What are getters and setters methods in PHP ?

In object-oriented programming, getters and setters are methods used to access and modify the private or protected properties of a class. These methods provide a controlled way to retrieve and update the values of class properties, promoting encapsulation and maintaining the integrity of an object’s state.

Getters in PHP

A getter method is responsible for retrieving the value of a private or protected property within a class. It allows external code to access the property’s value without directly manipulating it. Getters typically have names prefixed with “get.”

Example: Here, the getName method is a getter that returns the value of the private $name property.

PHP

<?php

class Person
{
    private $name;

    public function __construct($name)
    {
        $this->name = $name;
    }

    public function getName()
    {
        return $this->name;
    }
}

// Usage of the getter
$person = new Person("John Doe");

echo $person->getName();

?>

Output

John Doe

In this example, .

Setters in PHP

A setter method is used to modify the value of a private or protected property within a class. It allows controlled access to the internal state of an object by providing a way to update its properties. Setters typically have names prefixed with “set.”

Example: Here, the setName method is a setter that updates the value of the private $name property.

PHP

<?php

class Person
{
    private $name;

    public function setName($newName)
    {
        $this->name = $newName;
    }

    public function getName()
    {
        return $this->name;
    }
}

// Usage of the setter and getter
$person = new Person("John Doe");
$person->setName("Jane Doe");

echo $person->getName();

?>

Output

Jane Doe

Benefits of using the Getters and Setters

• Encapsulation: Getters and setters encapsulate the internal state of an object, hiding its implementation details and providing controlled access.
• Validation: Setters can include validation logic to ensure that the new value meets certain criteria before updating the property.
• Flexibility: Getters and setters allow developers to modify the internal representation of a property without affecting external code that uses the class.

Differences between Getters and Setters

Getters	Setters
Used to retrieve the value of a property.	Used to modify the value of a property.
Typically named with a “get” prefix (e.g., getName).	Typically named with a “set” prefix (e.g., setName).
Do not take parameters (or take optional parameters).	Take parameters representing the new value to be set.
Used for reading the state of an object.	Used for modifying the state of an object.

Conclusion

Getters and setters are crucial components of object-oriented programming in PHP. They provide a controlled interface for accessing and modifying the internal state of objects, promoting encapsulation and maintaining a clear separation between an object’s implementation details and its external usage. By using getters and setters, developers can enhance the robustness and maintainability of their code.