1.1 What Are Design Patterns?

Design patterns are proven, general solutions to common problems in software design. Instead of writing code from scratch every time you encounter a problem, design patterns provide predefined, best-practice templates for solving these problems.

Think of them like blueprints or recipes that guide developers in building scalable and maintainable software.

1.2 Why Do We Use Design Patterns?

Software development often involves solving similar problems over and over again. Instead of reinventing the wheel every time, design patterns offer:

• Reusability: You can reuse solutions that have already been tried and tested.
• Standardization: They offer a common vocabulary for discussing solutions among developers. If someone says "Factory Pattern," other developers will know exactly what they mean.
• Efficiency: They help you write better code faster because you're not starting from scratch.
• Maintainability: Code that follows established patterns is easier to understand and maintain over time.
• Flexibility: They allow you to write more modular and adaptable code that can change without breaking everything.

1.3 Common Use Cases for Design Patterns

• When building scalable systems: As systems grow in size and complexity, design patterns help ensure that code remains organized and adaptable.
• When following best practices: Patterns help enforce best coding practices by promoting clean architecture and separation of concerns.
• When dealing with common problems: Many common software design problems (like object creation, structure, or communication between components) can be solved using a design pattern.