Trail: Collections
by Josh Bloch
This chapter describes the Java Collections Framework. Here you will learn what collections are and how they can make your job easier and programs better. You'll learn about the core elements — interfaces, implementations, and algorithms — that comprise the Java Collections Framework.
Introduction
tells you what collections are, and how they'll make your job easier
and your programs better. You'll learn about the core elements that
comprise the Collections Framework: interfaces, implementations
and algorithms.
Interfaces
describes the core collection interfaces, which are the heart and soul
of the Java Collections Framework. You'll learn general guidelines for
effective use of these interfaces, including when to use which interface.
You'll also learn idioms for each interface that will help you get the most
out of the interfaces.
Implementations
describes the JDK's general-purpose collection implementations
and tells you when to use which implementation. You'll also learn about
the wrapper implementations, which add functionality to general-purpose
implementations.
Algorithms
describes the polymorphic algorithms provided by the JDK to operate
on collections. With any luck you'll never have to write your own sort
routine again!
Custom Implementations
tells you why you might want to write your own collection implementation
(instead of using one of the general-purpose implementations provided by the
JDK), and how you'd go about it. It's easy with the JDK's abstract
collection implementations!
Interoperability
tells you how the Collections Framework interoperates with older APIs that
predate the addition of Collections to Java. Also, it tells you how to design
new APIs so that they'll interoperate seamlessly with other new APIs.
