Abstraction is the process of LOOKING at an object in terms of its methods (the operations), while temporarily ignoring the underlying details of the object's implementation. PROGRAMMERS use abstraction to simplify the design and implementation of complex programs. For example, if you are told to write a word processor, the task MIGHT at first seem insurmountable. However, using abstraction, you BEGIN to realize that a word processor actually consists of objects such as a document object that users will create, save, spell-check and print. By viewing programs in abstract terms, you can better understand the required programming. In Java, the class is the PRIMARY tool for supporting abstraction.

Abstraction is the process of looking at an object in terms of its methods (the operations), while temporarily ignoring the underlying details of the object's implementation. Programmers use abstraction to simplify the design and implementation of complex programs. For example, if you are told to write a word processor, the task might at first seem insurmountable. However, using abstraction, you begin to realize that a word processor actually consists of objects such as a document object that users will create, save, spell-check and print. By viewing programs in abstract terms, you can better understand the required programming. In Java, the class is the primary tool for supporting abstraction.