In object-oriented programming, immutability refers to the state of an object that cannot be changed after it is created. Immutable objects have several benefits such as thread safety, improved performance, and ease of use in concurrent programming.

Java provides several ways to create immutable objects:

1. Declare final fields: One way to ensure immutability is by declaring all fields in a class as final. This prevents any modification to the fields once they are set. For example:

public class Person {
    private final String name;
    private final int age;

    public Person(String name, int age) {
        this.name = name;
        this.age = age;
    }

    // Getters for name and age
}

1. Avoid mutator methods: Another approach is to avoid providing any mutator methods that modify the state of the object. Instead, focus on providing only getter methods that return the values of the fields. This enforces the immutability of the object. For example:

public class Point {
    private final int x;
    private final int y;

    public Point(int x, int y) {
        this.x = x;
        this.y = y;
    }

    // Getters for x and y
}

1. Make fields private and final: By making the fields private and final, you ensure that they cannot be accessed or modified from outside the class. This is a key aspect of immutability in Java. For example:

public class Product {
    private final String name;
    private final double price;

    public Product(String name, double price) {
        this.name = name;
        this.price = price;
    }

    // Getters for name and price
}

Immutability is a powerful concept in Java that helps create robust and predictable code. By following the principles of immutability, you can write safer and more efficient code that is easier to reason about and maintain.

#Java #Immutability