The purpose of this chapter is to elaborate on the concepts of developing generic software. On completing the chapter, the student should understand and be able to use the following:

Data Representation Abstractions

No new data types are taken up in this chapter.

Data Manipulation Abstractions

routines that handle data expressed as generic items

formally defined generic routines and their refinements

expression of abstract data types such as structures in data-independent (generic) ways

formally defined generic modules, refinement as separate modules and as local modules, adding and removing ADT facilities using local refinement