestLRUCapacityOne","Output":"--- PASS: TestLRUCapacityOne (0.00s)\n"}
{"Time":"2026-07-02T00:07:50.284577874+02:00","Action":"pass","Package":"challenge","Test":"TestLRUCapacityOne","Elapsed":0}
{"Time":"2026-07-02T00:07:50.284579194+02:00","Action":"run","Package":"challenge","Test":"TestLRUZeroCapacity"}
{"Time":"2026-07-02T00:07:50.284581954+02:00","Action":"output","Package":"challenge","Test":"TestLRUZeroCapacity","Output":"=== RUN   TestLRUZeroCapacity\n"}
{"Time":"2026-07-02T00:07:50.284584244+02:00","Action":"output","Package":"challenge","Test":"TestLRUZeroCapacity","Output":"--- PASS: TestLRUZeroCapacity (0.00s)\n"}
{"Time":"2026-07-02T00:07:50.284585854+02:00","Action":"pass","Package":"challenge","Test":"TestLRUZeroCapacity","Elapsed":0}
{"Time":"2026-07-02T00:07:50.284587504+02:00","Action":"run","Package":"challenge","Test":"TestLRUStringValues"}
{"Time":"2026-07-02T00:07:50.284588854+02:00","Action":"output","Package":"challenge","Test":"TestLRUStringValues","Output":"=== RUN   TestLRUStringValues\n"}
{"Time":"2026-07-02T00:07:50.284591214+02:00","Action":"output","Package":"challenge","Test":"TestLRUStringValues","Output":"--- PASS: TestLRUStringValues (0.00s)\n"}
{"Time":"2026-07-02T00:07:50.284593404+02:00","Action":"pass","Package":"challenge","Test":"TestLRUStringValues","Elapsed":0}
{"Time":"2026-07-02T00:07:50.284594814+02:00","Action":"run","Package":"challenge","Test":"TestLRUEvictionChain"}
{"Time":"2026-07-02T00:07:50.284596034+02:00","Action":"output","Package":"challenge","Test":"TestLRUEvictionChain","Output":"=== RUN   TestLRUEvictionChain\n"}
{"Time":"2026-07-02T00:07:50.284599354+02:00","Action":"output","Package":"challenge","Test":"TestLRUEvictionChain","Output":"--- PASS: TestLRUEvictionChain (0.00s)\n"}
{"Time":"2026-07-02T00:07:50.284600864+02:00","Action":"pass","Package":"challenge","Test":"TestLRUEvictionChain","Elapsed":0}
{"Time":"2026-07-02T00:07:50.284602364+02:00","Action":"output","Package":"challenge","Output":"PASS\n"}
{"Time":"2026-07-02T00:07:50.284663915+02:00","Action":"output","Package":"challenge","Output":"ok  \tchallenge\t0.001s\n"}
{"Time":"2026-07-02T00:07:50.284676425+02:00","Action":"pass","Package":"challenge","Elapsed":0.001}