What are some advanced examples of the decorator pattern in programming?

What are some advanced examples of the decorator pattern in programming?

The decorator pattern allows behavior to be added to individual objects, either statically or dynamically, without affecting the behavior of other objects from the same class. An advanced example could be a logging decorator that adds logging functionality to various methods in a class.

Can you show me a code example of a logging decorator?

Sure! Here's a simple Python example:

import time

def log_execution_time(func):
    def wrapper(*args, **kwargs):
        start_time = time.time()
        result = func(*args, **kwargs)
        end_time = time.time()
        print(f"{func.__name__} executed in {end_time - start_time} seconds")
        return result
    return wrapper

@log_execution_time
def some_function():
    time.sleep(1)
    print("Function executed")

some_function()

What are some other use cases for the decorator pattern?

Other use cases include authentication, caching, and enforcing access control. For instance, you can create a decorator that checks if a user is authenticated before allowing access to a function.

How does the decorator pattern compare to other design patterns?

The decorator pattern is unique in that it allows for dynamic behavior modification without altering the original object. In contrast, patterns like inheritance can lead to a rigid structure, while decorators provide more flexibility.