---
title: "Java: Collections Framework"
date: 2015-01-01
canonical_url: https://idratherbewriting.com/java-collections-framework/index.html
---

> For AI agents: a documentation index is available at https://idratherbewriting.com/llms.txt. Markdown versions of all pages are available by appending .md to any page URL.

# Java: Collections Framework

## Quick summary

- elements that contain multiple values but are stored as one, such as a map, list, set, etc.

## What are collections

> A collection — sometimes called a container — is simply an object that groups multiple elements into a single unit. Collections are used to store, retrieve, manipulate, and communicate aggregate data. Typically, they represent data items that form a natural group, such as a poker hand (a collection of cards), a mail folder (a collection of letters), or a telephone directory (a mapping of names to phone numbers). If you have used the Java programming language — or just about any other programming language — you are already familiar with collections. – [Oracle, Java Tutorials](https://docs.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/collections/intro/index.html)