Explain the concept of 'encapsulation' in programming.

The concept of encapsulation in programming refers to the practice of bundling the data (attributes) and the methods (functions) that operate on that data into a single unit known as a class. This principle is fundamental to object-oriented programming (OOP) and helps to create a clear modular structure within software applications.

Encapsulation achieves two primary goals:

1. Data Hiding: By restricting access to the internal state of an object, encapsulation allows for the implementation of data hiding. This means that the object's data is protected from unauthorized access or modification, which enhances security and integrity. Typically, data is set as private or protected, so it can only be manipulated through public methods.

2. Modularity: Encapsulation promotes modularity by allowing the data structure and the operations that can be performed on that data to be defined together. This makes the code easier to manage, understand, and maintain, as interactions with the data are performed through well-defined methods, rather than directly accessing the data.

Encapsulation, therefore, is a foundational concept that enhances security and maintainability within object-oriented programming by creating a clear separation between the interface of a class and its implementation details. This allows the programmer to change the underlying code without affecting external components that