Access modifiers are basically keywords that set the access or level of visibility on classes, methods, variables in our code. In other words if a class, method, variable can be used or be accessed from code of its assembly or other assemblies.
Type of access modifiers
There are currently six base types of access modifiers in C#.
- public
- private
- protected
- internal
- protected internal
- private protected
The public access modifier
Probably the most famous one. When we declare a class as public then it can be accessed from any class.
public class PublicClass
{
// Some awesome staff here...
}
The private access modifier
Properties or methods that are declared as private can be accessed only within the specific class or struct
public class PublicClass
{
private void string PrivateMethod()
{
// do great things here
}
}
The protected access modifier
Properties or methods that are declared as protected can be accessed only by code in the same class or in a class that is derived from that class.
public class ParentClass
{
protected int _protectedInt;
}
public class DerivedClass: ParentClass
{
static void Main()
{
var derivedClass = new DerivedClass();
// Direct access to protected members.
derivedClass._protectedInt = 10;
}
}
The internal access modifier
Types or members can be accessed from anywhere inside the same assembly but not from other assemblies
internal class InternalClass
{
// Our hello world code here
}
The protected internal access modifier
A protected internal member is accessible from the current assembly or from types that are derived from the containing class.
public class AssemblyOneBaseClass
{
protected internal int someInt = 0;
}
public class AssemblyOneTestClass
{
void Access()
{
var assemblyOneBaseClass = new AssemblyOneBaseClass();
assemblyOneBaseClass.someInt = 5;
}
}
public class AssemblyTwoDerivedClass : AssemblyOneBaseClass
{
static void Main()
{
var assemblyOneBaseClass = new AssemblyOneBaseClass();
var assemblyTwoDerivedClass = new AssemblyTwoDerivedClass();
assemblyOneBaseClass.someInt = 10;
}
}
The private protected access modifier
A private protected member is accessible by types derived from the containing class, but only within its containing assembly.
public class BaseClass
{
private protected int someInt = 0;
}
public class DerivedClass : BaseClass
{
void Access()
{
var baseClass = new BaseClass();
someInt = 5;
}
}
All the above in a glance
If you would like to read more about access modifiers in C# please visit this link , or check out my blog for more stories.
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