What does "private" mean in programming?

private is one of the most common terms in software development. This guide explains what it means, how it is used in practice, and why it matters, with real examples from the developer world.

Definition

An access modifier keyword that restricts a class member to be accessible only within the class itself. In TypeScript it is enforced at compile time.

Example

"class BankAccount { private balance = 0; }"

Related terms

public
protected
class
encapsulation

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