Reencapsulating

Reencapsulating is a term used in computing and software development to describe the process of modifying or updating the contents of an existing capsule or module without altering its external interface or behavior. This means that the internal implementation details of the capsule can be changed, but any code that relies on the capsule's public functions or properties will continue to work as before.

The primary purpose of reencapsulation is to allow for improvements, bug fixes, or performance enhancements to a component without disrupting other parts of the system that depend on it. This is a key principle of good software design, promoting modularity and maintainability. By hiding the internal workings, developers can refactor and optimize the code within a capsule, making it more efficient, secure, or easier to understand, all while ensuring backward compatibility.

This process is closely related to the concept of information hiding, where the internal state and implementation of an object or module are kept private and only accessible through a defined interface. Reencapsulation takes this a step further by allowing the modification of those hidden internal details while preserving the integrity of the public interface. It is a common practice in object-oriented programming and other modular software architectures.