Encapsulation (computer programming): Difference between revisions

Revision as of 16:45, 25 November 2015

Revision as of 00:54, 2 December 2015

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'''Encapsulation''' is the concealment of implementation: the normal position of the barrier is closed. The features of encapsulation are supported using classes in most object-oriented programming languages, although other alternatives also exist. It allows selective hiding of properties and methods in an object by building an impenetrable wall to protect the code from accidental corruption.

In programming languages, <!-- [[object-oriented programming language]]--> <!-- and related fields, like [[OODMBS]],--> encapsulation is used to refer to one of two related but distinct notions, and sometimes to the combination<ref>Michael Lee Scott, ''Programming language pragmatics'', Edition 2, Morgan Kaufmann, 2006, ISBN 0-12-633951-1, p. 481: "Encapsulation mechanisms enable the programmer to group data and the subroutines that operate on them together in one place, and to hide irrelevant details from the users of an abstraction."</ref><ref name=Dale>Nell B. Dale, Chip Weems, ''Programming and problem solving with Java'', Edition 2, Jones & Bartlett Publishers, 2007, ISBN 0-7637-3402-0, p. 396</ref> thereof:

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The second definition is motivated by the fact that in many OOP languages hiding of components is not automatic or can be overridden; thus, [[information hiding]] is defined as a separate notion by those who prefer the second definition.<!-- this is based on all the refs given above, so no inline cite here-->

The features of encapsulation are supported using classes in most object-oriented programming languages, although other alternatives also exist.

== As information hiding mechanism ==