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Juggling Large Structures: employing abstract patterns in design
Ever grappled with piecing together a jigsaw, figuring out how to make disparate pieces fit together? Well, that's what structural patterns in design are all about - constructing substantial structures from smaller parts by establishing connections between objects. Although the term 'abstract patterns' isn't explicitly used in design patterns, structural patterns delve into high-level concepts such as composition and interfaces. Here's a rundown of some structural patterns that can be considered as employing abstract ideas in their blueprint:
Architectural Blueprints: Structural Design Patterns
- The Adapter Connection: This design pattern enables two incompatible interfaces to function side by side by wrapping one around the other. It acts as a mediator bridging the gap between dissimilar systems, abstracting interfaces to establish compatibility[3][4].
- The Component Combo: This pattern combines objects into tree structures to exhibit part-whole relationships. Clients can manage individual objects and complex configurations of objects similarly for streamlined client code. It abstracts the complexity of hierarchical structures[3].
- The Front Desk: It offers a simplified, high-level façade to a complex system, keeping the complexities tucked away from clients. It abstracts the underlying system to make it digestible[3][4].
- The Flexible Coupling: This design pattern loosens the bond between an abstraction and its implementation, enabling them to evolve independently. This is beneficial when both the abstraction and its implementation can undergo modifications without affecting each other, abstracting the connection between them[3].
- The Accessory Upgrade: This pattern lets you add new capabilities to an object dynamically as an alternative to subclassing for extending functionality. It abstracts the addition of novel features to objects without altering their original construction[3][4].
- The Surrogate Representative: This pattern provides a stand-in or placeholder for another object to control its access. This can be useful for security, on-demand loading, remote access, or recording, abstracting the direct interaction with the actual object[3].
- The Shared Space: This design pattern minimizes memory usage by sharing information among similar objects where possible. It's especially handy for managing massive numbers of minute objects, such as characters within a text editor, abstracting the storage of redundant data[3].
These patterns help create abstract structures that promote adaptability and maintenance in software engineering.
Abstract Construction: The Abstract Factory Pattern
Although not a structural pattern per se, the Abstract Factory pattern - a creational pattern - offers an abstract way to fabricate families of related objects without specifying their concrete classes. This pattern separates object creation from specific implementations, making it a valuable tool in situations such as defining database connections or constructing GUI elements with distinct visual styles[5].
Although not classified under structural patterns, it abstracts the production process, granting more flexibility in object creation.
- The abstract design of a home could benefit from the implementation of the Adapter Connection, bridging the gap between conflicting styles in architecture and interior-design, ensuring compatibility in lifestyle and home-and-garden décor.
- Employing the Abstract Factory pattern in home construction, one could create a variety of rooms adhering to different architectural styles without specifying the exact blueprints, abstracting the process of constructing a house that seamlessly blends interior-design, lifestyle, and home-and-garden aesthetics.
