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Can a programmer (you) design a class whose objects are immutable?

User JensB
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1 Answer

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Final answer:

A programmer can indeed create a class with immutable objects by declaring fields as private and final, providing no setters, using final classes or methods, and by handling mutable input arguments and fields carefully.

Step-by-step explanation:

Yes, a programmer can design a class whose objects are immutable. Immutable objects are objects whose state cannot be modified after they are created. To ensure immutability in a class, you should:

  • Declare all fields private and final.
  • Provide no setter methods.
  • Ensure that methods cannot be overridden by making the class final or methods final.
  • Make a deep copy of mutable input arguments to the constructor.
  • Ensure that mutable fields have no direct getter method, or that they return a deep copy of the field.

For example, Java's String class is an immutable class. Once a String object is created, the value it represents cannot be changed.

User Rakhat
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