What is the decorator pattern in software design?

What is the decorator pattern in software design?

The decorator pattern is a structural design pattern that allows behavior to be added to individual objects, either statically or dynamically, without affecting the behavior of other objects from the same class.

Can you give me an example of how it works?

Sure! Imagine you have a basic coffee class. You can create decorators like MilkDecorator or SugarDecorator that add functionality to the coffee without modifying the original class.

What are the benefits of using the decorator pattern?

The main benefits include increased flexibility and the ability to add responsibilities to objects at runtime, promoting code reusability.

Are there any drawbacks to using this pattern?

Yes, it can lead to a complex system of decorators that may be hard to understand and maintain if overused.