What is the significance of setting properties to private in PHP classes?

Setting properties to private in PHP classes is significant because it encapsulates the data within the class, preventing direct access from outside the class. This helps maintain data integrity and allows for better control over how the data is accessed and modified. By using private properties, you can ensure that the data is only manipulated through predefined methods, reducing the risk of unintended changes or errors in the code. 

class User {
    private $username;
    
    public function setUsername($username) {
        $this->username = $username;
    }
    
    public function getUsername() {
        return $this->username;
    }
}

$user = new User();
$user->setUsername("john_doe");
echo $user->getUsername(); // Output: john_doe

Keywords

encapsulation visibility access control object-oriented programming data hiding

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