In this article, we will discuss data hiding in Python, starting from data hiding in general to data hiding in Python, along with the advantages and disadvantages of using data hiding in python.

What is Data Hiding?

Data hiding is a concept which underlines the hiding of data or information from the user. It is one of the key aspects of Object-Oriented programming strategies. It includes object details such as data members, internal work. Data hiding excludes full data entry to class members and defends object integrity by preventing unintended changes. Data hiding also minimizes system complexity for increase robustness by limiting interdependencies between software requirements. Data hiding is also known as information hiding. In class, if we declare the data members as private so that no other class can access the data members, then it is a process of hiding data.

Data Hiding in Python:

The Python document introduces Data Hiding as isolating the user from a part of program implementation. Some objects in the module are kept internal, unseen, and unreachable to the user. Modules in the program are easy enough to understand how to use the application, but the client cannot know how the application functions. Thus, data hiding imparts security, along with discarding dependency. Data hiding in Python is the technique to defend access to specific users in the application. Python is applied in every technical area and has a user-friendly syntax and vast libraries. Data hiding in Python is performed using the __ double underscore before done prefix. This makes the class members non-public and isolated from the other classes.

Data hiding is a programming concept that refers to the practice of making certain attributes or methods of a class inaccessible to the outside world, while allowing other parts of the program to access them. In Python, data hiding is achieved using a technique called encapsulation, which involves defining a class with private attributes and methods.

Private attributes are variables or data members that are marked with a double underscore prefix, such as __attribute. These attributes cannot be accessed directly from outside the class, even by objects of the same class. Instead, they can only be accessed using public methods that have been defined within the class.

For example, consider a class called Person that has a private attribute called __age: 

class Person:
    def __init__(self, name, age):
        self.name = name
        self.__age = age
    
    def get_age(self):
        return self.__age

In this example, the __age attribute is marked as private, and can only be accessed using the get_age() method, which is a public method that returns the value of __age. This ensures that the age of a person object cannot be modified directly from outside the class, and can only be accessed in a controlled manner.

Data hiding is an important programming concept because it helps to improve the security, reliability, and maintainability of code by preventing unintended changes to critical data and behavior.