Description: A private member in C++ is an attribute or method of a class that can only be accessed from within the class itself. This means that these members cannot be accessed from instances of the class or from derived classes, providing a level of encapsulation and data protection. The declaration of a private member is done using the keyword ‘private’, which is one of the three access specifiers in C++, along with ‘public’ and ‘protected’. Encapsulation is a fundamental principle of object-oriented programming, as it allows hiding the internal details of a class and exposing only what is necessary for external use. This helps maintain data integrity and facilitates code maintenance and evolution, as changes in the internal implementation do not affect external parts interacting with the class. In summary, private members are essential for creating robust and secure classes, allowing developers to control access to critical data and methods of their objects.
