Analysis

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

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Analysis

Pattern comparison

Reviewing 3 patterns.

Criteria
behavioralMediatorView pattern
structuralProxyView pattern
behavioralVisitorView pattern
Basics
Categorybehavioralstructuralbehavioral
Summary———
IntentDefine an object that encapsulates communication between a set of objects, keeping them from referring to each other directly.Provide a surrogate or placeholder for another object to control access to it.Separate an algorithm from the object structure it operates on by moving behavior into visitor objects.
Decision factors
ProblemMultiple objects need to coordinate behavior, but direct references between them create tight coupling and complex dependencies.A client needs to interact with an object indirectly because the real object may be expensive, sensitive, or remote.You need to perform operations across a set of different object types without stuffing all the logic into the objects themselves.
Tradeoffs
  • 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.
  • Adds another layer of indirection
  • Can make the design more complex when the extra control is unnecessary
  • Requires updating the visitor interface when new element types are added
  • Can be awkward if the object structure changes often
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
  • Web
  • Backend
  • Mobile
  • UI kits
  • Cross-platform systems
  • Web
  • Backend
  • Mobile
  • UI kits
  • Cross-platform systems
  • Web
  • Backend
  • Mobile
  • UI kits
  • Cross-platform systems
Integration notesMediator is useful for chat systems, form coordination, workflow orchestration, and any domain where many components must collaborate without knowing about each other.Proxy is useful for lazy loading, access control, caching, logging, and remote service wrappers.Visitor is useful for AST processing, reporting, cart calculations, and exporting object structures to alternate formats.