To answer this question, you need to understand encapsulation and how data should be shared with external code.
Encapsulation is a principle in object-oriented programming that bundles data and the methods that operate on that data into a single unit, called an object. It allows for the implementation details of an object to be hidden from external code, providing a clean interface for interacting with the object.
When using encapsulation, data should be shared with external code through properties. Properties provide a controlled way of accessing and modifying the internal state of an object. They allow for the implementation details of the data to be hidden, while providing public access to it.
Option A) Events - Events are used to notify external code about certain actions or changes that occur within an object. While events can be used to share information, they are not the primary means of sharing data with external code in encapsulation.
Option B) Methods - Methods are used to perform operations on the data within an object. While methods can indirectly access and modify the data, they are not the primary means of sharing data with external code in encapsulation.
Option C) Properties - Properties provide a way to encapsulate data and provide controlled access to it. This is the correct option. With properties, the internal state of an object can be hidden, while still allowing external code to read and write the data through defined getter and setter methods.
Option D) Private variables - Private variables are used to store the internal state of an object. They are not directly accessible from external code and are typically accessed and modified through getter and setter methods. While private variables are used in encapsulation, they are not the primary means of sharing data with external code.
Option E) Public variables - Public variables are directly accessible from external code. However, exposing data through public variables violates the principle of encapsulation, as it allows external code to directly manipulate the internal state of an object. Therefore, using public variables is not the recommended approach for sharing data with external code in encapsulation.
The correct answer is C) Properties. This option is correct because properties provide a controlled way of sharing data with external code while maintaining encapsulation.