What are some examples of the public access modifier in Java?

What are some examples of the public access modifier in Java?

In Java, the public access modifier allows classes, methods, and variables to be accessible from any other class. For example, if you have a class like this:

public class MyClass {
    public int myNumber;
    public void myMethod() {
        System.out.println("Hello, World!");
    }
}

Here, myNumber and myMethod can be accessed from any other class.

Can you show me how to use it in a real-world scenario?

Sure! Imagine you have a class Car that needs to be accessed by different parts of your application. You can define it like this:

public class Car {
    public String model;
    public void start() {
        System.out.println("Car is starting...");
    }
}

Now, any other class can create an instance of Car and access its model and start() method.

What happens if I don't use public?

If you don't use the public modifier, the default access level is package-private, meaning the class, method, or variable is only accessible within its own package. This can limit the usability of your code across different packages.

Are there any drawbacks to using public access?

Yes, using public access can expose your class members to unintended modifications from other classes, which can lead to maintenance issues. It's often better to use private or protected access and provide public methods to control access.