When should I use encapsulation or inheritance in Python?

Can you explain when to use encapsulation or inheritance in Python?

Sure! Encapsulation is used to restrict access to certain components of an object, while inheritance allows a class to inherit properties and methods from another class. Use encapsulation when you want to protect the internal state of an object, and use inheritance when you want to create a new class based on an existing class.

Can you give me an example of encapsulation?

Absolutely! For instance, if you have a class BankAccount, you might want to keep the balance private. You can use methods to deposit or withdraw money, ensuring that the balance cannot be directly accessed or modified from outside the class.

What about inheritance? Can you show me an example?

Sure! Imagine you have a base class Animal with a method speak(). You can create subclasses like Dog and Cat that inherit from Animal and implement their own versions of speak(). This way, you can reuse code and extend functionality.

So, should I always prefer one over the other?

Not necessarily! It depends on the specific use case. Use encapsulation for data protection and inheritance for code reuse. Sometimes, a combination of both is the best approach.