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Access Modifier in Python

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Rajesh Khadka edited this page Nov 16, 2019 · 2 revisions

Python doesn't stops you to change the private and protected fields, by default all fields and methods are public. Implementation decision has been left for developers.

Just a convention

protected: _ (single underscore) before fields and methods

   class User:
     def __init__(self, username, password, gender):
        self._username = username // i act like a protected but you can change me
     def _login(self):
        print('i am like a protected method but you can access me')

private: __ (double underscore) before fields and methods

   class User:
     def __init__(self, username, password, gender):
        self.__username = username // i act like a protected but you can change me
        self.__password = password // i act like a protected but you can change me
        self.__gender = gender    // i act like a protected but you can change me
     def __login(self):
        print('i like a private method but you can access me')

You can change private and protected fields and method as:

   class Doctor:
    def __init__(self,
                 name,
                 address,
                 specialities,
                 schedule,
                 degree):
        self.name = name
        self.address = address
        self.specialities = specialities
        self.schedule = schedule
        self.__degree = degree

    def __diagnose_patient(self):
        print(F'diagnosed patient bob by doctor {self.name}')
    
    doctor = Doctor('Dr. Bob', 'KTM', 'OPD', 'SUN: 7-8', 'MBBS')
    doctor._Doctor__diagnose_patient(patient)

References:

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