Getters and Setters: Manage Attributes in Python
If you come from a language like Java or C++, then you’re probably used to writing getter and setter methods for every attribute in your classes. These methods allow you to access and mutate private attributes while maintaining encapsulation. In Python, you’ll typically expose attributes as part of your public API and use properties when you need attributes with functional behavior.
Even though properties are the Pythonic way to go, they can have some practical drawbacks. Because of this, you’ll find some situations where getters and setters are preferable over properties.
In this tutorial, you’ll:
- Write getter and setter methods in your classes
- Replace getter and setter methods with properties
- Explore other tools to replace getter and