How to Use Getters and Setters Methods, and Properties in Classes in Python

Getters and setters are functions that allow you to get and set the value of a class attribute, respectively.

They are used to add additional logic to attribute access, such as validation or data transformation.

Implementation of Getters and Setters

Getters and setters are defined using normal methods within the class.

class Persona:
    def __init__(self, nombre, edad):
        self._nombre = nombre
        self._edad = edad
    
    def get_nombre(self):
        return self._nombre
    
    def set_nombre(self, nombre):
        if isinstance(nombre, str):
            self._nombre = nombre
        else:
            raise ValueError("The name must be a string")
    
    def get_edad(self):
        return self._edad
    
    def set_edad(self, edad):
        if isinstance(edad, int) and edad > 0:
            self._edad = edad
        else:
            raise ValueError("The age must be a positive integer")

Otherwise, they are nothing special. They are simply methods that follow the convention of being called get_ and set_ (with the property name afterwards) and whose function is to get or set the value of an attribute.

Using Getters and Setters

To use these methods, you simply have to explicitly call the get_ and set_ methods.

persona = Persona("Juan", 25)
print(persona.get_nombre())  # Output: Juan
persona.set_nombre("Carlos")
print(persona.get_nombre())  # Output: Carlos

print(persona.get_edad())  # Output: 25
persona.set_edad(30)
print(persona.get_edad())  # Output: 30