What distinguishes a Set from a Map in data structures?

A Set is a collection that holds unique elements and does not associate them with any keys, meaning that the elements are stored without any specific identifier. This guarantees that no duplicate elements can exist within a Set. In contrast, a Map is a collection that stores key-value pairs, where each key is unique and associated with a specific value. The uniqueness of the keys allows for efficient retrieval of values based on their corresponding keys.

Understanding this distinction is crucial as it highlights the structural differences between the two data types: Sets focus on the uniqueness of elements without any associated identifiers, while Maps emphasize the relationship between keys and their corresponding values. This fundamental difference impacts how each data structure can be utilized in programming contexts, affecting functionality such as searching, adding, and managing data.