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Design Pattern: Definition, Examples

Definition

A “Design Pattern” in technology refers to a general, reusable solution to a common problem occurring in software design. It’s not a complete design that can be transformed directly into code, but rather a guide for solving problems. Design Patterns can speed up the software development process by providing proven development paradigms.

Phonetic

The phonetics of the keyword “Design Pattern” is: /dɪˈzaɪn ˈpætÉ™rn/

Key Takeaways

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  1. Reusability: Design Patterns provide reusable solutions to commonly occurring software problems. They are time-tested solutions which can help developers avoid potential issues and errors.

  2. Coding Efficiency: When developers adopt design patterns, they can often code faster and more efficiently. This is because many design patterns encapsulate complex sequences, therefore reducing the complexity of the coding task.

  3. Enhanced Communication: Design Patterns usually have well-known names like Singleton, Observer, and Factory. These names can be used during software development conversations which can help developers communicate more precisely and more efficiently.

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Importance

Design Patterns in technology are vital as they provide general repeatable solutions to recurring problems in software design. They function as templates that allow developers to utilize a given method for solving issues in various different contexts, enhancing reusability and making the overall system easier to understand and maintain. Furthermore, Design Patterns facilitate communication amongst developers as they provide a universal terminology for software design discussions, improving efficiency and clarity in the development process. They essentially represent the best practices in software design, cultivated from vast experience and knowledge, and streamlining the procedure of creating complex systems. Therefore, the importance of design patterns in technology is multifaceted and impactful.

Explanation

Design patterns are a crucial part of software development and are extensively employed in solving common problems when designing an application or system. They are essentially repeatable solutions to recurring problems that typically relate to the design of software. The purpose of design patterns is to accelerate the development process by providing a system of patterns that developers can follow. These patterns help guide developers, preventing them from having to reinvent the wheel each time they face a common problem. Design patterns allow software developers to communicate using recognized, well-understood names for software interactions.Technically, design patterns serve as templates which can be applied to real-world programming situations. They are not ready-to-use pieces of code, but rather are general architectures and strategies which give a blueprint for how to solve a certain type of design problem. They are particularly useful in areas of change prediction and reduction, providing solutions designed to be robust and withstand modifications. This allows development teams to make necessary changes or add new features to an existing system with less risk and effort. Hence, the use of design patterns simplifies the overall programming task, making code more flexible, reusable, and understandable.

Examples

1. Singleton Pattern: This is often implemented in computer operating systems, database systems or computer networks. For instance, a printer in an office network may be managed by a print spooler application. This printer is a singleton object, as only one printer can be active at any given time in the network. The print spooler allows various systems in the network to access the single printer without worrying about its state or the process of its activation.2. Observer Pattern: This pattern is commonly seen in GUI (Graphical User Interface) components in which certain objects are observed for user interaction and respond accordingly. For instance, when you click a button on a web page (Observer), the web page (Subject) responds to the click event, probably by loading another page or revealing more content. The Observer pattern allows the webpage to ‘observe’ user interaction without constantly checking for it.3. Model-View-Controller (MVC) Pattern: This is widely used in web development frameworks like Ruby on Rails, Django for Python, and Express for Node.js. The idea is to simplify the development process by separating the logical structure of the app into three interconnected parts. The model interacts with the database, the view shows the user interface and visual components, and the controller handles the communication between the model and the view. For example, when you visit a social media page (View), it displays various posts (Model) aggregated and managed by the social networking platform’s algorithms (Controller).

Frequently Asked Questions(FAQ)

**Q1: What is a Design Pattern?**A1: A Design Pattern refers to a general and reusable solution designed to solve commonly occurring problems in software design. It serves as a blueprint that can be modified for specific needs.**Q2: How many types of Design Pattern are there?**A2: Design Patterns can be divided into three main categories: Creational, Structural, and Behavioral design patterns.**Q3: What is a Creational Design Pattern?**A3: Creational Design Patterns deal with object creation mechanisms, aiming to create objects in a manner suitable to the situation.**Q4: Can you explain Structural Design Pattern?**A4: Structural Design Patterns are about organizing different classes and objects to form larger structures and provide new functionality.**Q5: What is the meaning of a Behavioral Design Pattern?**A5: Behavioral patterns are concerned with communication between objects, how they interact and distribute responsibilities.**Q6: Can you give a few examples of Design Patterns?**A6: Sure. Examples of design patterns include Singleton, Factory, Decorator, Observer, and Strategy among others.**Q7: Why should I use a Design Pattern?**A7: Design Patterns can speed up the development process by providing software designers with a way to solve common design issues, reduce bugs and complexities, improve code readability, and increase system modularity.**Q8: Are there any drawbacks to using Design Patterns?**A8: While design patterns have many advantages, they can also contribute to complexity when used unnecessarily. They can also lead to larger codebases, which can be harder to understand for newcomers.**Q9: Do all programmers need to know about Design Patterns?**A9: While it’s not an absolute requirement, having knowledge about Design Patterns can significantly aid in understanding code written by others. It helps in solving common software design problems more effectively and creating robust, maintainable code.**Q10: How can I learn more about Design Patterns?**A10: There are plenty of resources online for learning about Design Patterns, including tutorials, online courses, and books. Some recommended books include “Design Patterns: Elements of Reusable Object-Oriented Software” by Erich Gamma, Richard Helm, Ralph Johnson, John Vlissides, and “Head First Design Patterns: A Brain-Friendly Guide” by Eric Freeman and Elisabeth Robson.

Related Finance Terms

  • Observer Pattern
  • Singleton Pattern
  • Factory Method Pattern
  • Adapter Pattern
  • Command Pattern

Sources for More Information

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