Chapter 11: Abstract Data Types and Encapsulation

A collection of key concepts from Chapter 11 covering abstract data types, encapsulation, and language examples, formatted as vocabulary flashcards.

Abstraction

A view or representation of an entity that includes only the most significant attributes.

Abstract Data Type (ADT)

A user-defined data type that hides the representation of its objects and defines operations within a syntactic unit.

Encapsulation

The bundling of data with the methods that operate on that data, restricting direct access to some of the object's components.

Reliability in Data Abstraction

Achieved by hiding data representations, preventing user code from depending on the representation and allowing changes without affecting user code.

Constructor

A function used to initialize the data members of an instance of a class.

Destructor

A function that cleans up after an instance is destroyed, usually to reclaim heap storage.

Template class (C++)

A class that allows parameterization of types, enabling the creation of generic types.

Generic Classes

Classes that can operate on any data type, provided in languages like Java and C# for parameterized ADTs.

Information Hiding

The principle of restricting access to certain details of an object, exposing only necessary components.

Naming Encapsulation

Creating logical groupings of names to avoid name conflicts, often implemented using namespaces or packages in programming languages.