C# Access Modifiers
C# provides various keywords to control or restrict accessibility or scope of the data. We can apply access modifiers to functions and variables.
There are five access modifiers in C#:
Public Access modifier:
It makes data which is accessible publically. It doesn’t restricts the scope of data.
- Private
- Protected
- Internal
- Protected internal
- Public
| Access Modifier | Description |
| public | Public variable is accessible everywhere |
| Protected | Protected is accessible only in derived class |
| Internal | Internal is accessible only in containing assembly |
| Protected internal | It is accessible in current assembly or derived classes. |
| Private | It is only accessible within class |
Example:
using System;
public class Student
{
int id,age;
string name,course;
int batch;
public Student(int id,int age,string name,string course,int batch)
{
this.id=id;
this.age=age;
this.name=name;
this.course=course;
this.batch=batch;
}
public void display()
{
Console.WriteLine(id+" "+age+" "+name+" "+course+" "+batch);
}
}
public class StudentDetails
{
public static void Main (string[] args)
{
Student s1=new Student(101,23,"Varun Kumar","B. Tech.",2017);
s1.display();
}
}
Output
101 23 Varun Kumar B. Tech. 2017Protected Access Modifier: we can access protected modifier within the class or outside the class by inheritance.
Example:
using System;
public class Student
{
int id,age;
string name,course;
int batch;
public Student(int id,int age,string name,string course,int batch)
{
this.id=id;
this.age=age;
this.name=name;
this.course=course;
this.batch=batch;
}
protected void display()
{
Console.WriteLine(id+" "+age+" "+name+" "+course+" "+batch);
}
}
public class StudentDetails
{
public static void Main (string[] args)
{
Student s1=new Student(101,23,"Varun Kumar","B. Tech.",2017);
s1.display();
}
}
Output
Compilation error (line 26, col 6): 'Student.display()' is inaccessible due to its protection levelProtected Access modifier: Accessing data through inheritance
using System;
public class Animal
{
int age=10;
protected void eat()
{
Console.WriteLine("at the age of "+age+" it should eat only normal food");
}
}
public class Dog:Animal
{
public static void Main(string[] args)
{
Dog a=new Dog();
a.eat();
}
}
Output
at the age of 10 it should eat only normal foodPrivate Access Modifier: Private can only be accessed within class only. it is the most restricted Access Modifier.
Example:
using System;
public class Student
{
private int id,age;
private string name,course;
private int batch;
public Student(int id,int age,string name,string course,int batch)
{
this.id=id;
this.age=age;
this.name=name;
this.course=course;
this.batch=batch;
}
private void display()
{
Console.WriteLine(id+" "+age+" "+name+" "+course+" "+batch);
}
}
public class StudentDetails
{
public static void Main (string[] args)
{
Student s1=new Student(101,23,"Varun Kumar","B. Tech.",2017);
s1.display();
}
}
Output
Compilation error (line 26, col 6): 'Student.display()' is inaccessible due to its protection levelInternal Access Modifier: Internal access modifier enables you to access the variable within the current assembly.
Example:
using System;
namespace AccessSpecifiers
{
public class InternalTest
{
internal string name = "Shantosh Kumar";
internal void Msg(string msg)
{
Console.WriteLine("Hello " + msg);
}
}
public class Program
{
public static void Main(string[] args)
{
InternalTest internalTest = new InternalTest();
// Accessing internal variable
Console.WriteLine("Hello " + internalTest.name);
// Accessing internal function
internalTest.Msg("Peter Decosta");
}
}
}
Protected Internal access Modifier:
The protected internal variable can be accessed inside assembly as well as in the other assembly by inheritance. Example:
using System;
using AccessSpecifiers1;
namespace AccessSpecifiers1
{
public class InternalTest
{
protected internal string name = "Shantosh Kumar";
protected internal void Msg(string msg)
{
Console.WriteLine("Hello " + msg);
}
}
}
namespace AccessSpecifier2
{
public class Program:InternalTest
{
public static void Main(string[] args)
{
InternalTest internalTest = new InternalTest();
// Accessing protected internal variable
Console.WriteLine("Hello " + internalTest.name);
// Accessing protected internal function
internalTest.Msg("Peter Decosta");
}
}
}
Output
Hello Shantosh Kumar Hello Peter Decosta