Analysis
Compare patterns
Evaluate design patterns side by side across intent, tradeoffs, languages, and integration fit.
Choose patterns
Select up to 3 patterns
Current selection
2 of 3 selected
You can now review the differences across the comparison table below.
Analysis
Pattern comparison
Reviewing 2 patterns.
| Criteria | ||
|---|---|---|
| Basics | ||
| Category | behavioral | behavioral |
| Summary | Pass a request through a sequence of handlers until one handles it or the chain ends. | — |
| Intent | Pass requests along a chain of handlers until one of them handles the request or the request reaches the end of the chain. | Define an object that encapsulates communication between a set of objects, keeping them from referring to each other directly. |
| Decision factors | ||
| Problem | A request must pass through multiple possible handlers, but the sender should not need to know which handler will process it. | Multiple objects need to coordinate behavior, but direct references between them create tight coupling and complex dependencies. |
| Tradeoffs |
|
|
| Practical fit | ||
| Languages |
|
|
| Platforms |
|
|
| Integration notes | Chain of Responsibility is useful for validation pipelines, support routing, approval flows, and any system where requests may be processed by different handlers in sequence. | Mediator is useful for chat systems, form coordination, workflow orchestration, and any domain where many components must collaborate without knowing about each other. |