What are some examples of encapsulation in C++?

What are some examples of encapsulation in C++?

Encapsulation in C++ is the bundling of data and methods that operate on that data within a single unit, usually a class. For example, consider a class BankAccount that encapsulates the account balance and provides methods to deposit and withdraw money.

Can you show me the code for that example?

Sure! Here's a simple example:

class BankAccount {
private:
    double balance;

public:
    BankAccount() : balance(0) {}
    void deposit(double amount) {
        balance += amount;
    }
    void withdraw(double amount) {
        if (amount <= balance) {
            balance -= amount;
        } else {
            std::cout << "Insufficient funds!";
        }
    }
    double getBalance() const {
        return balance;
    }
};

How does this help in protecting the data?

Encapsulation protects the data by restricting direct access to the class's attributes. In the BankAccount example, the balance variable is private, so it can't be modified directly from outside the class. This ensures that the balance can only be changed through the defined methods, which can include validation.

What are some other benefits of encapsulation?

Other benefits include improved code maintainability, easier debugging, and the ability to change the internal implementation without affecting external code that uses the class.