Object-oriented programming · interview question
What potential issue arises when a mutable object is returned from a method of an immutable class?
Multiple choiceHardchapter-3-curatedpremiumoopimmutability-basics
Answer and explanation
Correct answer
B. The class may inadvertently expose its state.
Why
Returning a mutable object from a method of an immutable class can expose the internal state of the class to modification from outside. This breaks the immutability guarantee, as external code can alter the mutable object.
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