Access Modifiers Permissions level and their scope

 

Access modifiers in Java determine the visibility and accessibility of classes, methods, and fields within your code. Here's a brief overview of each access modifier:

1. Private:

   • Scope: Limited to the same class.
   • Permission:
     • Accessible within the class where it is declared.
     • Not accessible outside the class, including subclasses.
   • Example:
   • private int privateField;

2. Default (Package-Private):

   • Scope: Limited to the same package.
   • Permission:
     • Accessible within the class where it is declared.
     • Accessible within any class in the same package.
     • Not accessible outside the package, including subclasses in other packages.
   • Example:
   • int packagePrivateField;

3. Protected:

   • Scope: Limited to the same package and subclasses (including those in different packages).
   • Permission:
     • Accessible within the class where it is declared.
     • Accessible within any class in the same package.
     • Accessible by subclasses, even if they are in different packages.
     • Not accessible outside the package (except by subclasses).
   • Example:
   • protected int protectedField;

4. Public:

   • Scope: Accessible from anywhere.
   • Permission:
     • Accessible within the class where it is declared.
     • Accessible within any class, regardless of the package.
     • Accessible by subclasses, regardless of the package.
   • Example:
   • public int publicField;

These access modifiers help you control the visibility of your code, providing a mechanism for encapsulation and information hiding. By choosing the appropriate access level, you can design classes and APIs that expose only what is necessary and hide implementation details. This promotes modularity, maintainability, and helps prevent unintended misuse of your code.

Within class	Within Package	Outside Package by subclass	Outside Package
Yes	No	No	No
Yes	Yes	No	No
Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes

See You soon.