Setteronly

Setteronly refers to a programming interface element that accepts a value but does not provide a means to retrieve it. In object-oriented design, this is typically realized by a property that exposes a setter but no corresponding getter, or by exposing a setter with public access while the value remains unreadable from the outside.

Common reasons for using a setter-only construct include data ingestion with validation, triggering side effects on assignment, or handling sensitive information where exposing the raw value is undesirable. For example, a configuration object might allow a token to be written via a write-only property so that the token is not exposed through the API after being stored.

Language notes and examples vary. In C#, a write-only property can be implemented with a setter and no getter, such as public int Token { set { _token = value; } } where _token is a private backing field. In JavaScript, a property can be defined with a setter and no getter, though reading the property may yield undefined or raise errors depending on the environment. In Python, properties typically require a getter; achieving true write-only behavior often requires raising an exception in the getter to simulate write-only access.

Limitations and considerations include reduced observability of state, which can complicate debugging and maintenance. Write-only properties are not universally supported or recommended, as they may obscure data flow and violate encapsulation if overused. When designing APIs, alternatives such as explicit setter methods or careful encapsulation of internal state are often preferable.

See also: property, accessor, encapsulation, data validation, input handling.