Abstraction

Abstraction is achieved by creating abstract data types or classes that provide a simplified interface for working with complex systems. This allows developers to work at a higher level of understanding, focusing on what the system does rather than how it does it.

Abstraction can be implemented in the following ways:

• Data abstraction
• Procedural abstraction
• Control abstraction

Data abstraction

This involves hiding the implementation details of data structures and exposing only the essential operations that can be performed on them.

Procedural abstraction

This involves hiding the implementation details of a procedure or function and exposing only its interface. For example, a function that sorts a list of numbers can be abstracted to just its input (the list) and output (the sorted list), hiding the details of how the sorting is done.

Control abstraction

This involves hiding the details of control flow in a program, such as loops and conditional statements, and providing a higher-level interface. For example, a foreach loop abstracts the details of iterating over a collection, providing a simpler interface for the developer.

Abstraction is important because it allows developers to manage complexity, improve code readability, and facilitate code reuse. It also enables developers to work more efficiently by allowing them to focus on the essential aspects of a system.