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Encapsulation

Definition

Encapsulation refers to the bundling of data and methods within a class, where the data is hidden from external access. It ensures that an object's internal state remains consistent by controlling how it can be accessed or modified.

Analogy

Think of encapsulation like a vending machine. The inner workings and mechanisms are hidden from users; they only interact with the machine through its designated interface (inserting money and selecting products). Similarly, in encapsulation, we hide implementation details and expose only necessary methods for interacting with objects.

Related terms

Object-oriented programming (OOP): OOP promotes encapsulation as one of its fundamental principles. It allows for modular design by grouping related data and behaviors together within classes.

Access modifiers: Access modifiers control the visibility and accessibility of members (variables or methods) in a class. They determine whether other parts of the program can access or modify those members directly.

Information hiding: Information hiding is closely related to encapsulation and involves restricting direct access to internal details of an object. By hiding information, we protect it from being accidentally modified or misused outside its intended scope.