Private Set Methods in Python. Oxymoron?

Question

Generally get and set methods are for the user to access.

However, I have an attribute I need to update in my class within a public method. This update is one with a private method in the same class.

I'm more curious on the naming convention protocol for this.

Namely, should a private set method look like this?

def _set_player_turn(self):
    pass

Or is the idea of a private set method an oxymoron?

Answer 1

It's not an oxymoron. Just because your class does not expose a way to set an attribute doesn't mean it cannot provide a "private" method for its own, internal use.