Encapsulation is another fundamental principle in Object-Oriented Programming (OOP). It involves bundling the data (attributes) and methods (behaviors) that operate on the data into a single unit, called a class. Encapsulation allows for data hiding, where the internal state of an object is not directly accessible from outside the class. Instead, access to the data is controlled through methods, which are often referred to as getters and setters. This helps in achieving data abstraction and protection.
In Python, encapsulation is typically implemented using classes. By defining attributes as private (prefixed with double underscores __) and providing public methods to access or modify these attributes, encapsulation can be achieved. This ensures that the internal state of an object remains hidden from the outside world and can only be accessed or modified through well-defined interfaces.