java-design-patterns/decorator/index.md

---
layout: pattern
title: Decorator
folder: decorator
permalink: /patterns/decorator/
categories: Structural
tags:
 - Java
 - Gang Of Four
 - Difficulty-Beginner
---

**Also known as:** Wrapper

**Intent:** Attach additional responsibilities to an object dynamically.
Decorators provide a flexible alternative to subclassing for extending
functionality.

![alt text](./etc/decorator_1.png "Decorator")

**Applicability:** Use Decorator

* to add responsibilities to individual objects dynamically and transparently, that is, without affecting other objects
* for responsibilities that can be withdrawn
* when extension by subclassing is impractical. Sometimes a large number of independent extensions are possible and would produce an explosion of subclasses to support every combination. Or a class definition may be hidden or otherwise unavailable for subclassing

**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: Decorator`
			`folder: decorator`
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/decorator/`
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: Structural`
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			`tags:`
			`- Java`
			`- Gang Of Four`
Categorize and tag all patterns #213 2015-12-28 15:52:44 +02:00			`- Difficulty-Beginner`
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			`---`

Added alias names for GOF patterns #267 2015-11-04 21:13:32 +02:00			`Also known as: Wrapper`

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			`Intent: Attach additional responsibilities to an object dynamically.`
			`Decorators provide a flexible alternative to subclassing for extending`
			`functionality.`

			`![alt text](./etc/decorator_1.png "Decorator")`

			`Applicability: Use Decorator`

			`* to add responsibilities to individual objects dynamically and transparently, that is, without affecting other objects`
			`* for responsibilities that can be withdrawn`
Work towards #56: Add permalink to every pattern This makes cleaner URLs thanks to jekyll 2015-08-15 18:03:05 +02:00			`* when extension by subclassing is impractical. Sometimes a large number of independent extensions are possible and would produce an explosion of subclasses to support every combination. Or a class definition may be hidden or otherwise unavailable for subclassing`
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
			`Credits`

			`* [Design Patterns: Elements of Reusable Object-Oriented Software](http://www.amazon.com/Design-Patterns-Elements-Reusable-Object-Oriented/dp/0201633612)`