java-design-patterns/abstract-factory/README.md

---
layout: pattern
title: Abstract Factory
folder: abstract-factory
permalink: /patterns/abstract-factory/
pumlid: PSZB3OD034NHLa81Czwd6sCC39gVxEUWT1_ssLmTtQLqgR5fM7sTmFGtaV6TZu8prd0r6HtQaMKqAZLk1XjT_E6qgPUZfyc0MdTgx0-8LuUn8ErFXdr98NypXxKyezKV
categories: Creational
tags:
 - Java
 - Gang Of Four
 - Difficulty-Intermediate
---

## Also known as
Kit

## Intent
Provide an interface for creating families of related or dependent
objects without specifying their concrete classes.

![alt text](./etc/abstract-factory_1.png "Abstract Factory")

## Applicability
Use the Abstract Factory pattern when

* a system should be independent of how its products are created, composed and represented
* a system should be configured with one of multiple families of products
* a family of related product objects is designed to be used together, and you need to enforce this constraint
* you want to provide a class library of products, and you want to reveal just their interfaces, not their implementations

## Real world examples

* [javax.xml.parsers.DocumentBuilderFactory](http://docs.oracle.com/javase/8/docs/api/javax/xml/parsers/DocumentBuilderFactory.html)
* [javax.xml.transform.TransformerFactory](http://docs.oracle.com/javase/8/docs/api/javax/xml/transform/TransformerFactory.html#newInstance--)
* [javax.xml.xpath.XPathFactory](http://docs.oracle.com/javase/8/docs/api/javax/xml/xpath/XPathFactory.html#newInstance--)

## Credits

* [Design Patterns: Elements of Reusable Object-Oriented Software](http://www.amazon.com/Design-Patterns-Elements-Reusable-Object-Oriented/dp/0201633612)
Work towards #56: Splitting up the README I did the job and splitted up the readme, hopefully everything was splitted correctly... 2015-08-13 23:54:40 +02:00			`---`
			`layout: pattern`
			`title: Abstract Factory`
			`folder: abstract-factory`
Work towards #56: Add permalink to every pattern This makes cleaner URLs thanks to jekyll 2015-08-15 18:03:05 +02:00			`permalink: /patterns/abstract-factory/`
Work on #190: Commit initial pumlId's added by the script 2016-08-30 15:10:34 +02:00			`pumlid: PSZB3OD034NHLa81Czwd6sCC39gVxEUWT1_ssLmTtQLqgR5fM7sTmFGtaV6TZu8prd0r6HtQaMKqAZLk1XjT_E6qgPUZfyc0MdTgx0-8LuUn8ErFXdr98NypXxKyezKV`
Work on #213 - properly categorize all patterns - remove pattern list from readme - minor fixes to readme - removed "introduction" because its not a pattern and an error i committed some time ago 2015-08-20 21:40:07 +02:00			`categories: Creational`
#211 added real world examples from Java api for creational patterns 2016-08-20 13:17:53 +05:30			`tags:`
Work on #226, #213, added references of Gang Of Four to all GoF patterns, added tag for Gang Of Four, added difficulty tags to some of them 2015-09-22 18:25:56 +05:30			`- Java`
			`- Gang Of Four`
Categorize and tag all patterns #213 2015-12-28 15:52:44 +02:00			`- Difficulty-Intermediate`
Work towards #56: Splitting up the README I did the job and splitted up the readme, hopefully everything was splitted correctly... 2015-08-13 23:54:40 +02:00			`---`

Use headings instead of bold text in index.md #238 2016-01-03 21:14:30 +01:00			`## Also known as`
			`Kit`
Added alias names for GOF patterns #267 2015-11-04 21:13:32 +02:00
Use headings instead of bold text in index.md #238 2016-01-03 21:14:30 +01:00			`## Intent`
			`Provide an interface for creating families of related or dependent`
Work towards #56: Splitting up the README I did the job and splitted up the readme, hopefully everything was splitted correctly... 2015-08-13 23:54:40 +02:00			`objects without specifying their concrete classes.`

			`![alt text](./etc/abstract-factory_1.png "Abstract Factory")`

Use headings instead of bold text in index.md #238 2016-01-03 21:14:30 +01:00			`## Applicability`
			`Use the Abstract Factory pattern when`
Work towards #56: Splitting up the README I did the job and splitted up the readme, hopefully everything was splitted correctly... 2015-08-13 23:54:40 +02:00
			`* a system should be independent of how its products are created, composed and represented`
			`* a system should be configured with one of multiple families of products`
			`* a family of related product objects is designed to be used together, and you need to enforce this constraint`
			`* you want to provide a class library of products, and you want to reveal just their interfaces, not their implementations`

Use headings instead of bold text in index.md #238 2016-01-03 21:14:30 +01:00			`## Real world examples`
Work towards #56: Splitting up the README I did the job and splitted up the readme, hopefully everything was splitted correctly... 2015-08-13 23:54:40 +02:00
Work towards #56: Add permalink to every pattern This makes cleaner URLs thanks to jekyll 2015-08-15 18:03:05 +02:00			`* [javax.xml.parsers.DocumentBuilderFactory](http://docs.oracle.com/javase/8/docs/api/javax/xml/parsers/DocumentBuilderFactory.html)`
#211 added real world examples from Java api for creational patterns 2016-08-20 13:17:53 +05:30			`* [javax.xml.transform.TransformerFactory](http://docs.oracle.com/javase/8/docs/api/javax/xml/transform/TransformerFactory.html#newInstance--)`
			`* [javax.xml.xpath.XPathFactory](http://docs.oracle.com/javase/8/docs/api/javax/xml/xpath/XPathFactory.html#newInstance--)`
Work on #226, #213, added references of Gang Of Four to all GoF patterns, added tag for Gang Of Four, added difficulty tags to some of them 2015-09-22 18:25:56 +05:30
Use headings instead of bold text in index.md #238 2016-01-03 21:14:30 +01:00			`## Credits`
Work on #226, #213, added references of Gang Of Four to all GoF patterns, added tag for Gang Of Four, added difficulty tags to some of them 2015-09-22 18:25:56 +05:30
			`* [Design Patterns: Elements of Reusable Object-Oriented Software](http://www.amazon.com/Design-Patterns-Elements-Reusable-Object-Oriented/dp/0201633612)`