Understanding Data Encapsulation in Programming

In programming, data encapsulation refers to the process of combining data with its associated methods in a single unit, making it harder for unauthorized access. This concept ensures better safety and security by restricting access to sensitive information through the use of access modifiers or specifiers. Data abstraction, on the other hand, is about hiding irrelevant details and focusing on essential characteristics of data. While data encapsulation hides internal implementation details and controls accessibility, data abstraction focuses on major features or contents of an object rather than its functioning.

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Data Encapsulation
9th August, 2019
What is Data Encapsulation?
Data encapsulation can be defined as a mechanism of grouping the data and the functions of
using such data and providing certain security aspects to control the access to such data.
Sometimes, we get confused between data encapsulation and data abstraction. But both are quite
different from each other. Data abstraction can be defined as a mechanism which exposes the
interfaces and hides the implementation details from every user. Data encapsulation is an object-
oriented programming which binds the functions manipulating the data and the data together and
provides ample safety from third party interference and accessibility intending to prevent any
kind of misuse. Data Hiding can also be considered as data encapsulation. Therefore, data
encapsulation can also be termed as Data Hiding because this mechanism not only hides the
implementation details of a particular class of data from the users but also restricts the access to
any data class by the help of special functions which are termed as methods. The mechanism of
wrapping of confidential and private data in groups or classes with the support of object-oriented
programming languages is the mechanism of data encapsulation. The OSI model or Open
Systems Interconnection model is also associated with data encapsulation. The OSI model is one
of the conceptual models which standardizes and characterizes the communication processes of a
computing system or telecommunication without considering any technology for internal
structural support. The main goal of this OSI model is to increase diverse communication
interoperability. The object-oriented programming mechanism of data encapsulation helps in the
binding group of related data properties along with other members and the functions which are
necessary for data manipulation in a single unit. The group of data can be termed as the class
which is highly used in the case of data encapsulation. This grouping helps in hiding details of
any class of data from any kind of misuse or unauthorized access.

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The implementation details are hidden from the users. Encapsulation ensures the integrity of
important data contained in an object. In this case, we should understand the true meaning of
encapsulation and its relation to data. The main aim behind encapsulation is to preserve the
privacy aspects of implementation details from unauthorized access or any kind of misuse.
Encapsulation is itself an object-oriented programming mechanism which ensures protection to
the private fields of the data classes along with the behaviours of such classes. An example can
be used to explain data encapsulation. For example, in an office there can be several data related
to the employees. We can create a class named "employee" where we can store several
information such as job details, salary details, employee names, and other related information.
These data can be grouped in a class which can be named as "employee". With the help of
certain security functions, the implementation details and data properties can be hidden from
unauthorised users. This is a mechanism which is object oriented programming mechanism and
can be termed as data encapsulation. The office can create such classes to retrieve important
information about its employees provided it protects direct access to search information by the
users. The office can provide the access by using set name or get name methods. The user does
not get any information about the process of implementation. The data encapsulation in this case
can be observed to be achieved through the private fields and public methods of an object. In this
way, the office can make the data accessible by the users keeping the private fields and details of
implementation hidden from other external classes and uses. This feature makes data
encapsulation to be termed as Data Hiding.
Access Modifiers or Access Specifiers
There are certain access specifiers or access modifiers which can be used in implementing data
encapsulation. The visibility and scope of a class member also gets defined by such access
modifiers or access specifiers. In C#, there are five access modifiers which are used by
encapsulation. These five modifiers include public, private, protected, internal, and protected
internal modifiers. Access modifiers are also known as access specifiers. Specifiers are used in
describing the accessibility scope of an object along with its members. Access specifiers are
mainly used in controlling the accessibility scope of a member object of any particular class. If
public access modifier is used former then access level is not prevented from the public. Access
level can also be made restricted to the access to containing classes by using a protected

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modifier. In the case of an internal modifier, the access level can be restricted to the current
assembly. On the other hand, protected internal modifiers can be used in restricting access level
to the types of current assembly of the containing class. Private access modifier is used in
restricting access to the containing type. Sometimes, we can observe that there is no modifier for
specifier used. In such cases, the access modifier is used in giving private access. The public
access modifier is used to make access to data open. In such cases, there is no restriction or
limitation to access. Protected access modifier is used in restricting access within the struct or
class. Internal access modifier is used to access the program providing declarations and access
within the files in a similar assembly level. Protected Internal Access Modifier is used to ensure
access from anywhere. In this case, the access is possible within a similar assembly and within
another assembly where a class is derived. The Private Protected Access Modifier works in
version 7.2 of C# and also in later versions.
Data encapsulation in Java can be defined as the process of wrapping the data or grouping the
data into a single unit. Java encapsulation not only binds the data but also binds the code. It
develops a shield. The shield puts accessibility limitations for restriction. The codes which are
bound by Java encapsulation cannot be accessed because of the shield which is created by
encapsulation. There are different variables in Java which are also known as methods of the class
which remain hidden from other classes and these classes cannot be accessed because of
encapsulation in Java. This is also known as Data Hiding. The data access can be restricted by
declaring any class as private. In such cases, there are certain methods which make the variables
accessed by the public.
Data Encapsulation in Computer Programming
Data encapsulation can be defined in programming languages. In computer programming, data
encapsulation is the process of combining certain elements of data intending to develop a new
entity to protect for hiding information. Encapsulation of data in object-oriented programming is
one of the important attributes of object design. It refers to all the data of an object which can be
kept hidden or contained in the object and the access can be made restricted to some members of
the class. Programming languages are not that strict because they allow different access levels to
the data of an object. Data Hiding and encapsulation is supported by C++ with the support of

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user-defined types known as classes. A class is formed by combining the function and the data
into a single individual unit. The process of hiding relevant and vital information by removing or
taking away irrelevant characteristics or information is called data abstraction. But data
encapsulation is the process of combining the functions and the data in a single unit preventing
open access of the hidden implementation details to any user. Data encapsulation enhancers the
privacy aspects of certain information in a class by default point but the programmers can make
changes in the access level with the use of access modifiers or specifiers. The changes are
generally made whenever they are needed by the programmers. There are three levels of access
which we can find in both C# and C++. We can also find additional to access levels in C#.
Advantages of Data Encapsulation
Data encapsulation is an important mechanism where the implementation details of a particular
class of data are kept hidden. The user can only access few restricted operations or the latent
members of the class by the support of special functions which are commonly termed as
methods. The designers of the class determine the methods to be used in performing actions. The
designers of the class need to take ample care of determining the methods because too many
restrictions and over flexibility in the methods could hamper normal functioning of the actions.
The underline feature behind an abstract data type defines the interface which is used in data
encapsulation where the implementation details are hidden from the users with the help of certain
restrictions. It is very important to understand why data encapsulation is used. The benefit of
data encapsulation initiates from its feature of hiding implementation details from unauthorized
access or the users so that the privacy aspects of the data can be retained. An important benefit of
data encapsulation is data hiding. Encapsulation provides the programmer with the opportunities
to hide implementation details along with information regarding inner classes. The users are
given access based on desired codes.
Data encapsulation also allows the programmers to have restricted information about variables
and the procedures of storing data. Flexibility is one of the important advantages of data
encapsulation. With the help of data encapsulation, the data can be made as write-only or read-
only as per the requirement. This flexibility is highly vital in the case of data grouping.
Reusability is another important benefit which we can get from Data encapsulation. Reusability

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allows the users the programmers to make repeated use of the program. Testing the code is
another crucial data encapsulation benefit. The testing procedure is quite a challenging task. Data
encapsulation simplifies testing of the code by easing the process of testing. These all are the
benefits of data encapsulation in Java. The real-time advantages and benefits of data
encapsulation have been well portrayed.
Encapsulation helps in protecting and objects from any kind of unwanted access by authorised
clients or normal clients. The users can only access the data which are allowed by the
programmers for direct access. The encapsulation also enables the programmers to restrict the
access by the use of access specifiers or modifiers which help in protecting vital and confidential
data which are not to be displayed to the users. Data encapsulation also allows access to a
particular level where complex details are not to be revealed. The complex details below the
specified level do not have to be revealed when desired access is provided to the clients or users.
Human errors can be highly prevented by the use of data encapsulation process. Any application
needs to be maintained with the help of ample resources and support. But data encapsulation
enables simplified manner of maintaining the application. Application also becomes highly
convenient and easy to get understood by the users with the help of data encapsulation.
In the case of data encapsulation, some important information concerning any particular data is
combined along with the functions in a class. The users can access the information only to that
level which is allowed by the programmers. The users will not get the access do any data which
are restricted by access modifiers or access specifiers. Therefore, it ensures better safety and
security to the data which are protected or hidden by the programmers. Moreover, data
encapsulation comes up with easy access to the application. Encapsulation can achieve its best
outcome if object data are kept restricted for protected to private. If an access level is chosen to
the public, the programmer needs to understand the basic ramifications of such choice.
Encapsulation promotes maintenance of the application to a great extent. In the case of data
encapsulation, code changes can be conducted independently which is another important
advantage of encapsulation. The stability in the application also gets increased by the help of
encapsulation. Data encapsulation is always implemented with the support of public interfaces,
control of operations and visibility of state. Privacy or non-accessibility of data is always
associated with data encapsulation.

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Difference between Data Abstraction and Data Encapsulation
There is a difference between data encapsulation and data abstraction. Data abstraction is the
process of reducing a specified body of data to a simplified representation of the entire data.
Abstraction is defined as the process of removing or taking away certain characteristics to
increase the focus on essential characteristics. On the other hand, data encapsulation is the
process of wrapping data and its functions along with other members in a particular class
preventing any kind of unauthorized access to data where the implementation details are hidden
from the users. In the case of data abstraction, the main aim is to take away or remove some
irrelevant characteristics from a particular data body so that only essential characteristics could
be retained. The main aim of data encapsulation is to prevent the access of data from any misuse
or unauthorized use. Data abstraction is a significant concept which hides certain information
and allows only required information which the programmers search for. Any kind of sensitive
or trivial information is hidden from the users in the case of data extraction. It is a process which
mainly identifies significant characteristics and ignores the irrelevant characteristics. It also helps
in classifying and grouping of the data conveniently. But in the case of data encapsulation, we
can find implementation details are mainly hidden from the users. The accessibility in the case of
data encapsulation is determined by the programmers with the help of several access modifiers or
specifiers based on the requirements.
Data abstraction is used in solving design level problems. But data encapsulation is used in
solving implementation level problems. Data abstraction is also used for hiding irrelevant and
unwanted data so that the focus can be given on relevant data or essential characteristics of data.
Encapsulation mainly hides the data and the codes and combines them in a single unit to enhance
the protection of the data from unwanted access. On the other hand, data abstraction gives focus
on the major characteristics or contents of an object instead of the process or their functioning.
Encapsulation hides the mechanics of internal details highlighting the functions of an object.
Abstraction is used in outer layout in terms of design. The outer outlook of a smartphone is the
keypad button and a display screen. In the case of data encapsulation, the inner layout of an
object is used in terms of its implementation. In the case of a smartphone, data encapsulation
indicates the way display screen and keypad buttons are connected with the support of circuits. A
smartphone can be cited as an effective example portraying the difference between data

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encapsulation and abstraction. With the help of a smartphone, a number can be dialed using
keypad buttons. But the user does not know the internal working of the keypad buttons. This is
data abstraction. The information is given to the user which is needed to make a call by dialing
the keypad buttons. The internal working of the Smartphone is not important to any user. Data
encapsulation provides information about the working of the smartphone. The information
showing the internal working of a smartphone is hidden from the users and that is data
encapsulation.