Java Collections Framework

java

The Java Collection Framework is a set of interfaces and classes that provide a standard way to work with collections of objects in Java. A collection is a group of objects, and the Java Collection Framework provides a set of interfaces and classes for working with different types of collections, such as lists, sets, and maps.

The main interfaces in the Java Collection Framework are:

  • Collection: The root interface of the collection hierarchy. It defines common methods for working with collections, such as adding and removing elements.

  • List: A list is an ordered collection of elements that allows duplicate values. It defines methods for working with lists, such as inserting and deleting elements at specific positions.

  • Set: A set is a collection that does not allow duplicate values. It defines methods for working with sets, such as adding and removing elements.

  • Map: A map is a collection of key-value pairs. It defines methods for working with maps, such as adding and removing elements, and looking up values based on a key.

The Java Collection Framework also includes a set of classes that implement these interfaces, such as ArrayList, LinkedList, HashSet, and HashMap. These classes provide concrete implementations of the collection interfaces, making it easy to use collections in your Java programs.

You can use the Java Collection Framework to store and organize data in your Java programs, depending on your specific needs. For example, you might use an ArrayList to store a list of items that needs to be dynamically resized, or a HashMap to store key-value pairs that need to be quickly retrieved.