ACCESS MODIFIERS IN JAVA
Introduction
The access modifiers in java specifies
accessibility (scope) of a data member, method,
constructor or class.
There are 4 types of java access modifiers:
private
default
protected
public
Private Access Modifier
The private access modifier is accessible only within class.
Example:
class A
{
private int data=40;
private void msg(){System.out.println("Hello java");}
}
public class B
{
public static void main(String args[])
{
A obj=new A();
System.out.println(obj.data); //Compile Time Error
obj.msg(); //Compile Time Error
}
}
Private Constructor
If you make any class constructor private, you cannot create
the instance of that class from outside the class.
Example:
class A
{
private A(){} //private constructor
void msg(){System.out.println("Hello java");}
}
public class B
{
public static void main(String args[])
{
A obj=new A(); //Compile Time Error
}
}
Note: A class cannot be private or protected
except nested class.
Default Access Modifier
If you don't use any modifier, it is treated as default bydefault. The default
modifier is accessible only within package.
//save by A.java
package pack;
class A
{
void msg(){System.out.println("Hello");}
}
//save by B.java
package mypack;
import pack.*;
class B
{
public static void main(String args[]){
A obj = new A();//Compile Time Error
obj.msg();//Compile Time Error
}
}
The scope of class A and its method msg() is default so it cannot be
accessed from outside the package.
Protected Access Modifier
The protected access modifier is accessible
within package and outside the package but
through inheritance only.
The protected access modifier can be applied on
the data member, method and constructor.
It can't be applied on the class.
//save by A.java
package pack;
public class A
{
protected void msg() {System.out.println("Hello");}
}
//save by B.java
package mypack;
import pack.*;
class B extends A
{
public static void main(String args[])
{
B obj = new B();
obj.msg();
}
} Output:Hello
Public Access Modifier
The public access modifier is accessible everywhere. It has the widest
scope among all other modifiers.
Example of public access modifier
//save by A.java
package pack;
public class A
{
public void msg(){System.out.println("Hello");}
}
//save by B.java
package mypack;
import pack.*;
class B
{
public static void main(String args[])
{
A obj = new A();
obj.msg();
}
} Output:Hello
All Java Access Modifiers
Access Modifiers with Method
Overriding
If you are overriding any method, overridden method (i.e. declared in
subclass) must not be more restrictive.
Example:
class A
{
protected void msg(){System.out.println("Hello java");}
}
public class B extends A
{
void msg(){System.out.println("Hello java");}//C.T.Error
public static void main(String args[])
{
B obj=new B();
obj.msg();
}
}
The default modifier is more restrictive than protected. That is why there
is compile time error.
