In addition to public, Java provides several other access modifiers that control the visibility of classes, methods, and variables. Here are the main access modifiers:
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private:
- Visibility: Accessible only within the class where it is declared.
- Use Case: Used to restrict access to class members, ensuring that they cannot be accessed from outside the class.
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protected:
- Visibility: Accessible within the same package and by subclasses (even if they are in different packages).
- Use Case: Used when you want to allow access to class members for subclasses while still restricting access from other classes.
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default (no modifier):
- Visibility: Accessible only within the same package. If no access modifier is specified, the default access level is applied.
- Use Case: Used when you want to restrict access to classes and members to only those within the same package.
These access modifiers help in implementing encapsulation and controlling access to the components of a class, allowing developers to design their classes with appropriate levels of visibility.
