Analysis

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Analysis

Pattern comparison

Reviewing 3 patterns.

Criteria
creationalFactory MethodView pattern
behavioralIteratorView pattern
behavioralMediatorView pattern
Basics
Categorycreationalbehavioralbehavioral
Summary———
IntentDefine a creation method behind a common interface so specialized creators can decide which concrete product to instantiate without changing the surrounding workflow.Provide a way to access elements of an aggregate sequentially while hiding the underlying representation.Define an object that encapsulates communication between a set of objects, keeping them from referring to each other directly.
Decision factors
ProblemA workflow needs to create one of several related concrete objects, but constructing them directly in client code spreads creation logic and tightly couples the caller to specific implementations.A collection needs to be traversed without exposing how it is stored internally.Multiple objects need to coordinate behavior, but direct references between them create tight coupling and complex dependencies.
Tradeoffs
  • Adds extra indirection and more types compared with direct construction
  • Can feel unnecessarily abstract when object creation is simple and unlikely to vary
  • Can add extra classes and abstraction for simple collections
  • May be unnecessary when built-in language iteration is already enough
  • The mediator can become large and complex if it takes on too much coordination logic.
  • Centralizing behavior can make the mediator a single point of failure if it is poorly designed.
Practical fit
Languages
  • typescript
  • java
  • python
  • angular
  • react
  • react-native
  • csharp
  • dotnet
  • typescript
  • java
  • python
  • angular
  • react
  • react-native
  • csharp
  • dotnet
  • typescript
  • java
  • python
  • angular
  • react
  • react-native
  • csharp
  • dotnet
Platforms
  • Applications
  • APIs
  • Frameworks
  • Service layers
  • Web
  • Backend
  • Mobile
  • UI kits
  • Cross-platform systems
  • Web
  • Backend
  • Mobile
  • UI kits
  • Cross-platform systems
Integration notesFactory Method is useful when framework hooks, integrations, or environment-specific workflows need to create interchangeable implementations behind a stable contract.Iterator is useful for pagination, custom collections, ordered traversal, and any case where clients should not know the internal data structure.Mediator is useful for chat systems, form coordination, workflow orchestration, and any domain where many components must collaborate without knowing about each other.