Python Encapsulation

Detailed Tutorial on Python Encapsulation

Welcome to codeswithpankaj.com! In this tutorial, we will explore the concept of encapsulation in Python. We'll cover what encapsulation is, how it works in Python, and provide detailed examples to illustrate its application.

Introduction to Encapsulation
Benefits of Encapsulation
Private and Public Members
Getter and Setter Methods
Property Decorators
Implementing Encapsulation in Python
Practical Examples
Advantages of Encapsulation
Summary

1. Introduction to Encapsulation

What is Encapsulation?

Encapsulation is an object-oriented programming concept that restricts access to certain components of an object. It bundles the data (attributes) and methods (functions) that operate on the data into a single unit, called a class. Encapsulation helps in protecting the data from unauthorized access and modification.

Key Points

Encapsulation involves hiding the internal state of an object and requiring all interactions to be performed through an object's methods.
It is a way of restricting direct access to some of an object's components, which can prevent the accidental modification of data.

2. Benefits of Encapsulation

Data Protection: Encapsulation helps in protecting the data from unintended or unauthorized access.
Modularity: It allows the implementation details of a class to be hidden, promoting modularity.
Maintainability: Encapsulation makes the code more maintainable and flexible by isolating changes to a specific part of the code.
Ease of Use: It simplifies the interface to the object by providing a controlled way to access and modify the object's data.

3. Private and Public Members

Public Members

Public members are accessible from outside the class. In Python, all members are public by default.

class Car:
    def __init__(self, brand, model):
        self.brand = brand
        self.model = model

car = Car("Toyota", "Corolla")
print(car.brand)  # Accessing public member
print(car.model)  # Accessing public member

Private Members

Private members are accessible only within the class. In Python, private members are indicated by a prefixing the member name with double underscores (__).

class Car:
    def __init__(self, brand, model):
        self.__brand = brand
        self.__model = model

car = Car("Toyota", "Corolla")
print(car.__brand)  # Error: AttributeError
print(car.__model)  # Error: AttributeError

4. Getter and Setter Methods

Getter Methods

Getter methods are used to access the value of private attributes from outside the class.

class Car:
    def __init__(self, brand, model):
        self.__brand = brand
        self.__model = model

    def get_brand(self):
        return self.__brand

    def get_model(self):
        return self.__model

car = Car("Toyota", "Corolla")
print(car.get_brand())
print(car.get_model())

Setter Methods

Setter methods are used to modify the value of private attributes from outside the class.

class Car:
    def __init__(self, brand, model):
        self.__brand = brand
        self.__model = model

    def get_brand(self):
        return self.__brand

    def get_model(self):
        return self.__model

    def set_brand(self, brand):
        self.__brand = brand

    def set_model(self, model):
        self.__model = model

car = Car("Toyota", "Corolla")
car.set_brand("Honda")
car.set_model("Civic")
print(car.get_brand())
print(car.get_model())

5. Property Decorators

Property decorators in Python provide a pythonic way to define getters and setters. The @property decorator is used to define a getter method, and the @<property_name>.setter decorator is used to define a setter method.

Using Property Decorators

class Car:
    def __init__(self, brand, model):
        self.__brand = brand
        self.__model = model

    @property
    def brand(self):
        return self.__brand

    @brand.setter
    def brand(self, brand):
        self.__brand = brand

    @property
    def model(self):
        return self.__model

    @model.setter
    def model(self, model):
        self.__model = model

car = Car("Toyota", "Corolla")
print(car.brand)
print(car.model)

car.brand = "Honda"
car.model = "Civic"
print(car.brand)
print(car.model)

6. Implementing Encapsulation in Python

Example: Encapsulating Bank Account Information

class BankAccount:
    def __init__(self, account_number, balance):
        self.__account_number = account_number
        self.__balance = balance

    @property
    def account_number(self):
        return self.__account_number

    @property
    def balance(self):
        return self.__balance

    def deposit(self, amount):
        if amount > 0:
            self.__balance += amount
        else:
            print("Invalid deposit amount")

    def withdraw(self, amount):
        if amount > 0 and amount <= self.__balance:
            self.__balance -= amount
        else:
            print("Invalid withdraw amount")

account = BankAccount("123456789", 1000)
print(account.account_number)
print(account.balance)

account.deposit(500)
print(account.balance)

account.withdraw(200)
print(account.balance)

7. Practical Examples

Example 1: Encapsulating Employee Information

class Employee:
    def __init__(self, name, salary):
        self.__name = name
        self.__salary = salary

    @property
    def name(self):
        return self.__name

    @property
    def salary(self):
        return self.__salary

    def give_raise(self, amount):
        if amount > 0:
            self.__salary += amount
        else:
            print("Invalid raise amount")

employee = Employee("John Doe", 50000)
print(employee.name)
print(employee.salary)

employee.give_raise(5000)
print(employee.salary)

Example 2: Encapsulating Product Information

class Product:
    def __init__(self, name, price):
        self.__name = name
        self.__price = price

    @property
    def name(self):
        return self.__name

    @property
    def price(self):
        return self.__price

    def apply_discount(self, discount):
        if 0 < discount < 1:
            self.__price -= self.__price * discount
        else:
            print("Invalid discount value")

product = Product("Laptop", 1000)
print(product.name)
print(product.price)

product.apply_discount(0.1)
print(product.price)

8. Advantages of Encapsulation

Encapsulation helps in protecting the data from unauthorized access.
It improves code maintainability by isolating changes to a specific part of the code.
Encapsulation makes the code more modular and easier to manage.
It allows for controlled access to the data, providing getter and setter methods.

9. Summary

In this tutorial, we explored the concept of encapsulation in Python, its importance, and how to implement it using private members, getter and setter methods, and property decorators. We also covered practical examples to illustrate the application of encapsulation. Encapsulation is a powerful feature that enhances code flexibility, readability, and maintainability.

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Last updated 2 months ago