What are some examples of the Strategy design pattern in Java?

What are some examples of the Strategy design pattern in Java?

The Strategy design pattern allows you to define a family of algorithms, encapsulate each one, and make them interchangeable. For example, in a sorting application, you could have different sorting strategies like QuickSort, MergeSort, and BubbleSort.

Can you show me a code example of the Strategy pattern?

Sure! Here's a simple example:

// Strategy interface
interface SortingStrategy {
    void sort(int[] array);
}

// Concrete strategy 1
class QuickSort implements SortingStrategy {
    public void sort(int[] array) {
        // QuickSort implementation
    }
}

// Context
class Sorter {
    private SortingStrategy strategy;

    public Sorter(SortingStrategy strategy) {
        this.strategy = strategy;
    }

    public void sort(int[] array) {
        strategy.sort(array);
    }
}

In this example, Sorter can use any sorting strategy that implements the SortingStrategy interface.

What are the benefits of using the Strategy pattern?

The Strategy pattern promotes flexibility and reusability. It allows you to switch algorithms at runtime, reduces code duplication, and adheres to the Open/Closed Principle by enabling new strategies to be added without modifying existing code.

Are there any real-world applications of the Strategy pattern?

Yes, the Strategy pattern is widely used in various applications, such as payment processing systems where different payment methods (credit card, PayPal, etc.) can be implemented as strategies, or in game development for different AI behaviors.