What Are Getters and Setters, and Why Should You Use Them?

Getters and Setters: A Comprehensive Explanation and Usage Guide

Getters and setters are essential mechanisms in object-oriented programming that allow controlled access to an object's private properties. They play a crucial role in encapsulation and data integrity, ensuring that an object's state can only be manipulated through well-defined methods. Here's a simplified explanation and some straightforward examples to help grasp their concept and usage:

1. What Getters and Setters Do:

   • Getters: These methods retrieve the value of a private property without modifying it. They provide a readonly interface, allowing external code to inspect but not alter the property's value.
   • Setters: These methods update the value of a private property. They ensure that the property is assigned with a specific type or undergo special validation before its value is modified.

2. Simple Examples:

   • Getter Example:

     class Person {
       constructor(name) {
         // Declares a private property
         this._name = name;
       }
     
       // Defines a getter for the _name property
       get name() {
         return this._name;
       }
     }

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     In this example, get name is a getter method that allows access to the private _name property.

   • Setter Example:

     class Employee {
       constructor(salary) {
         // Declares a private property
         this._salary = salary;
       }
     
       // Defines a setter for the _salary property
       set salary(newSalary) {
         if (newSalary > 0) {
           this._salary = newSalary;
         } else {
           throw new Error("Invalid salary");
         }
       }
     }

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     Here, set salary is a setter method that validates the input and only updates the _salary property if it's a positive value. If an invalid salary is provided, it throws an error.

Additionally, setters can perform complex operations or update multiple related properties. They provide a flexible way to control and enforce consistent data updates. By using getters and setters appropriately, you can maintain data integrity, prevent unintended side effects, and enhance the maintainability and extensibility of your codebase.

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