Member-only story
In the world of object-oriented programming (OOP), encapsulation is a crucial principle that helps maintain data integrity and control access to an object’s attributes. Python provides a powerful feature called properties that allow you to define getters, setters, and deleters for your class attributes, enabling you to enforce custom logic and validation rules.
Getters and Setters Demystified
Getters and setters are methods that control the retrieval and assignment of class attributes, respectively. They serve as an intermediary between the attribute and the outside world, giving you the ability to add custom logic or validation before accessing or modifying the attribute’s value.
Here’s a simple example:
class Person:
def __init__(self, name, age):
self._name = name # Convention: Leading underscore for internal attributes
self._age = age
# Getter for the name attribute
@property
def name(self):
return self._name
# Setter for the name attribute
@name.setter
def name(self, new_name):
if…