Lists vs. Maps example

gistfile1.txt

List<Account> accountList = [SELECT Id, Name, BillingState FROM Account LIMIT 3];
System.debug('accountList: ' + accountList);

/* 	output from the log— just what you picture for a list of SObjects

USER_DEBUG [2]|DEBUG|accountList: (
	Account:{Id=0013t00001YbRqrAAF, Name=Edge Communications-top, BillingState=TX}, 
	Account:{Id=0013t00001YbRqsAAF, Name=Burlington Textiles Corp of America-top, BillingState=NC}, 
	Account:{Id=0013t00001YbRqtAAF, Name=Pyramid Construction Inc.-top}
   )
*/
Map<Id,Account> accountMap = new Map<Id,Account>([SELECT Id, Name, BillingState FROM Account LIMIT 3]);
System.debug('accountMap: ' + accountMap);

/* 	output from the log— notice here end of line 18 and line 22, the map is enclosed in {}, 
	which tells you this is an 'object' (a map in this case).

USER_DEBUG [5]|DEBUG|accountMap: {
	0013t00001YbRqrAAF=Account:{Id=0013t00001YbRqrAAF, Name=Edge Communications-top, BillingState=TX}, 
	0013t00001YbRqsAAF=Account:{Id=0013t00001YbRqsAAF, Name=Burlington Textiles Corp of America-top, BillingState=NC}, 
	0013t00001YbRqtAAF=Account:{Id=0013t00001YbRqtAAF, Name=Pyramid Construction Inc.-top}
	}

	You have the same 3 accounts as you had in accountList,
	but, they are INDEXED by their respective IDs. 
	So, if I wanted to access the Burlington Textiles account,
	I could simply say:

	Account burlAcc = accountMap.get('0013t00001YbRqsAAF');

*/

Like this code. It's absolutely good motivation for us to try different things.

Thank you Pat!