An Abstract Data Type (ADT) is a theoretical and mathematical model for describing a collection of data and the operations that can be performed on that data. It defines a set of operations, but it does not specify the implementation details or how these operations should be carried out. Instead, it focuses on the behavior of the data type.
The term "abstract" in Abstract Data Type implies that the user interacts with the data type at a high level, understanding only the operations that can be performed and not the internal workings. The implementation details are abstracted away, allowing for flexibility and modularity in designing programs.
Common examples of Abstract Data Types include:
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Stacks: A collection of elements with two main operations - push (adding an element to the top) and pop (removing the top element).
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Queues: A collection of elements with two primary operations - enqueue (adding an element to the back) and dequeue (removing an element from the front).
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Lists: An ordered collection of elements where operations include insertion, deletion, and retrieval.
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Trees: A hierarchical data structure with nodes connected by edges, where operations include insertion, deletion, and traversal.
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Graphs: A collection of nodes and edges that connect pairs of nodes, where operations include adding vertices and edges, and traversing the graph.
ADTs are fundamental in computer science because they provide a way to organize and structure data, making it easier to manage and manipulate information in a program. Programming languages often provide built-in or user-defined support for implementing abstract data types.
