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What are JavaScript object getters and setters for?

By FrontendPro Editorial Team Updated 8/8/2026

#JavaScript

Answer

JavaScript object getters and setters are used to control access to an object's properties. They provide a way to encapsulate the implementation details of a property and define custom behavior when getting or setting its value.

Getters and setters are defined using the get and set keywords, respectively, followed by a function that is executed when the property is accessed or assigned a new value.

Here's a code example demonstrating the use of getters and setters:

const person = {
  _name: "John Doe", // Private property

  get name() {
    // Getter
    return this._name;
  },
  set name(newName) {
    // Setter
    if (newName.trim().length > 0) {
      this._name = newName;
    } else {
      console.log("Invalid name");
    }
  },
};

// Accessing the name property using the getter
console.log(person.name); // Output: 'John Doe'

// Setting the name property using the setter
person.name = "Jane Smith"; // Setter is called
console.log(person.name); // Output: 'Jane Smith'

person.name = ""; // Setter is called, but the value is not set due to validation
console.log(person.name); // Output: 'Jane Smith'