What is encapsulation in OOP?

Encapsulation is fundamentally about bundling together data (attributes) and the methods (functions) that operate on that data within a single unit, known as a class. In object-oriented programming (OOP), this principle allows an object to manage its own state and behavior in a cohesive manner. By packaging the data and the methods together, encapsulation promotes a clean and organized code structure, making it easier to manage complexity and maintain the code.

When a class encapsulates its data, it can restrict direct access to its attributes, typically using access modifiers such as private or protected. This means that objects of the class can only be manipulated via specified methods, known as getters and setters, which provide controlled access. This not only protects the integrity of the data but also allows for more flexible code, as the implementation can change without affecting outside users of the class, as long as the interface remains consistent.

In summary, the essence of encapsulation lies in bundling data with the methods that manipulate that data, which enhances modularity and protects the internals of a class from external interference.