What are encapsulation and polymorphism in Python?

What are encapsulation and polymorphism in Python?

Encapsulation is the bundling of data and methods that operate on that data within a single unit, like a class. Polymorphism allows methods to do different things based on the object it is acting upon, enabling a single interface to represent different underlying forms.

Can you give me an example of encapsulation?

Sure! In Python, you can use private variables by prefixing them with an underscore. For example:

class Car:
    def __init__(self, model):
        self._model = model  # private variable

    def get_model(self):
        return self._model

Here, _model is encapsulated within the Car class.

And how does polymorphism work in Python?

Polymorphism in Python allows methods to be defined in different classes but with the same name. For example:

class Dog:
    def sound(self):
        return 'Bark'

class Cat:
    def sound(self):
        return 'Meow'

def animal_sound(animal):
    print(animal.sound())

You can call animal_sound(Dog()) or animal_sound(Cat()), and it will print the respective sounds.

What are the benefits of using encapsulation?

Encapsulation helps in protecting the internal state of an object, reduces complexity, and increases code maintainability by restricting access to certain components.