What is the Singleton Pattern in programming?

What is the Singleton Pattern in programming?

The Singleton Pattern is a design pattern that restricts a class to a single instance and provides a global point of access to it.

Can you give me an example of how to implement it in Python?

Sure! Here's a simple implementation:

class Singleton:
    _instance = None

    def __new__(cls):
        if cls._instance is None:
            cls._instance = super(Singleton, cls).__new__(cls)
        return cls._instance

What are the use cases for the Singleton Pattern?

Common use cases include logging, configuration settings, and managing shared resources like database connections.

Are there any drawbacks to using the Singleton Pattern?

Yes, it can introduce global state into an application, making it harder to test and maintain.