What Are Design Patterns?

In the realm of Software Engineering, design patterns serve as templates to address recurring problems. However, they are generalized solutions, meaning they cannot be applied directly to every specific situation.

To illustrate, consider the Observer Pattern. Essentially, this pattern is designed to alert objects when a specific value changes. Its relationship can be likened to a Publish-Subscribe System, where objects that wish to be notified "subscribe" to the value, which then informs its subscribers of any changes.

The description may seem abstract, lacking a concrete solution to a real-world issue. It provides a framework rather than a direct answer. For instance, if you have multiple objects that depend on one another—often referred to as tight coupling—you can utilize the Observer Pattern to untangle this relationship. Instead of having specific objects interconnected, you can create interfaces and implement a Pub/Sub system. This allows for the interchange of participating objects as long as they comply with certain interfaces, making the specific implementation less relevant. This approach offers a solution to a particular problem while also enabling the Observer Pattern to tackle various other challenges due to its generalized nature.

Tightly coupled objects are susceptible to errors and can be challenging to test or debug.

Why Are Design Patterns Beneficial?

As a beginner, you may not yet recognize every scenario where a Design Pattern could be advantageous. So, is it worthwhile to learn them, or should you concentrate on gaining general programming experience?

The answer lies somewhere in the middle. I believe it is essential to familiarize yourself with the most commonly used Design Patterns. What constitutes "most popular" can vary based on the programming language and libraries you are utilizing. However, a typical starting point might include:

• Singleton (and understanding when it becomes an anti-pattern)
• Observer
• Factory
• Proxy
• Dependency Injection

Of course, many more exist, but this list serves as a solid foundation. Understanding these patterns can be highly beneficial for several reasons.

First, if you aspire to become an expert in your field, you must be able to converse knowledgeably about it. Familiarity with these technical terms will enable you to engage with colleagues and partners on a more sophisticated level. However, be mindful that the use of technical jargon should be tailored to your audience; clients may not appreciate it.

Secondly, learning Design Patterns equips you to recognize standard solutions. For example, if you are working with libraries like RxJS or MobX, you may encounter functionality named "Observer." Understanding the Design Pattern allows you to deduce the use cases for this function as it is a well-established term, facilitating quicker comprehension of libraries and frameworks that are typically built upon Design Patterns.

Thirdly, awareness of Design Patterns can improve your ability to anticipate challenges. A frequent issue for junior to mid-level developers is underestimating the effort required to complete specific tasks. This can stem from a shared misconception with clients that certain problems should be straightforward to resolve.

Nevertheless, as I discussed in my article "The Anatomy of Successful Websites," some issues may initially appear simple but can evolve into significant challenges. Knowledge of Design Patterns and their applications can serve as an early warning system. For instance, if you identify that components of a project are tightly coupled, you may realize the need to mitigate this coupling. Recognizing that the Observer Pattern could be a fitting solution can aid in accurately estimating the workload involved.

The first video titled "What Are Design Patterns?" delves into the concept of design patterns, explaining their significance in software development and how they serve as invaluable tools for developers.

As a Junior Developer, you may never find yourself implementing a Design Pattern directly (unless asked during an interview, in which case, proceed with caution!). However, the libraries you utilize often incorporate them for you. Recognizing these patterns can be reassuring and will undoubtedly enhance your confidence.

These guidelines will remain useful throughout your career, serving as a passive resource even if you never implement them explicitly.

That's all for now!

If you found this article helpful, please consider providing feedback or following me for more content. Your input will assist me in creating material that aligns with your interests.

For more resources, visit PlainEnglish.io. Sign up for our free weekly newsletter, and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn. Join our Community Discord and participate in our Talent Collective.