返回对象引用在Java？

Question

So i'm preparing for an exam and trying to figure this one out, whether it breaks encapsulation or not. No idea if with question even makes sense, but I'm working on a game that has a bunch of server classes and a client class Game. In my Player class I have this field

private Room currentRoom;

and a accessor method:

public void getCurrentRoom {
    return currentRoom;
}

Room class has:

private String Name;
private ArrayList<Item> items;
private HashMap<String, Room> exists;

I've used the get method seven different places in the Game class, but I don't know if it breaks the principle of encapsulation by returning it directly - if it does, what would a better approach be?

Thank you.

Answer 1

First off, this code won't compile, since it needs to return an instance of type Room

public void getCurrentRoom {
    return currentRoom;
}

Does it break the principle of encapsulation?

No.

Principle of Encapsulation:

Encapsulation helps to create code that is loosely coupled. Because the details are hidden, it reduces the ability of other objects to directly modify an object's state and behavior.

• Since your getter callers wouldn't know how the current room was set, it has hidden its implementation behind the scenes.
• Your function to set the current room needs to be private in order to hide the implementation

Source:

https://gamedevelopment.tutsplus.com/tutorials/quick-tip-the-oop-principle-of-encapsulation--gamedev-2187