Definition
An interface describes the functionalities exported by an entity such as a software module. These functionalities typically consist in named operations with signatures describing potential arguments and return values, but interfaces may also include the definitions of data types, constants, exceptions, or even describe semantics.
Interfaces shield the internals of corresponding software modules from the outside, providing several benefits. Interfaces provide abstraction, in the sense that the internals of modules may evolve while other modules can still rely on the same functionalities (encapsulation). Safety and security are promoted by interfaces as these define single access points to respective software modules.
In object-oriented programming, software modules often coincide with classes, which also describe data types implicitly. In the case of such a class, an interface is thus roughly made up of the methods exported by the class. Mostly, interfaces are then defined...
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Eugster, P. (2009). Interface. In: LIU, L., ÖZSU, M.T. (eds) Encyclopedia of Database Systems. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-39940-9_1176
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