This lecture covers the concept of direct sums in abelian groups, starting with the definition of a direct sum of abelian groups. It explores the universal property of the product of a family of sets or groups, extending the notion of direct sums to arbitrary families of abelian groups. The lecture delves into the construction of direct sums, emphasizing the existence and uniqueness of direct sums in various contexts. It concludes by discussing the next step in the study of direct sums in abelian groups.