What distinguishes encapsulation from abstraction in programming?

Encapsulation focuses on bundling the data and methods that operate on that data within a single unit, commonly a class, while also restricting direct access to some components. This means that an object can hide its internal state from the outside world, exposing only what is necessary through a public interface. This is crucial for maintaining control over the data and preventing unintended interference or misuse.

On the other hand, abstraction is about simplifying complex systems by exposing only the relevant features and hiding the unnecessary details. It allows programmers to handle complexity by modeling concepts at a higher level without needing to understand all the underlying workings.

Thus, the distinction between the two concepts lies in their purpose: encapsulation is about protecting the state and behavior of objects, while abstraction is about reducing complexity by simplifying interactions with those objects. Understanding this difference is key for leveraging object-oriented programming effectively.