Exploring and Concealing Attribute Privacy in Python Classes Architecture
Python, a popular programming language, uses the terms "public" and "private" to describe methods and attributes of classes. However, Python does not enforce strict privacy. Instead, it relies on conventions to indicate and hide class attributes.
Indication Privacy
Indication privacy is a common convention in Python. It involves prefixing attribute names with a single underscore (). This signals to users and developers that the attribute is intended for internal use. Although it's a clear hint, Python does not prevent external access to these attributes.
Hide-and-Seek Privacy
Hide-and-seek privacy is a stronger form of privacy indication. It uses double leading underscores () in attribute names. This triggers name mangling, where Python internally renames the attribute to include the class name (e.g., ). This makes it harder to access the attribute from outside the class, effectively "hiding" it.
Although hide-and-seek privacy provides a stronger form of privacy indication, it is not truly private. The name can still be accessed if the mangled name is known.
Comparing Indication and Hide-and-Seek Privacy
| Type | Syntax | Privacy Level | How It Works | |---------------------|---------------|-----------------------------|-------------------------------------------------| | Indication Privacy | | Weak (convention only) | Signals internal use, but accessible externally | | Hide-and-Seek Privacy| | Stronger (name mangling) | Python changes the attribute name internally to reduce accidental access |
Python's approach to privacy is a language design choice to encourage respectful access rather than enforce strict access control like some other languages such as Java or C++.
In the following articles, we will delve deeper into name mangling and provide examples of how it works in practice. Stay tuned!
When using Python, smartphones and other gadgets can't access class attributes that are hidden using the Hide-and-Seek privacy convention, as they are internally renamed with the class name. However, Indication privacy, where attribute names are prefixed with a single underscore, doesn't actually prevent external access in Python. Despite this, Python's approach to privacy relies more on indicating intended use and encouraging respectful access rather than strict enforcement, as seen in languages such as Java or C++.
