Analysis

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Evaluate design patterns side by side across intent, tradeoffs, languages, and integration fit.

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Abstract FactoryAdapterBridgeBuilderChain of ResponsibilityCommandCompositeDecoratorFacadeFactory MethodFlyweightInterpreterIteratorMediatorMementoObserverPrototypeProxySingletonStateStrategyTemplate MethodVisitor

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Analysis

Pattern comparison

Reviewing 3 patterns.

Criteria
structuralDecoratorView pattern
structuralFlyweightView pattern
behavioralMediatorView pattern
Basics
Categorystructuralstructuralbehavioral
SummaryWrap an object with other objects that implement the same contract so responsibilities can be layered dynamically.——
IntentWrap an object with other objects that implement the same contract so responsibilities can be layered dynamically.Use sharing to support large numbers of fine-grained objects efficiently by separating shared intrinsic state from per-object extrinsic state.Define an object that encapsulates communication between a set of objects, keeping them from referring to each other directly.
Decision factors
ProblemA system needs to add optional behaviors to an object without creating many subclasses for every feature combination.A system creates a large number of similar objects, but storing all of their state separately uses too much memory.Multiple objects need to coordinate behavior, but direct references between them create tight coupling and complex dependencies.
Tradeoffs
  • Can introduce many small wrapper classes that are harder to trace in debugging.
  • Ordering of decorators matters, so composition needs to be deliberate.
  • Keeps responsibilities modular and easy to combine.
  • Adds complexity because state must be split into shared and unshared parts
  • Can be harder to understand when many objects depend on an external context
  • 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
  • frontend
  • backend
  • services
  • Web
  • Backend
  • Mobile
  • UI kits
  • Cross-platform systems
  • Web
  • Backend
  • Mobile
  • UI kits
  • Cross-platform systems
Integration notesDecorators work well for cross-cutting concerns such as logging, retry, caching, compression, and telemetry because each layer keeps the same interface while adding one concern.Flyweight is useful when thousands or millions of similar objects need to be represented efficiently, such as trees, glyphs, tiles, or UI tokens.Mediator is useful for chat systems, form coordination, workflow orchestration, and any domain where many components must collaborate without knowing about each other.