JavaScript Getters and Setters

• Encapsulation: Getters and setters are used to encapsulate data within an object, providing more control over how that data is accessed and modified.

• Getters:

  • Used to retrieve the value of a property.

  • Defined using the get keyword before the property name.

  • Example:

    JavaScript

     

    class Person {
      constructor(firstName) {
        this._firstName = firstName; // Private property
      }
    
      get firstName() {
        return this._firstName;
      }
    }
    

• Setters:

  • Used to set the value of a property.

  • Defined using the set keyword before the property name.

  • Example:

    JavaScript

     

    class Person {
      constructor(firstName) {
        this._firstName = firstName; // Private property
      }
    
      get firstName() {
        return this._firstName;
      }
    
      set firstName(value) {
        if (typeof value !== 'string') {
          throw new Error("First name must be a string");
        }
        this._firstName = value;
      }
    }
    

• Benefits:

  • Data Validation: Enforce data integrity by performing checks within the setter.
  • Data Transformation: Perform transformations on the data before setting the property value.
  • Read-Only Properties: Create read-only properties by defining a getter but no setter.
  • Improved Maintainability: Encapsulating data makes your code more maintainable and easier to modify.

• Example Usage:

  JavaScript

   

  const person = new Person("John");
  console.log(person.firstName); // Accessing the value using the getter
  
  person.firstName = "Jane"; // Setting the value using the setter 
  

Getters and setters are valuable tools for creating well-structured and maintainable JavaScript objects, promoting data integrity and improving code quality.