Repository Collections
A repository collection is a set of one or more objects that implement the same interface. Repository collections are instantiated by the repository engine. State information about a collection is stored in a repository so that you can call the object in the same state in which you last left it.
Collections are used to define a relationship between two or more objects, to support navigation, and to manipulate a set of similar objects as a unit.
Collections always reflect information about some kind of relationship. An object typically has multiple collections, reflecting its association with many kinds of objects. Furthermore, because an information model is a network of objects, navigation follows a series of relationships by traversing collections.
All collections are fundamentally the same. However, the repository API provides support for creating a variety of general-purpose and special-purpose collections. The kind of collection that you create is determined by the COM interfaces and Automation objects you use to materialize the collection. Each collection exposes a set of methods and properties designed to support the purpose of the collection type.
For more information about collections, see Defining Relationships and Collections and Understanding Collections.