Leetcode #2622: Cache With Time Limit
In this guide, we solve Leetcode #2622 Cache With Time Limit in Python and focus on the core idea that makes the solution efficient.
You will see the intuition, the step-by-step method, and a clean Python implementation you can use in interviews.

Problem Statement
Write a class that allows getting and setting key-value pairs, however a time until expiration is associated with each key. The class has three public methods: set(key, value, duration): accepts an integer key, an integer value, and a duration in milliseconds.
Quick Facts
- Difficulty: Medium
- Premium: No
- Tags: JavaScript
Intuition
The constraints allow a direct scan that keeps only the essential state.
By translating the requirements into a clean loop, the logic stays easy to reason about.
Approach
Iterate through the data once, updating the state needed to compute the answer.
Return the final state after the traversal is complete.
Steps:
- Parse the input.
- Iterate and update state.
- Return the computed answer.
Example
Input:
actions = ["TimeLimitedCache", "set", "get", "count", "get"]
values = [[], [1, 42, 100], [1], [], [1]]
timeDelays = [0, 0, 50, 50, 150]
Output: [null, false, 42, 1, -1]
Explanation:
At t=0, the cache is constructed.
At t=0, a key-value pair (1: 42) is added with a time limit of 100ms. The value doesn't exist so false is returned.
At t=50, key=1 is requested and the value of 42 is returned.
At t=50, count() is called and there is one active key in the cache.
At t=100, key=1 expires.
At t=150, get(1) is called but -1 is returned because the cache is empty.
Python Solution
# TODO: add Python solution
Complexity
The time complexity is O(n). The space complexity is O(1) to O(n).
Edge Cases and Pitfalls
Watch for boundary values, empty inputs, and duplicate values where applicable. If the problem involves ordering or constraints, confirm the invariant is preserved at every step.
Summary
This Python solution focuses on the essential structure of the problem and keeps the implementation interview-friendly while meeting the constraints.