The Builder Pattern is a creational design pattern that allows the construction of complex objects step by step. It separates the construction process from the final representation, enabling the same construction process to create different representations.
The Builder Pattern involves a Director that constructs an object using a Builder interface. The Builder defines the steps to construct the object, and concrete builders implement these steps to create specific representations.
Key features:
- Step-by-Step Construction: Breaks down the construction process into smaller, manageable steps.
- Reusability: The same construction process can create different objects with varying attributes.
- Flexibility: Easily customizable by changing or adding new builders.
- Encapsulation: Separates the construction logic from the representation.
- Complex Object Creation: Simplifies the creation of objects with multiple configurations or variations.
- Readability: Makes the object creation process more intuitive and readable.
The implementation of the Builder Pattern can be found in:
RobotPlan.java
: Interface that defines the blueprint for the robot.Robot.java
: Concrete product representing the robot.RobotBuilder.java
: Builder interface defining the building steps.OldRobotBuilder.java
: Concrete builder for creating an old-school robot.RobotEngineer.java
: Director that constructs the robot using a builder.TestRobotBuilder.java
: Demonstrates the usage of the Builder Pattern.
To see the Builder Pattern in action, refer to the TestRobotBuilder.java
file. It demonstrates how to construct a robot step by step using a concrete builder and a director.
- Building UIs:
- A builder can construct complex user interfaces step by step.
- Game Development:
- Used for creating complex game characters or objects with configurable attributes (e.g., weapons, armor, abilities).
classDiagram
class Director {
+construct()
}
class IBuilder {
+buildPart1()
+buildPart2()
+buildPart3()
}
class BuilderA {
+buildPart1()
+buildPart2()
+buildPart3()
}
class BuilderB {
+buildPart1()
+buildPart2()
+buildPart3()
}
class BuilderC {
+buildPart1()
+buildPart2()
+buildPart3()
}
class ProductA {
}
class ProductB {
}
class ProductC {
}
Director o--> IBuilder
IBuilder <|-- BuilderA
IBuilder <|-- BuilderB
IBuilder <|-- BuilderC
BuilderA --> ProductA
BuilderB --> ProductB
BuilderC --> ProductC
Note
If the UML above is not rendering correctly, you can view the diagram from the builder_uml.png
file.
- The Builder Pattern is ideal for creating complex objects with multiple attributes.
- It separates the construction process from the final representation.
- Use it when constructing an object step by step enhances clarity and flexibility.