Encapsulation in Java

Encapsulation is one of the four fundamental principles of Object-Oriented Programming (OOP). It’s a protective shield that prevents data from being accessed directly. Let’s dive into the world of encapsulation in Java.

What is Encapsulation?

In Java, encapsulation is a process of wrapping the data (variables) and code acting on the data (methods) together as a single unit. In encapsulation, the variables of a class are hidden from other classes, and can be accessed only through the methods of their current class. This is also known as data hiding.

Why Use Encapsulation?

Encapsulation provides control over the data. Here are some benefits:

• Increased Security: Data is hidden from the outside world, and it’s accessible only through the methods. This ensures the integrity of the data.
• Flexibility and Maintainability: The user does not need to know the actual implementation of the code. If we change the method’s internal code, the user won’t be affected.
• Reusability: Encapsulation also improves reusability and is easy to change with new requirements.

How to Achieve Encapsulation?

In Java, encapsulation can be achieved by:

1. Declaring the variables of a class as private.
2. Providing public setter and getter methods to modify and view the variables’ values.

Here’s a simple example:

public class Employee {
    private String name;

    // Getter method
    public String getName() {
        return name;
    }
    // Setter method
    public void setName(String newName) {
        this.name = newName;
    }
}

In the above code, name is a private variable, so it cannot be accessed directly from outside the class. You can change and get the value of name through the public methods setName and getName.

Conclusion

Encapsulation is a powerful concept in Java. It helps us control the data and validate it. It’s a fundamental principle of OOP that helps us write secure and maintainable code.

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