Java: Access Modifiers and Visibility

Allows subclass access but risks tight coupling.

'Protected' gives subclasses, even in different packages, access to superclass members. This can foster reuse but risks creating dependencies that make the subclass break if the superclass changes. Consider a 'DiscountedProduct' extending 'Product'; using 'protected' for price could lead to complex dependencies if 'DiscountedProduct' relies on it.