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Abstraction (computer science)
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<p>In <a href="/facts/Software_engineering/KX6cE9kz">software engineering</a> and <a href="/facts/Computer_science/lN3pEyPz">computer science</a>, abstraction is the process of <a href="/facts/Generalization/v0b1pwUx">generalizing</a> <a href="/facts/Abstract_and_concrete/uNshak6S">concrete</a> details, such as <a href="/facts/Attribute_(computing)/EpQSmn02">attributes</a>, away from the study of <a href="/facts/Object_(computer_science)/eX99dtAw">objects</a> and <a href="/facts/System/hmqQ4ASX">systems</a> to focus attention on details of greater importance. <a href="/facts/Abstraction/p7l9eHGd">Abstraction</a> is a fundamental concept in computer science and <a href="/facts/Software_engineering/KX6cE9kz">software engineering</a>, especially within the <a href="/facts/Object-oriented_programming/TxNMEcao">object-oriented programming</a> paradigm. Examples of this include: </p> <ul><li>the usage of <a href="/facts/Abstract_data_type/BaVGSHNP">abstract data types</a> to separate usage from working representations of <a href="/facts/Data_(computer_science)/cPjfFHph">data</a> within <a href="/facts/Computer_program/e38jH9N9">programs</a>;</li> <li>the concept of <a href="/facts/Function_(computer_programming)/9vFJrg0A">functions</a> or subroutines which represent a specific way of implementing <a href="/facts/Control_flow/2XTDfErC">control flow</a>;</li> <li>the process of reorganizing common behavior from groups of non-abstract <a href="/facts/Class_(computer_programming)/zvzkSAtE">classes</a> into abstract classes using <a href="/facts/Inheritance_(object-oriented_programming)/a7R1xv8n">inheritance</a> and <a href="/facts/Inheritance_(object-oriented_programming)/a7R1xv8n">sub-classes</a>, as seen in <a href="/facts/Object-oriented_programming/TxNMEcao">object-oriented programming</a> languages.</li></ul>