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Introduction

What Is a Collection?

A collection (sometimes called a container) is simply an object that groups multiple elements into a single unit. Collections are used to store, retrieve and manipulate data, and to transmit data from one method to another. Collections typically represent data items that form a natural group, like a poker hand (a collection of cards), a mail folder (a collection of letters), or a telephone directory (a collection of name-to-phone-number mappings).

If you've used Java -- or just about any other programming language -- you're already familiar with collections. Collection implementations in earlier versions of Java included Vector(in the API reference documentation) , Hashtable(in the API reference documentation) , and array. While earlier versions of Java contained collection implementations, they did not contains a collections framework.

What Is a Collections Framework?

A collections framework is a unified architecture for representing and manipulating collections. All collections frameworks contain three things: The best known examples of collections frameworks are the C++ Standard Template Library (STL), and Smalltalk's collection classes.

What are the Benefits of a Collections Framework?

Are there any Drawbacks?

Historically, collections frameworks have been quite complex, which gave them a reputation for having a steep learning curve. We believe that Java's new collections framework breaks with this tradition, as you will learn for yourself in the following lessons.


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