Encapsulation in Java

One of the guiding principles of object-oriented programming (OOP) is encapsulation, which is mostly related to programming languages like Java. It refers to the process of grouping together into a single entity called a class data (attributes) and the methods (functions) that operate on that data. When constructing objects, which are instances of the class, the class serves as a blueprint.

The advantages of encapsulation are as follows:

Data hiding: You can manage the visibility and accessibility of the data by enclosing it within a class. You can select which characteristics are private (only accessible within the class) and which are public (visible from outside the class). This aids in preventing unauthorized or inadvertent changes to an object's internal state.

Abstraction: By encapsulating an item, you can reveal a straightforward user interface while concealing its intricate internal implementation details. The code is made more maintainable as a result of the promotion of a distinct separation between the interface and the implementation.

Code Organisation: Coding structure and organization are improved by combining data and related methods into a single class. The codebase is now simpler to comprehend, adapt, and expand as a result.

Encapsulation in Java is accomplished using getter/setter methods and access modifiers:

Private Access Modifier: You can designate attributes as private to limit their accessibility to the class by using the Private Access Modifier. This keeps anybody outside of the class from having direct access to the attributes.

Public Access Modifier: To grant regulated access to the private attributes, you can construct public methods (getter and setter methods). An attribute's value can be retrieved using getter methods, and it can be changed using setter methods.

Here is a simple Java example that illustrates encapsulation:

public class Student {

    private String name;

    private int age;

    public String getName() {

        return name;

    }

    public void setName(String newName) {

        name = newName;

    }

    public int getAge() {

        return age;

    }

    public void setAge(int newAge) {

        if (newAge >= 0) {

            age = newAge;

        }

    }

}

The Student class in this example contains the name and age attributes. Since they are private, nobody outside of the class can directly access them. Instead, these characteristics are interacted with via the getter and setter methods. To make sure the age is not negative, the age setter performs validation.

Encapsulation offers a regulated manner to interact with an object's data and aids in protecting the integrity of the internal state of the class.