What access level do default access modifiers provide in Java?

In Java, the default access modifier, which is applied when no explicit access modifier is specified, provides access only within its own package. This means that classes, methods, and variables that use the default access modifier can be accessed by other classes that are in the same package but not by classes that are in different packages. This access level is often referred to as "package-private," signaling that the accessibility is limited to members of the same package, fostering encapsulation while still allowing for interaction between related classes within that package.

By contrast, the other options describe different access levels: the first option suggests public access, which allows visibility from anywhere, the third option refers to protected access, permitting visibility only within subclasses and the same package, and the last option describes private access, restricting visibility to the defining class alone. Each of these access levels serves a specific purpose in managing how data and methods are shared across different parts of a Java application.