Access modifiers in C# are keywords used to define the accessibility or visibility of classes, methods, variables, and other members. They help control how and where these members can be accessed. Here’s a concise overview of the main access modifiers in C#:

1. Public

• Description: Accessible from anywhere in the program.
• Use Case: When you want a member to be universally accessible.
• Example
  <span class="token keyword keyword-public">public</span> <span class="token keyword keyword-class">class</span> <span class="token class-name">MyClass</span> <span class="token punctuation">{</span> <span class="token keyword keyword-public">public</span> <span class="token return-type class-name"><span class="token keyword keyword-int">int</span></span> MyProperty <span class="token punctuation">{</span> <span class="token keyword keyword-get">get</span><span class="token punctuation">;</span> <span class="token keyword keyword-set">set</span><span class="token punctuation">;</span> <span class="token punctuation">}</span> <span class="token punctuation">}</span>

  1 2 3 4

  <span class="token keyword keyword-public">public</span> <span class="token keyword keyword-class">class</span> <span class="token class-name">MyClass</span> <span class="token punctuation">{</span>     <span class="token keyword keyword-public">public</span> <span class="token return-type class-name"><span class="token keyword keyword-int">int</span></span> MyProperty <span class="token punctuation">{</span> <span class="token keyword keyword-get">get</span><span class="token punctuation">;</span> <span class="token keyword keyword-set">set</span><span class="token punctuation">;</span> <span class="token punctuation">}</span> <span class="token punctuation">}</span>

2. Private

• Description: Accessible only within the containing class.
• Use Case: To encapsulate data and prevent external access.
• Example
  <span class="token keyword keyword-public">public</span> <span class="token keyword keyword-class">class</span> <span class="token class-name">MyClass</span> <span class="token punctuation">{</span> <span class="token keyword keyword-private">private</span> <span class="token class-name"><span class="token keyword keyword-int">int</span></span> myField<span class="token punctuation">;</span> <span class="token punctuation">}</span>

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  <span class="token keyword keyword-public">public</span> <span class="token keyword keyword-class">class</span> <span class="token class-name">MyClass</span> <span class="token punctuation">{</span>     <span class="token keyword keyword-private">private</span> <span class="token class-name"><span class="token keyword keyword-int">int</span></span> myField<span class="token punctuation">;</span> <span class="token punctuation">}</span>

3. Protected

• Description: Accessible within the containing class and by derived classes.
• Use Case: When you want to allow access to subclasses but not to other classes.
• Example
  <span class="token keyword keyword-public">public</span> <span class="token keyword keyword-class">class</span> <span class="token class-name">MyClass</span> <span class="token punctuation">{</span> <span class="token keyword keyword-protected">protected</span> <span class="token class-name"><span class="token keyword keyword-int">int</span></span> myField<span class="token punctuation">;</span> <span class="token punctuation">}</span>

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  <span class="token keyword keyword-public">public</span> <span class="token keyword keyword-class">class</span> <span class="token class-name">MyClass</span> <span class="token punctuation">{</span>     <span class="token keyword keyword-protected">protected</span> <span class="token class-name"><span class="token keyword keyword-int">int</span></span> myField<span class="token punctuation">;</span> <span class="token punctuation">}</span>

4. Internal

• Description: Accessible only within the same assembly.
• Use Case: To restrict access to the same project or library.
• Example
  <span class="token keyword keyword-internal">internal</span> <span class="token keyword keyword-class">class</span> <span class="token class-name">MyClass</span> <span class="token punctuation">{</span> <span class="token keyword keyword-internal">internal</span> <span class="token return-type class-name"><span class="token keyword keyword-int">int</span></span> MyProperty <span class="token punctuation">{</span> <span class="token keyword keyword-get">get</span><span class="token punctuation">;</span> <span class="token keyword keyword-set">set</span><span class="token punctuation">;</span> <span class="token punctuation">}</span> <span class="token punctuation">}</span>

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  <span class="token keyword keyword-internal">internal</span> <span class="token keyword keyword-class">class</span> <span class="token class-name">MyClass</span> <span class="token punctuation">{</span>     <span class="token keyword keyword-internal">internal</span> <span class="token return-type class-name"><span class="token keyword keyword-int">int</span></span> MyProperty <span class="token punctuation">{</span> <span class="token keyword keyword-get">get</span><span class="token punctuation">;</span> <span class="token keyword keyword-set">set</span><span class="token punctuation">;</span> <span class="token punctuation">}</span> <span class="token punctuation">}</span>

5. Protected Internal

• Description: Accessible within the same assembly or by derived classes in other assemblies.
• Use Case: A combination of protected and internal access.
• Example
  <span class="token keyword keyword-public">public</span> <span class="token keyword keyword-class">class</span> <span class="token class-name">MyClass</span> <span class="token punctuation">{</span> <span class="token keyword keyword-protected">protected</span> <span class="token keyword keyword-internal">internal</span> <span class="token class-name"><span class="token keyword keyword-int">int</span></span> myField<span class="token punctuation">;</span> <span class="token punctuation">}</span>

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  <span class="token keyword keyword-public">public</span> <span class="token keyword keyword-class">class</span> <span class="token class-name">MyClass</span> <span class="token punctuation">{</span>     <span class="token keyword keyword-protected">protected</span> <span class="token keyword keyword-internal">internal</span> <span class="token class-name"><span class="token keyword keyword-int">int</span></span> myField<span class="token punctuation">;</span> <span class="token punctuation">}</span>

6. Private Protected

• Description: Accessible within the containing class or derived classes in the same assembly.
• Use Case: To limit access to derived classes within the same assembly.
• Example
  <span class="token keyword keyword-public">public</span> <span class="token keyword keyword-class">class</span> <span class="token class-name">MyClass</span> <span class="token punctuation">{</span> <span class="token keyword keyword-private">private</span> <span class="token keyword keyword-protected">protected</span> <span class="token class-name"><span class="token keyword keyword-int">int</span></span> myField<span class="token punctuation">;</span> <span class="token punctuation">}</span>

  1 2 3 4

  <span class="token keyword keyword-public">public</span> <span class="token keyword keyword-class">class</span> <span class="token class-name">MyClass</span> <span class="token punctuation">{</span>     <span class="token keyword keyword-private">private</span> <span class="token keyword keyword-protected">protected</span> <span class="token class-name"><span class="token keyword keyword-int">int</span></span> myField<span class="token punctuation">;</span> <span class="token punctuation">}</span>

Summary Table

These modifiers are essential for implementing encapsulation and controlling access to your code effectively.

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