Encapsulation

Encapsulation is a programming concept that binds together data and functions that manipulate the data, and that keeps both safe from outside interference and misuse. It is a fundamental concept in object-oriented programming (OOP) languages.

Encapsulation

Encapsulation is a fundamental concept in object-oriented programming (OOP). It is the process of combining data and functions into a single unit, called an object. Encapsulation is used to hide the values or state of a structured data object inside a class, preventing unauthorized access to them. It is one of the four fundamental OOP concepts, along with abstraction, inheritance, and polymorphism.

Encapsulation is a way of protecting the data in an object from accidental or intentional misuse. It is a protective shield that prevents the data from being modified by accident and is a way of preventing external code from corrupting the internal state of an object. It is also a way of providing controlled access to the data and methods of an object.

Encapsulation is achieved by using access modifiers. These are keywords that control the visibility of the members of a class. The most commonly used access modifiers are public, private, and protected. Public members are accessible from outside the class, while private members are only accessible from within the class. Protected members are accessible from within the class and from any class that inherits from it.

Encapsulation is an important concept in OOP because it allows for the creation of objects that are self-contained and can be used in different contexts. It also allows for the creation of objects that are more secure and can be used in a variety of applications. Encapsulation also allows for the creation of objects that are easier to maintain and debug.