Java Generics and Collections, 2nd Edition

Chapter 7. The Main Interfaces of the Java Collections Framework

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A collection is an object that provides access to a group of objects, allowing them to be processed in a uniform way. A collections framework provides a uniform view of a set of collection types specifying and implementing common data structures, following consistent design rules so that they can work together. Figure 7-1 shows the main interfaces of the Java Collections Framework, together with one other—Iterable—which is outside the Framework. Iterable (see “Iterable and Iterators”) defines the contract that a class—​any class, not only one of those in the Framework—​must implement in order to be used as the target for an “enhanced for statement”, usually called a foreach statement.

Figure 7-1. The main interfaces of the Java Collections Framework

The central interface ...