Understanding Getters and Setters in Java with Examples

In Java, getters and setters are essential methods used to access and modify the properties of an object. They help in encapsulating the data and ensuring that the internal representation of an object is hidden from the outside. This article will provide a detailed explanation of getters and setters, along with examples to illustrate their use.

What are Setters and Getters?

• Setters: These methods are used to write or update values into the object's properties.
• Getters: These methods are used to read or retrieve values from the object's properties.

Example: Student Class

Below is a simple Java class named Student that demonstrates the use of getters and setters.

java
// Create a class Student
public class Student {
    private String name;
    private int ID;
    private String course;
    private double GPA;

    // Setter for name
    public void setName(String name) {
        this.name = name;
    }

    // Setter for ID
    public void setID(int ID) {
        this.ID = ID;
    }

    // Setter for course
    public void setCourse(String course) {
        this.course = course;
    }

    // Setter for GPA
    public void setGPA(double GPA) {
        this.GPA = GPA;
    }

    // Getter for name
    public String getName() {
        return name;
    }

    // Getter for ID
    public int getID() {
        return ID;
    }

    // Getter for course
    public String getCourse() {
        return course;
    }

    // Getter for GPA
    public double getGPA() {
        return GPA;
    }
}