Creational Design Patterns

Remarks#

The creational patterns aim to separate a system from how its objects are created, composed, and represented. They increase the system’s flexibility in terms of the what, who, how, and when of object creation. Creational patterns encapsulate the knowledge about which classes a system uses, but they hide the details of how the instances of these classes are created and put together. Programmers have come to realize that composing systems with inheritance makes those systems too rigid. The creational patterns are designed to break this close coupling.

Singleton Pattern

Factory Method pattern

Builder Pattern

Separate the construction of a complex object from its representation so that the same construction process can create different representations and and provides a high level of control over the assembly of the objects.

In this example demonstrates the Builder pattern in which different vehicles are assembled in a step-by-step fashion. The Shop uses VehicleBuilders to construct a variety of Vehicles in a series of sequential steps.

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
 
namespace GangOfFour.Builder
{
  /// <summary>
  /// MainApp startup class for Real-World 
  /// Builder Design Pattern.
  /// </summary>
  public class MainApp
  {
    /// <summary>
    /// Entry point into console application.
    /// </summary>
    public static void Main()
    {
      VehicleBuilder builder;
 
      // Create shop with vehicle builders
      Shop shop = new Shop();
 
      // Construct and display vehicles
      builder = new ScooterBuilder();
      shop.Construct(builder);
      builder.Vehicle.Show();
 
      builder = new CarBuilder();
      shop.Construct(builder);
      builder.Vehicle.Show();
 
      builder = new MotorCycleBuilder();
      shop.Construct(builder);
      builder.Vehicle.Show();
 
      // Wait for user
      Console.ReadKey();
    }
  }
 
  /// <summary>
  /// The 'Director' class
  /// </summary>
  class Shop
  {
    // Builder uses a complex series of steps
    public void Construct(VehicleBuilder vehicleBuilder)
    {
      vehicleBuilder.BuildFrame();
      vehicleBuilder.BuildEngine();
      vehicleBuilder.BuildWheels();
      vehicleBuilder.BuildDoors();
    }
  }
 
  /// <summary>
  /// The 'Builder' abstract class
  /// </summary>
  abstract class VehicleBuilder
  {
    protected Vehicle vehicle;
 
    // Gets vehicle instance
    public Vehicle Vehicle
    {
      get { return vehicle; }
    }
 
    // Abstract build methods
    public abstract void BuildFrame();
    public abstract void BuildEngine();
    public abstract void BuildWheels();
    public abstract void BuildDoors();
  }
 
  /// <summary>
  /// The 'ConcreteBuilder1' class
  /// </summary>
  class MotorCycleBuilder : VehicleBuilder
  {
    public MotorCycleBuilder()
    {
      vehicle = new Vehicle("MotorCycle");
    }
 
    public override void BuildFrame()
    {
      vehicle["frame"] = "MotorCycle Frame";
    }
 
    public override void BuildEngine()
    {
      vehicle["engine"] = "500 cc";
    }
 
    public override void BuildWheels()
    {
      vehicle["wheels"] = "2";
    }
 
    public override void BuildDoors()
    {
      vehicle["doors"] = "0";
    }
  }
 
 
  /// <summary>
  /// The 'ConcreteBuilder2' class
  /// </summary>
  class CarBuilder : VehicleBuilder
  {
    public CarBuilder()
    {
      vehicle = new Vehicle("Car");
    }
 
    public override void BuildFrame()
    {
      vehicle["frame"] = "Car Frame";
    }
 
    public override void BuildEngine()
    {
      vehicle["engine"] = "2500 cc";
    }
 
    public override void BuildWheels()
    {
      vehicle["wheels"] = "4";
    }
 
    public override void BuildDoors()
    {
      vehicle["doors"] = "4";
    }
  }
 
  /// <summary>
  /// The 'ConcreteBuilder3' class
  /// </summary>
  class ScooterBuilder : VehicleBuilder
  {
    public ScooterBuilder()
    {
      vehicle = new Vehicle("Scooter");
    }
 
    public override void BuildFrame()
    {
      vehicle["frame"] = "Scooter Frame";
    }
 
    public override void BuildEngine()
    {
      vehicle["engine"] = "50 cc";
    }
 
    public override void BuildWheels()
    {
      vehicle["wheels"] = "2";
    }
 
    public override void BuildDoors()
    {
      vehicle["doors"] = "0";
    }
  }
 
  /// <summary>
  /// The 'Product' class
  /// </summary>
  class Vehicle
  {
    private string _vehicleType;
    private Dictionary<string,string> _parts = 
      new Dictionary<string,string>();
 
    // Constructor
    public Vehicle(string vehicleType)
    {
      this._vehicleType = vehicleType;
    }
 
    // Indexer
    public string this[string key]
    {
      get { return _parts[key]; }
      set { _parts[key] = value; }
    }
 
    public void Show()
    {
      Console.WriteLine("\n---------------------------");
      Console.WriteLine("Vehicle Type: {0}", _vehicleType);
      Console.WriteLine(" Frame : {0}", _parts["frame"]);
      Console.WriteLine(" Engine : {0}", _parts["engine"]);
      Console.WriteLine(" #Wheels: {0}", _parts["wheels"]);
      Console.WriteLine(" #Doors : {0}", _parts["doors"]);
    }
  }
}

Output

Vehicle Type: Scooter Frame : Scooter Frame
Engine : none
#Wheels: 2
#Doors : 0

Vehicle Type: Car
Frame : Car Frame
Engine : 2500 cc
#Wheels: 4
#Doors : 4

Vehicle Type: MotorCycle
Frame : MotorCycle Frame
Engine : 500 cc
#Wheels: 2
#Doors : 0

Prototype Pattern

Specify the kind of objects to create using a prototypical instance, and create new objects by copying this prototype.

In this example demonstrates the Prototype pattern in which new Color objects are created by copying pre-existing, user-defined Colors of the same type.

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
 
namespace GangOfFour.Prototype
{
  /// <summary>
  /// MainApp startup class for Real-World 
  /// Prototype Design Pattern.
  /// </summary>
  class MainApp
  {
    /// <summary>
    /// Entry point into console application.
    /// </summary>
    static void Main()
    {
      ColorManager colormanager = new ColorManager();
 
      // Initialize with standard colors
      colormanager["red"] = new Color(255, 0, 0);
      colormanager["green"] = new Color(0, 255, 0);
      colormanager["blue"] = new Color(0, 0, 255);
 
      // User adds personalized colors
      colormanager["angry"] = new Color(255, 54, 0);
      colormanager["peace"] = new Color(128, 211, 128);
      colormanager["flame"] = new Color(211, 34, 20);
 
      // User clones selected colors
      Color color1 = colormanager["red"].Clone() as Color;
      Color color2 = colormanager["peace"].Clone() as Color;
      Color color3 = colormanager["flame"].Clone() as Color;
 
      // Wait for user
      Console.ReadKey();
    }
  }
 
  /// <summary>
  /// The 'Prototype' abstract class
  /// </summary>
  abstract class ColorPrototype
  {
    public abstract ColorPrototype Clone();
  }
 
  /// <summary>
  /// The 'ConcretePrototype' class
  /// </summary>
  class Color : ColorPrototype
  {
    private int _red;
    private int _green;
    private int _blue;
 
    // Constructor
    public Color(int red, int green, int blue)
    {
      this._red = red;
      this._green = green;
      this._blue = blue;
    }
 
    // Create a shallow copy
    public override ColorPrototype Clone()
    {
      Console.WriteLine(
        "Cloning color RGB: {0,3},{1,3},{2,3}",
        _red, _green, _blue);
 
      return this.MemberwiseClone() as ColorPrototype;
    }
  }
 
  /// <summary>
  /// Prototype manager
  /// </summary>
  class ColorManager
  {
    private Dictionary<string, ColorPrototype> _colors =
      new Dictionary<string, ColorPrototype>();
 
    // Indexer
    public ColorPrototype this[string key]
    {
      get { return _colors[key]; }
      set { _colors.Add(key, value); }
    }
  }
}

Output:

Cloning color RGB: 255, 0, 0

Cloning color RGB: 128,211,128

Cloning color RGB: 211, 34, 20

Abstract Factory Pattern

Provide an interface for creating families of related or dependent objects without specifying their concrete classes.

In this example demonstrates the creation of different animal worlds for a computer game using different factories. Although the animals created by the Continent factories are different, the interactions among the animals remain the same.

using System;
 
namespace GangOfFour.AbstractFactory
{
  /// <summary>
  /// MainApp startup class for Real-World
  /// Abstract Factory Design Pattern.
  /// </summary>
  class MainApp
  {
    /// <summary>
    /// Entry point into console application.
    /// </summary>
    public static void Main()
    {
      // Create and run the African animal world
      ContinentFactory africa = new AfricaFactory();
      AnimalWorld world = new AnimalWorld(africa);
      world.RunFoodChain();
 
      // Create and run the American animal world
      ContinentFactory america = new AmericaFactory();
      world = new AnimalWorld(america);
      world.RunFoodChain();
 
      // Wait for user input
      Console.ReadKey();
    }
  }
 
 
  /// <summary>
  /// The 'AbstractFactory' abstract class
  /// </summary>
  abstract class ContinentFactory
  {
    public abstract Herbivore CreateHerbivore();
    public abstract Carnivore CreateCarnivore();
  }
 
  /// <summary>
  /// The 'ConcreteFactory1' class
  /// </summary>
  class AfricaFactory : ContinentFactory
  {
    public override Herbivore CreateHerbivore()
    {
      return new Wildebeest();
    }
    public override Carnivore CreateCarnivore()
    {
      return new Lion();
    }
  }
 
  /// <summary>
  /// The 'ConcreteFactory2' class
  /// </summary>
  class AmericaFactory : ContinentFactory
  {
    public override Herbivore CreateHerbivore()
    {
      return new Bison();
    }
    public override Carnivore CreateCarnivore()
    {
      return new Wolf();
    }
  }
 
  /// <summary>
  /// The 'AbstractProductA' abstract class
  /// </summary>
  abstract class Herbivore
  {
  }
 
  /// <summary>
  /// The 'AbstractProductB' abstract class
  /// </summary>
  abstract class Carnivore
  {
    public abstract void Eat(Herbivore h);
  }
 
  /// <summary>
  /// The 'ProductA1' class
  /// </summary>
  class Wildebeest : Herbivore
  {
  }
 
  /// <summary>
  /// The 'ProductB1' class
  /// </summary>
  class Lion : Carnivore
  {
    public override void Eat(Herbivore h)
    {
      // Eat Wildebeest
      Console.WriteLine(this.GetType().Name +
        " eats " + h.GetType().Name);
    }
  }
 
  /// <summary>
  /// The 'ProductA2' class
  /// </summary>
  class Bison : Herbivore
  {
  }
 
  /// <summary>
  /// The 'ProductB2' class
  /// </summary>
  class Wolf : Carnivore
  {
    public override void Eat(Herbivore h)
    {
      // Eat Bison
      Console.WriteLine(this.GetType().Name +
        " eats " + h.GetType().Name);
    }
  }
 
  /// <summary>
  /// The 'Client' class 
  /// </summary>
  class AnimalWorld
  {
    private Herbivore _herbivore;
    private Carnivore _carnivore;
 
    // Constructor
    public AnimalWorld(ContinentFactory factory)
    {
      _carnivore = factory.CreateCarnivore();
      _herbivore = factory.CreateHerbivore();
    }
 
    public void RunFoodChain()
    {
      _carnivore.Eat(_herbivore);
    }
  }
}

Output:

Lion eats Wildebeest

Wolf eats Bison