C++ Encapsulation
Encapsulation
The meaning of Encapsulation, is to make sure that "sensitive" data is hidden from users.
To achieve this, you must declare class variables/attributes as private (cannot
be accessed from outside the class).
If you want others to read or modify the value of a private member, you can provide public get and set methods.
Real-Life Example
Think of an employee's salary:
- The salary is private - the employee can't change it directly
- Only their manager can update it or share it when appropriate
Encapsulation works the same way. The data is hidden, and only trusted methods can access or modify it.
Access Private Members
To access a private attribute, use public "get" and "set" methods:
Example
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
class Employee {
private:
// Private attribute
int salary;
public:
// Setter
void setSalary(int s) {
salary = s;
}
// Getter
int getSalary() {
return salary;
}
};
int main() {
Employee myObj;
myObj.setSalary(50000);
cout << myObj.getSalary();
return 0;
}
Try it Yourself »
using namespace std;
class Employee {
private:
// Private attribute
int salary;
public:
// Setter
void setSalary(int s) {
salary = s;
}
// Getter
int getSalary() {
return salary;
}
};
int main() {
Employee myObj;
myObj.setSalary(50000);
cout << myObj.getSalary();
return 0;
}
Example explained
salaryis private - it cannot be accessed directlysetSalary()sets the valuegetSalary()returns the value
We use myObj.setSalary(50000) to assign a value, and myObj.getSalary() to print it.
Why Encapsulation?
- It is considered good practice to declare your class attributes as private (as often as you can). Encapsulation ensures better control of your data, because you (or others) can change one part of the code without affecting other parts
- Increased security of data