What are common mistakes developers make with access modifiers (public, protected, default, private)?

Access modifiers (public, protected, default, private) in Java control the visibility of classes, methods, and variables. Here are some common mistakes developers make with these modifiers:

  • Overusing Public Access: Making too many classes or methods public can expose the internal implementation, leading to potential misuse or increased coupling.
  • Underusing Private Access: Failing to encapsulate class members by not using private can lead to unintended access and modification from outside the class.
  • Inappropriate Use of Protected: Using protected access when it’s not necessary can allow subclasses or other unrelated classes to access the member, breaking encapsulation.
  • Neglecting Default Access: Forgetting about default (package-private) access can lead to classes being unnecessarily visible outside their package, causing tight coupling.

It's essential to apply the right access modifier for each class member based on the design requirements and principles of encapsulation.


Java access modifiers public protected private default access Java development mistakes