What are the best practices for using the Template Method Pattern?

What are the best practices for using the Template Method Pattern?

The Template Method Pattern is a behavioral design pattern that defines the skeleton of an algorithm in a method, deferring some steps to subclasses. Best practices include keeping the template method simple, ensuring subclasses only override necessary methods, and using hooks for optional behavior.

Can you give an example of this pattern in action?

Sure! Imagine a class DataProcessor that has a method processData(). This method defines the steps to read data, process it, and save it. Subclasses like CSVDataProcessor and XMLDataProcessor can implement the specific details for reading and saving their respective formats.

What are some common pitfalls to avoid?

Common pitfalls include making the template method too complex, which can lead to confusion, and not properly documenting the expected behavior of overridden methods, which can cause issues for future developers.

How does this pattern compare to other design patterns?

The Template Method Pattern is similar to the Strategy Pattern, but while Strategy allows for dynamic behavior changes, Template Method provides a fixed algorithm structure with customizable steps.