Proxy Pattern
The Proxy Pattern is a structural design pattern in object-oriented programming. It provides a surrogate or placeholder for another object to control access to it. In other words, a proxy acts as an intermediary or representative for an object, allowing you to add extra funtionality, such as lazy loading, access control, or caching, without altering the underlying object.
Explanation with Real World Example
Consider a real-world example of a proxy in the context of a smart card access system:
- Real Object: The real object in this scenario is the physical access control system, which authenticates users and grants or denies access based on their credentials.
- Proxy: The proxy, in this case, is a security guard who stands between users and the access control system. The security guard check user credentials, verify identities, and decide whether to grant access. Users interact with the security guard rather than the access control system.
- Client: Users who want to enter a secure area. Instead of interacting directly with the access control system, they interact with the security guard (proxy).
The security guard (proxy) can provide additional services, such as logging access, verifying IDs, or controlling the flow of people, without the users (client) needing to be aware of these operations. This is analogous to how a proxy in software provide caching, lazy loading, or access control without affecting the underlying object.
The Proxy Pattern is used in various scenarios where you want to control access to an object or add additional functionality without changing the object’s code.
Design Patterns in Object-Oriented Programming (OOP)
Software Development is like putting together a puzzle. Object-oriented programming (OOP) is a popular way to build complex software, but it can be tricky when you face the same design problems repeatedly. That’s where design patterns come in.
Design patterns are like well-known recipes for common problems in software development. They’re not step-by-step instructions, but more like guidelines to help you solve these problems in a flexible and efficient way. These patterns gather the wisdom of the software development community, making it easier for developers to work together and create software that’s easy to maintain, adapt, and reuse.
Important Topics for the Design patterns in object-oriented programming
- Singleton Pattern
- Factory Method Pattern
- Abstract Factory Method Pattern
- Builder Pattern
- Adapter Pattern
- Proxy Pattern
- Decorator Pattern
- Composite Pattern
- Observer Pattern
- Strategy Pattern
- Command Pattern
- State Pattern
- Template Method Pattern
- Visitor Pattern
- Memento Pattern
- Conclusion