Explain the 4 Principles of OOP

Object-oriented programming (OOP) is a programming paradigm based on the concept of objects, which are instances of classes, and the use of four fundamental principles to design and structure software. These four principles are often referred to as the "Four Pillars of OOP" or the "Four Principles of OOP." Here they are:

1. **Encapsulation**:
- Encapsulation is the concept of bundling data (attributes or properties) and methods (functions or behaviors) that operate on that data into a single unit called an object.
- It provides a way to control access to the internal state of an object, allowing data to be hidden from the outside and only accessed through well-defined interfaces (methods).
- Encapsulation helps in information hiding and protects the integrity of an object's data by preventing unauthorized modifications.

2. **Inheritance**:
- Inheritance is a mechanism that allows a new class (a subclass or derived class) to inherit properties and behaviors (attributes and methods) from an existing class (a superclass or base class).
- It promotes code reusability and the creation of a hierarchy of classes. Subclasses can extend or specialize the functionality of their superclass while inheriting its common attributes and methods.
- Inheritance enables the creation of more specific and specialized classes based on more general ones, promoting a hierarchical and organized code structure.

3. **Polymorphism**:
- Polymorphism means "many shapes" and refers to the ability of objects of different classes to be treated as objects of a common superclass.
- It allows different classes to provide their own implementations of methods with the same name, allowing code to work with objects of multiple types through a common interface.
- Polymorphism simplifies code and promotes flexibility, as it allows you to write code that is more generic and can work with a variety of objects without knowing their specific types.

4. **Abstraction**:
- Abstraction is the process of simplifying complex reality by modeling classes based on the essential properties and behaviors relevant to a problem domain.
- It involves identifying the relevant attributes and methods while ignoring unnecessary details.
- Abstraction provides a high-level view of objects and their interactions, making it easier to design, understand, and manage complex systems.
- Abstract classes and interfaces are tools in OOP that help define common attributes and methods shared by a group of related classes.

These four principles of OOP, when applied effectively, promote code that is modular, reusable, and easy to understand. They provide a foundation for creating well-structured and organized software systems that model real-world entities in a natural and intuitive way. By using objects and these principles, developers can build software that is more maintainable, extensible, and adaptable to changing requirements.