What are the differences between Java Collections and Sets?

What are the main differences between Java Collections and Sets?

Java Collections is a framework that provides a set of classes and interfaces for storing and manipulating groups of objects. Sets, on the other hand, are a specific type of collection that does not allow duplicate elements.

Can you explain the types of Sets available in Java?

Sure! In Java, there are three main types of Sets: HashSet, LinkedHashSet, and TreeSet. HashSet is unordered and allows null values, LinkedHashSet maintains insertion order, and TreeSet is sorted in natural order.

When should I use a Set instead of a List?

You should use a Set when you want to ensure that no duplicates are stored and when the order of elements is not important. Use a List when you need to maintain the order of elements or allow duplicates.

Are there any performance differences between these collections?

Yes, performance can vary. HashSet offers constant time performance for basic operations like add, remove, and contains. LinkedHashSet has slightly slower performance due to maintaining order, while TreeSet has logarithmic time performance due to its sorted nature.