Encapsulation is the concept of bundling data and methods that operate on that data within a single unit, typically a class. It restricts direct access to some of the object's components, which can prevent unintended interference and misuse.
Class: A blueprint for creating objects, defining initial values for state (member variables) and implementations of behavior (member functions or methods).
Object: An instance of a class containing both data (attributes) and functionality (methods).
Inheritance: A mechanism where one class derives properties and behavior from another class.