What is the difference between Encapsulation and Abstraction in Java?

The terms Encapsulation and Abstraction are closely related concepts in Java and Object-Oriented Programming (OOP), but they serve different purposes and are implemented in distinct ways. Here's a detailed breakdown of the differences between them:

- Encapsulation is about protecting data and controlling access to it, making sure that internal details are hidden from the outside.
- Abstraction is about providing a simple interface while hiding the complexity of how the system or object works.

Real-World Analogy

Encapsulation: Imagine a pill capsule that hides the medicine inside. You don’t need to know what’s inside, but you can control how much of it is dispensed (via getters/setters).

Abstraction: Imagine using a TV remote. You don’t need to know how the internal circuits work (implementation), you just need to know the buttons (interface) and their functions (what it does).

Example

- Encapsulation: The balance is private and can only be accessed or modified via the public methods getBalance() and deposit().
- Abstraction: The Vehicle class provides an abstract method startEngine(), hiding the specific engine-starting logic inside its subclass (Car).

Summary