When a program's user needs information about a collection of objects, such as a collection of movies, you may wish to provide that information in a table in which each row displays the properties of one object, such as a movie instance.

Conveniently, Java makes it easy for you to create, with little effort, simple tables; if your needs are demanding, Java makes it possible for you to create complex tables that have sophisticated characteristics.

You should skim this chapter to learn what tables offer; you should read it more carefully when you need to construct a table of your own.