What is the difference between abstraction and encapsulation in programming?

What is the difference between abstraction and encapsulation in programming?

Abstraction is the concept of hiding complex implementation details and showing only the essential features. Encapsulation, on the other hand, is the bundling of data and methods that operate on that data within a single unit, typically a class.

Can you give me an example of abstraction?

Sure! In a car, the driver uses the steering wheel to control the vehicle without needing to understand the complex mechanics of how the engine works. This is abstraction.

And what about encapsulation?

Encapsulation can be seen in a class in programming. For example, a class 'Car' might have private attributes like 'speed' and 'fuel', and public methods like 'accelerate()' and 'brake()' to manipulate those attributes.

Why are both concepts important in software development?

Both concepts help in managing complexity. Abstraction allows developers to focus on high-level functionalities, while encapsulation protects the internal state of objects, promoting modularity and reducing dependencies.