0Pricing
Lua Academy · Lesson

Encapsulation with Closures

Hide private state using closure-based object patterns.

Encapsulation with Closures is a free Lua Academy lesson on CoddyKit — lesson 4 of 4. You can read the complete lesson below for free — then practise it hands-on in the browser with a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor. It is part of the Lua Academy learning path, one of 4 lessons in the course, and your progress syncs across the web and the CoddyKit app.

Closure-Based Objects

An alternative to metatable OOP: use a closure to hide state. The object is a table of functions; all functions close over private variables. No metatable needed. Truly private state that's unreachable from outside.

local function makeCounter(start)
  local count = start or 0   -- truly private
  return {
    increment = function() count=count+1 end,
    decrement = function() count=count-1 end,
    get       = function() return count end,
    reset     = function() count=0 end,
  }
end

local c = makeCounter(10)
c.increment(); c.increment()
print(c.get())   -- 12
print(c.count)   -- nil (truly private!)

Private vs Public

With closures, the distinction between private and public is absolute: closures share the upvalue (private), external code only sees the returned table (public). No way to access private variables without going through the public API.

local function makeAccount(initial)
  local balance = initial
  local transactions = {}
  
  local function record(type, amount)
    transactions[#transactions+1] = {type=type,amount=amount}
  end
  
  return {
    deposit  = function(n) record("D",n); balance=balance+n end,
    withdraw = function(n)
      if n>balance then error("insufficient funds") end
      record("W",n); balance=balance-n
    end,
    balance  = function() return balance end,
    history  = function() return transactions end,
  }
end

Shared Closures

Multiple functions in the same returned table share the same upvalues. This is how state is shared among methods without exposing it publicly. All methods see the same private variables.

local function makeQueue()
  local items = {}  -- shared by all methods
  local size = 0
  return {
    enqueue = function(v) size=size+1; items[size]=v end,
    dequeue = function()
      if size==0 then return nil end
      local head=1
      while items[head]==nil do head=head+1 end
      local v=items[head]; items[head]=nil; return v
    end,
    isEmpty = function() return size==0 end,
    count   = function() return size end,
  }
end

Closures vs Metatables

Closures: truly private state, no metatable overhead, each instance has own copies of functions (more memory). Metatables: shared methods (less memory), inspectable with debug tools, supports inheritance. Choose based on privacy needs and instance count.

-- Closure: per-instance functions (more memory)
local function makePoint(x,y)
  return {
    x = function() return x end,
    y = function() return y end,
    distance = function()
      return math.sqrt(x*x+y*y)
    end
  }
end

-- Metatable: shared methods (less memory)
-- local Point = {}; Point.__index = Point
-- function Point.new(x,y) return setmetatable({x=x,y=y},Point) end

Mutating Closures

Closures over mutable variables let you create stateful objects without tables at all. A single closure can hold state and compute results.

local function makeAccumulator()
  local sum, count = 0, 0
  return {
    add = function(n) sum=sum+n; count=count+1 end,
    mean = function()
      return count>0 and sum/count or 0
    end,
    total = function() return sum end,
    n     = function() return count end,
  }
end

local acc = makeAccumulator()
for _, v in ipairs({10,20,30,40,50}) do
  acc.add(v)
end
print(acc.total(),acc.mean(),acc.n())  -- 150  30.0  5

Constructor with Validation

Closure-based constructors validate in the factory function, not in a method. Invalid inputs cause the factory to return nil or error before any object is created.

local function makeRange(lo, hi)
  assert(lo<=hi,"lo must be <= hi")
  return {
    contains = function(v) return v>=lo and v<=hi end,
    clamp    = function(v) return math.max(lo,math.min(hi,v)) end,
    lo       = function() return lo end,
    hi       = function() return hi end,
    span     = function() return hi-lo end,
  }
end

local r = makeRange(0,100)
print(r.contains(50))   -- true
print(r.clamp(150))     -- 100

Events with Closures

An event emitter implemented with closures: the handlers list is private; add/remove/emit are the public API.

local function makeEmitter()
  local handlers = {}
  return {
    on = function(event, fn)
      handlers[event] = handlers[event] or {}
      handlers[event][#handlers[event]+1] = fn
    end,
    emit = function(event, ...)
      for _, fn in ipairs(handlers[event] or {}) do
        fn(...)
      end
    end,
    off = function(event) handlers[event] = {} end,
  }
end

local emitter = makeEmitter()
emitter.on("data", function(v) print("Got:", v) end)
emitter.emit("data", 42)   -- Got: 42

Closure Memoization

A memoize wrapper using closures: the cache is private, the wrapped function is private, only the memoized version is returned.

local function memoize(fn)
  local cache = {}
  return function(...)
    local key = table.concat({...}, ",")
    if cache[key] == nil then
      cache[key] = fn(...)
    end
    return cache[key]
  end
end

local expensiveFib
expensiveFib = memoize(function(n)
  if n<=1 then return n end
  return expensiveFib(n-1)+expensiveFib(n-2)
end)

for i=0,10 do io.write(expensiveFib(i).." ") end
print()

Extending Closure Objects

You can extend a closure-based object by creating a new one that calls the original's methods. This is like wrapping, not inheritance — the original is delegated to.

local function makeTimedCounter(start)
  local base = makeCounter and makeCounter(start) or (function()
    local c=start or 0
    return {inc=function()c=c+1 end,get=function()return c end}
  end)()
  local callCount = 0
  return {
    increment = function()
      callCount=callCount+1
      base.inc()
    end,
    get = base.get,
    calls = function() return callCount end,
  }
end

When to Use Closures

Use closure-based OOP when: you need truly private state that must be secure, you have few instances (memory is not a concern), or you're writing functional-style code. Use metatables when: you need inheritance, many instances, or want to integrate with OOP libraries.

-- Guideline summary:
-- Closures: true privacy, no metatable, self-contained
-- Metatables: shared methods, inheritance, instanceof checks

-- Rule of thumb:
-- < 100 instances with private state -> closures
-- > 100 instances OR need inheritance -> metatables

print("Both patterns are valid Lua OOP.")

Quick Check

What is the main advantage of closure-based objects over metatable-based objects?

Recap: Closures for Encapsulation

Summary:

  • Closure pattern: factory function returns a methods table; state is upvalue
  • Truly private: no way to access upvalues externally
  • All returned methods share the same private upvalues
  • Trade-off: more memory per instance vs better privacy
  • Use for security-critical code or functional-style designs

Frequently asked questions

Is the “Encapsulation with Closures” lesson free?

Yes — the full text of “Encapsulation with Closures” is free to read here on the web, and the Lua Academy course includes 4 lessons in total. To practise it interactively (a built-in code editor and a 24/7 AI tutor) and unlock the rest of the Lua Academy course, upgrade to CoddyKit PRO.

What will I learn in “Encapsulation with Closures”?

Hide private state using closure-based object patterns. You practise Lua Academy with hands-on code you run directly in the browser, and a 24/7 AI tutor answers your questions as you work through the lesson.

Do I need any experience to start Lua Academy?

No prior experience is required. Lua Academy on CoddyKit is structured for beginners through advanced learners; this is — lesson 4 of 4, so you can start here or from the beginning and move at your own pace.

How long does the “Encapsulation with Closures” lesson take?

Most CoddyKit lessons take about 5–10 minutes. Each one is bite-sized and interactive, so you make steady progress and pick up exactly where you left off across the web and the app.

Can I write and run code in this Lua Academy lesson?

Yes. Every Lua Academy lesson includes a built-in code editor, so you write and run real code right in your browser and get instant AI feedback — no local setup required.

All lessons in this course

  1. Classes via Metatables
  2. Constructors and new()
  3. Instance Methods and self
  4. Encapsulation with Closures
← Back to Lua Academy