Access modifiers
Access modifiers in Java are keywords used to specify the accessibility or visibility of classes, methods, variables, and constructors. They control how these elements can be accessed from other classes or packages. Java provides four types of access modifiers:
Access modifiers can be applied to classes, methods, variables, and constructors.
The choice of access modifier depends on the desired level of encapsulation and the requirements of the design.
Access modifiers provide control over the visibility of members, which helps in maintaining code integrity and security.
Public
Accessible from anywhere, both within the same package and from other packages.
Usage: Use
public
when you want a member to be widely accessible by any code.Example:
Protected
Accessible within the same package and by subclasses (even if they are in different packages).
Usage: Use
protected
when you want to provide access to the member within the same package and to subclasses.Example:
Default (Package-private)
Accessible only within the same package. When no access modifier is specified, it defaults to package-private.
Usage: Use the default access level when you want to restrict access to the member within the same package.
Example:
Private
Accessible only within the same class.
Usage: Use
private
when you want to encapsulate the member and prevent access from outside the class.Example:
Last updated