What is a class that allows multiple data types to be used in programming?

A generic class is designed to allow multiple data types to be used within a single class definition. This feature enables developers to create classes, interfaces, and methods that can operate on data of various types while maintaining type safety. By using generic classes, you can define a placeholder for the data type that can be specified during the instantiation of the class.

This capability leads to greater code reusability and flexibility, as you can write more generalized algorithms that work with different types without sacrificing performance or safety through type checking at compile time. For example, in a generic class, you might define a method that can handle any data type, such as integers, strings, or custom objects, provided they conform to specific constraints if required. This contrasts with a specific or non-generic class, which would require separate implementations for each data type.

Understanding generics is fundamental to modern programming languages like C# and Java since they enhance the ability to create complex data structures such as lists, dictionaries, or queues while keeping the code clean and manageable.