How to Efficiently Implement Getters and Setters in Java?

What are the best practices for creating getters and setters in Java?

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

    public String getName() {
        return name;
    }

    public void setName(String name) {
        this.name = name;
    }

    public int getAge() {
        return age;
    }

    public void setAge(int age) {
        this.age = age;
    }
}

In Java, getters and setters are typically used to access and modify private member variables. While traditional Java implementation involves defining each method manually, there are annotations and tools that can streamline the process, particularly with frameworks like Spring and Lombok.

import lombok.Getter;
import lombok.Setter;

@Getter
@Setter
public class Employee {
    private String id;
    private String name;
}

Causes

• Java's encapsulation principle requires private variables to be accessed via public getter and setter methods.
• Manually defining getters and setters for multiple fields leads to repetitive boilerplate code.

Solutions

• Utilize Lombok's @Getter and @Setter annotations to automatically generate methods at compile-time.
• Explore Java Beans and JavaFX properties for a more streamlined approach to property management.
• Consider using record classes (Java 14+) for immutable data structures, which eliminates the need for explicit getters.

Mistake: Neglecting to implement getters and setters for private fields, exposing them directly instead.

Solution: Always encapsulate your class variables with getters and setters to maintain control over data access.

Mistake: Using traditional methods for properties without exploring Lombok or Spring options, leading to excessive boilerplate.

Solution: Adopt tools like Lombok to reduce redundancy and improve code readability.