What are access modifiers in object-oriented programming?

What are access modifiers in object-oriented programming?

Access modifiers are keywords that set the accessibility of classes, methods, and other members in OOP.

Can you explain the different types of access modifiers?

Sure! The main types are public, private, and protected. Public members are accessible from anywhere, private members are only accessible within the class, and protected members are accessible within the class and its subclasses.

Why is it important to use access modifiers?

Using access modifiers helps to encapsulate data, protect the integrity of the object, and control how the data is accessed and modified.

Can you give an example of how to use access modifiers in code?

Certainly! In Java, you might define a class like this:

class Example {
    private int number;
    public void setNumber(int num) {
        number = num;
    }
    protected int getNumber() {
        return number;
    }
}