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.