Brief Note on Design Pattern

(By – Hemanth. B)

This note is based on the well-known book “Design Patterns – Elements of Reusable Object-Oriented Software”
by Erich Gamma et., al.,. The note presented here is the summarized versions of definitions and simplified UML
representations of the patterns. These may be used to quickly re-collect the design patterns and adopt them
during the design of OO applications. For detailed explanations and applicability of the design patterns original
book should be referred. In course of time, more practical examples will be added to this note.

Creational Patterns

1. Abstract Factory – Provide an interface for creating families of related or dependent objects without
specifying their concrete classes (Kit)

AbstactFactory

createProductA()
createProductB()

2. Builder – Separate the construction of a complex object from its representation so that the same
construction process can create different representations.

Director
Builder
construct() 1

for all objects in structure {

Cont ret eBuilder
builder->BuildPart()
buildPart()
} getResult()

aClinet aDirector : aConcreteB uilder :

Director ContreteBuilder

1: new ConcreteBuilder

2: new Director(aConcreteBuilder)

3: construct( )
4: buildPart( )

5: getResult( )

3. Factory Method – Define an interface for creating an object, but let subclasses decide which class to
instantiate. Factory Method lets a class defer instantiation to subclasses. (Virtual Constructor)
 Creator ...
Product
product = factoryMethod()
factoryMethod() ...

ConreteProduct ConcreteCreator
return new ConcreteProduct

factoryMethod()

4. Prototype – Specify the kinds of objects to create using a prototypical instance, and create new objects by
copying this prototype.

Client Prototype

operation() c lone()

ConcretePrototype1
p = prot otype->clone()

clone()

5. Singleton – Ensure a class has only on instance, and provide a global point of access to it.

Singleton
static uniqueInstance
singletonData
return uniqueInstance
static Instance()

Structural Patterns

6. Adapter – Convert the interface of a class into another interface clients expect. Adapter lets classes work
together that couldn’t otherwise because of incompatible interfaces. (Wrapper)

Class adapter:
Client Target Adaptee

request() specificRequest()

implements

Adapter
specificRequest()

request()

Object Adapter:

Client Target Adaptee

request() specificRequest()

adaptee

Adapter
specificRequest()
request()
7. Bridge - Decouple an abstraction from its implementation so that the two can vary independently. (Handle)

Implementor

operationImpl()

ConreteImplemementorA

operationImpl()

8. Composite - Compose objects into tree structures to represent part-whole hierarchies. Composite lets
clients treat individual objects and composition of objects uniformly.

Panel

Button Label TextField Panel

Button Label TextField

9. Decorator – Attach additional responsibilities to an object dynamically. Decorator provides a flexibility to

sub classing for extending functionality. (Wrapper).

AComponent

operation()

ADecorator

operation()

AConcreteDecorator

opearation()

10. Façade – Provide a unified interface to a set of interfaces in a subsystem. Façade defines a higher-level
interface that makes the subsystem easier to use.
 AFacade
AClient uses
getaValue()

uses uses uses

SomeClassA SomeClassB SomeClassC

11. Flyweight – Use sharing to support large numbers of fine-grained objects efficiently.

if(flyweight(key) exists) {
return existing flyweight;
}
FlyweightFactory else {
AClient create new flyweight;
getFlyweight() add it to the pool of flyweights;
return the new flyweight;
}

12. Proxy – Provide a surrogate or placeholder for another object to control access to it. (Surrogate)

Proxy RealSubject
Client

request() request()

realSubject->request()

Behavioral Patterns

13. Chain of Responsibility - Avoid coupling the sender of a request to its receiver by giving more than one
object a chance to handle request. Chain the receiving objects and pass the requests along the chain until
an object handles it.

Client Handler ConcreteHandler1 ConcreteHandler2

aConcreteHandler1 aConcreteHandle2
handleReques t()

14. Command – Encapsulate a request as an object, thereby letting you parameterize clients with different
requests, queue or log requests, and support undoable operations. (Action, Transaction)

Command de-couples the object that invokes the operation from the one that knows how to perform it.
 Client Command
Invoker
execute()

Receiver ConreteCommand

execute() receiver->action()

: Client : Receiver : : Invoker

ConreteCommand

1: new Receiver

2: new ConcreteCommand(aReceiver)

3: storeCommand(aCommand)

4: execute( )

5: action( )

15. Interpreter - Given a language, define a representation for its grammar along with an interpreter that uses
the representation to interpret sentences in the language.

Useful in designing language related applications and compilers.

16. Iterator - Provide a way to access the elements of an aggregate object sequentially without exposing its
underlying representation. (Cursor)

Aggregate Iterator
(from util)

ConcreteAggregate ConcreteIterator

createInterator()

return new Conc ret eIterator(t his)

17. Mediator – Define an object that encapsulates how a set of objects interacts. Mediator promotes loose
coupling by keeping objects from referring to each other explicitly, and it lets you vary their interaction
independently.
 aClient DialogBoxMediator List Box EntryField

1: showDialog()

2: widgetChanged()

3: getSelection()

4: setText()

18. Memento – Without violating encapsulation, capture and externalize an object’s internal state so that the
object can be restored to this state later. (Token) Example – supporting undo operations.

A memento is an object that stores a snapshot of the internal state of another object.

Originator Memento Caretaker

state stat e

setMemento(Momento m) setSt ate()

createMemento() getSt ate()

state = m->getState()

return new Memento(state)

aCaretaker : : Originator : Memento

Caretaker

1: createMemento( )

2: new Memento()
3: setSt ate( )

4: setMemento()
5: getSt ate( )

19. Observer – Define a one-to-many dependency between objects so that when one-object changes state, all
its dependents are notified and updated automatically. (Dependents, Publish-Subscribe)
 aConcreteSubject aConcereteObserver

1: attachObserver()

2: update()

3: setS tat e()

4: getS tat e()

20. State – Allow an object to alter its behavior when its internal state changes. The object will appear to
change its classes.

TCPConnection
state TCPState

open()
open()
close()
clos e()
acknowledge()
acknowledge()

state->open()

TCPEstablished TCPListen TCPClosed

21. Strategy – Define a family of algorithms, encapsulate each one, and make them interchangeable. Strategy
lets algorithm vary independently from clients that use it. (Policy)

SomeStrategy
strategy
SomeContext
algorithmInterface()

ConcreteStrategyA Concret eStrategyB ConcreteStrategyC

22. Template Method – Define the skeleton of an algorithm in an operation, deferring some steps to
subclasses. Template method lets subclasses redefine certain steps of an algorithm without changing the
algorithm. This pattern is so fundamental that it is found in almost every abstract class.
 AbstactClass

operation()

ConcreteClass

operation()

23. Visitor – Represent an operation to be performed on the elements of an object structure. Visitor lets you
define a new operation without changing the classes of the elements on which it operates.

Visitor

vis it ConcreteElementA(concreteElementA)
vis it ConcreteElementB(concreteElementB)

ConcreteVisit or1

Client ElementA

operation() accept(Visitor v)

ConcreteElement A

accept(Visitor v) v->visitConcreteElemenetA(this)

: Client : :
ConcreteVisitor1 ConcreteElementA

1: new ConcreteVisitor()

2: accept (Visit or)

3: visitConcreteElementA(concreteElementA)

Note: Simple and more real life examples will be added in course of time for the above design patterns.