What is the difference between Set and List?
In Java, a Set is an interface that extends the Collection interface. It is an unordered collection of objects, in which each object can occur only once. A Set does not allow duplicate elements.
A List is an interface that extends the Collection interface. It is an ordered collection of elements, in which each element has a specific position in the list. A List allows duplicate elements.
Here are some key differences between Set and List:
- Order:
Setis an unordered collection, whileListis an ordered collection. - Duplicates:
Setdoes not allow duplicate elements, whileListallows duplicate elements. - Indexing:
Listhas a specific index for each element, whileSetdoes not have a specific index for its elements.
There are several implementations of the Set and List interfaces in the Java Collections Framework, including HashSet, TreeSet, ArrayList, and LinkedList. You can choose the implementation that is most appropriate for your use case based on your requirements for order, duplicates, and performance.