What is Encapsulation?

Encapsulation is one of the key principles of Object-Oriented Programming (OOP). It refers to the practice of wrapping data (variables) and methods (functions) into a single unit and restricting direct access to some of an object's components.

Encapsulation = Data Hiding + Controlled Access

Why Use Encapsulation?

• ✔ Protects data from accidental modification
• ✔ Controls how data is accessed
• ✔ Improves code security and maintainability
• ✔ Keeps implementation details hidden

Real-Life Example

Think of a medicine capsule. You cannot directly see or touch the powder inside; you just use the capsule. Similarly, encapsulation hides internal data and allows controlled interaction.

C# Example of Encapsulation

class BankAccount
{
    private double balance;  // hidden data

    public void Deposit(double amount)
    {
        if (amount > 0)
            balance += amount;
    }

    public double GetBalance()
    {
        return balance;
    }
}

    

In this example:

• private keyword hides the variable balance.
• Access is controlled using methods like Deposit() and GetBalance().

Key Points to Remember

• Encapsulation hides internal data.
• Uses access modifiers like private, public, and protected.
• Improves code security, reliability, and flexibility.