ADT is an acronym for Abstract Data Type. It refers to a programming concept in computer science that defines a data type not by its internal representation or structure, but by the operations that can be performed on it. ADTs provide an interface or contract that allows programmers to use the data type without needing to understand its internal implementation details.
An Abstract Data Type encapsulates data and the operations that can be performed on that data, enabling programmers to manipulate and handle the data in a higher-level manner. It provides a high-level view of the data structure, shielding the user from the complexities of the underlying implementation.
ADTs are often implemented through classes or structures in object-oriented programming languages. They typically provide various methods or functions to perform commonly required operations on the data, such as insertion, deletion, retrieval, and manipulation. Examples of ADTs include lists, stacks, queues, trees, and graphs.
The beauty of ADTs lies in their ability to promote modularity, reusability, and maintainability of code. By separating the interface from the implementation, ADTs allow different parts of a program to interact with the data type through a well-defined interface, without depending on the internal details. This makes it easier to modify or replace the underlying implementation without affecting the rest of the program.
In summary, an ADT is a high-level data structure that defines a set of operations that can be performed on the data, shielding the user from its internal implementation details.
