Difference between lists and collections in Java

The List and Set interfaces both belong to the Collection framework. Both interfaces extend the Collection interface. They are both used to store object collections as a single unit.　

In JDK1.2Before that, we used Arrays, Vectors, and Hashtable to group objects into a single unit.　

number	key	list	group
1each	positional access	`The list provides positional access to the elements in the collection.`	The set does not provide access to the position of elements in the collection
2	implementation	`The implementations of List are ArrayList, LinkedList, Vector, Stack`	The implementation of the set interface is HashSet and LinkedHashSet
3	duplicates	`We can store duplicate elements in the list.`	We cannot store duplicate elements in the set
4	reservation	`The list maintains the insertion order of elements in the collection`	The set does not maintain any order
5	empty elements	`The list can store multiple null elements`	A set can only store one empty element

List Example

import java.util.List;
import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.LinkedList;
public class ListExample {
　　　public static void main(String[] args) {
　　　　　　List<String> al = new ArrayList<String>();
　　　　　　al.add("BMW");
　　　　　　al.add("Audi");
　　　　　　al.add("BMW");
　　　　　　System.out.println("List Elements: ");
　　　　　　System.out.print(al);
　　　}
}

Output Result

List Elements:
[BMW, Audi, BMW]

Example of a Set

import java.util.Set;
import java.util.HashSet;
import java.util.TreeSet;
public class SetExample {
　　　public static void main(String args[]) {
　　　　　　int count[] = {2,　4,　3,　5};
　　　　　　Set<Integer> hset = new HashSet<Integer>();
　　　　　　try{
　　　　　　　　　for(int i = 0; i<4; i++{
　　　　　　　　　　　　hset.add(count[i]);
　　　　　　　　　}
　　　　　　　　　System.out.println(hset);
　　　　　　}
　　　　　　catch(Exception e){
　　　　　　　　　e.printStackTrace();
　　　　　　}
　　　}
}

Output Result

[2,　4,　3,　5]

Basic Tutorial