Python Tutorial 8.3 - Encapsulation

Welcome to the “Encapsulation” tutorial!

Overview

Encapsulation hides internal state and protects data integrity. Python uses naming conventions:

• Public: attribute
• Protected: _attribute
• Private: __attribute

Example

class BankAccount:
    def __init__(self, balance):
        self.__balance = balance  # private

    def deposit(self, amount):
        if amount > 0:
            self.__balance += amount

    def get_balance(self):
        return self.__balance

acct = BankAccount(100)
acct.deposit(50)
print(acct.get_balance())  # 150
# print(acct.__balance)    # AttributeError

Key Takeaways

• Use _ or __ prefixes to signal protected/private.
• Provide methods to interact with hidden data.

Happy coding!