The Wiert Corner – irregular stream of stuff

Interesting read: [Archive.is] Are Design Patterns Missing Language Features.

On various places, it has been claimed that use of DesignPatterns, especially complex ones like VisitorPattern, are actually indicators that the language being used isn’t powerful enough. Many DesignPatterns are by convention rather than encapsulable in a library or component, and as such contain repetition and thus violate OnceAndOnlyOnce. If it didn’t contain at least some repetition, or something that could be Refactored out, then it wouldn’t be a pattern.

When applying design pattern, always remember that back then the Gang of Four wrote their book, languages were less powerful than now.

So always check if a design pattern cannot be applied by using a feature of the language you are using.

Examples from that page:

A list of DesignPatterns and a language feature that (largely) replaces them:

 VisitorPattern  .............. GenericFunctions (MultipleDispatch)
 FactoryPattern  .............. MetaClasses, closures
 SingletonPattern ............. MetaClasses
 IteratorPattern............... AnonymousFunctions 
              (used with HigherOrderFunctions, 
               MapFunction, FilterFunction, etc.)
 InterpreterPattern............ Macros (extending the language)
               EvalFunction, MetaCircularInterpreter
               Support for parser generation (for differing syntax)
 CommandPattern ............... Closures, LexicalScope, 
               AnonymousFunctions, FirstClassFunctions
 HandleBodyPattern............. Delegation, Macros, MetaClasses
 RunAndReturnSuccessor......... TailCallOptimization
 Abstract-Factory,
 Flyweight,
 Factory-Method,
 State, Proxy,
 Chain-of-Responsibility....... FirstClass types (Norvig)
 Mediator, Observer............ Method combination (Norvig)
 BuilderPattern................ Multi Methods (Norvig)
 FacadePattern................. Modules (Norvig)
 StrategyPattern............... higher order functions (Gene Michael Stover?), ControlTable
 AssociationList................Dictionaries, maps, HashTables
                    (these go by numerous names in different languages)

Food for thought…

• Via: [WayBack] Joseph Mitzen commenting on [WayBack] Do software design patterns really matter? You bet!  – Jeroen Wiert Pluimers – Google+
• Related: [Archive.is] Language Smell
  A LanguageSmell is a CodeSmell that occurs due to the inability of the language to express the concept cleanly. Sometimes called an “idiom” or a “pattern.” (Not all patterns are like this, but some are.)

–jeroen