return CollectCollectors.toImmutableSortedMap(
        comparator, keyFunction, valueFunction, mergeFunction);
  }

  /*
   * TODO(kevinb): Confirm that ImmutableSortedMap is faster to construct and
   * uses less memory than TreeMap; then say so in the class Javadoc.
   */
  private static final Comparator<?> NATURAL_ORDER = Ordering.natural();

  private static final ImmutableSortedMap<Comparable<?>, Object> NATURAL_EMPTY_MAP =

 * exposes at least one public static final constant of the same type, one of the constants will be
 * used; or if the class exposes a public parameter-less constructor then it will be "new"d and
 * returned.
 *
 * <p>All default instances returned by {@link #get} are generics-safe. Clients won't get type

  @Override
  SortedMap<K, V> create(Object... elements);

  /**
   * Returns an entry with a key less than the keys of the {@link #samples()} and less than the key
   * of {@link #belowSamplesGreater()}.
   */
  Entry<K, V> belowSamplesLesser();

  /**
   * Returns an entry with a key less than the keys of the {@link #samples()} but greater than the
   * key of {@link #belowSamplesLesser()}.
   */

     * In that explanation's notation, our `overlap` check would be `x1 < y2 && y1 < x2`. We've
     * flipped one part of the check so that we're using "less than" in both cases (rather than a
     * mix of "less than" and "greater than"). We've also switched to "strictly less than" rather
     * than "less than or equal to" because of *handwave* the difference between "endpoints of
     * inclusive ranges" and "Cuts."
     */

   * minimum hashtable size, whichever is greater.
   */
  static int tableSize(int expectedSize) {
    // We use entries next == 0 to indicate UNSET, so actual capacity is 1 less than requested.
    return max(MIN_HASH_TABLE_SIZE, Hashing.closedTableSize(expectedSize + 1, 1.0));
  }

  /** Creates and returns a properly-sized array with the given number of buckets. */

  @CheckForNull
  public abstract C next(C value);

  /**
   * Returns the unique greatest value of type {@code C} that is less than {@code value}, or {@code
   * null} if none exists. Inverse operation to {@link #next}.
   *
   * @param value any value of type {@code C}
   * @return the greatest value less than {@code value}, or {@code null} if {@code value} is {@code
   *     minValue()}
   */
  @CheckForNull

  @GwtCompatible(serializable = true)
  public <S extends T> Ordering<S> reverse() {
    return new ReverseOrdering<>(this);
  }

  /**
   * Returns an ordering that treats {@code null} as less than all other values and uses {@code
   * this} to compare non-null values.
   *
   * <p>The returned object is serializable if this object is serializable.
   *

  public void testLenientFormat_nullArrayVarargs() {
    assertEquals("(Object[])null", Strings.lenientFormat("%s", (Object[]) null));
  }

  @GwtIncompatible // GWT reflection includes less data
  public void testLenientFormat_badArgumentToString() {
    assertThat(Strings.lenientFormat("boiler %s plate", new ThrowsOnToString()))
        .matches(
            // J2kt nested class name does not use "$"

          int foundIndex) {
        return LAST_PRESENT.resultIndex(comparator, key, list, foundIndex) + 1;
      }
    },
    /**
     * Return the index of the last list element that compares as less than the key, or {@code -1}
     * if there is no such element.
     */
    LAST_BEFORE {
      @Override
      public <E extends @Nullable Object> int resultIndex(
          Comparator<? super E> comparator,

 * atomic unless otherwise noted.
 *
 * <p>Instances of this class are serializable if the keys are serializable.
 *
 * <p><b>Note:</b> If your values are always positive and less than 2^31, you may wish to use a
 * {@link com.google.common.collect.Multiset} such as {@link
 * com.google.common.collect.ConcurrentHashMultiset} instead.
 *