Design Patterns in Java(TM) (Software Patterns Series) [Hardcover]

Steven John Metsker (Author), William C. Wake (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 28, 2006 | ISBN-10: 0321333020 | ISBN-13: 978-0321333025 | Edition: 2

Design Patterns in Java™ gives you the hands-on practice and deep insight you need to fully leverage the significant power of design patterns in any Java software project. The perfect complement to the classic Design Patterns, this learn-by-doing workbook applies the latest Java features and best practices to all of the original 23 patterns identified in that groundbreaking text.

Drawing on their extensive experience as Java instructors and programmers, Steve Metsker and Bill Wake illuminate each pattern with real Java programs, clear UML diagrams, and compelling exercises. You'll move quickly from theory to application—learning how to improve new code and refactor existing code for simplicity, manageability, and performance.

Coverage includes

• Using Adapter to provide consistent interfaces to clients

• Using Facade to simplify the use of reusable toolkits

• Understanding the role of Bridge in Java database connectivity

• The Observer pattern, Model-View-Controller, and GUI behavior

• Java Remote Method Invocation (RMI) and the Proxy pattern

• Streamlining designs using the Chain of Responsibility pattern

• Using patterns to go beyond Java's built-in constructor features

• Implementing Undo capabilities with Memento

• Using the State pattern to manage state more cleanly and simply

• Optimizing existing codebases with extension patterns

• Providing thread-safe iteration with the Iterator pattern

• Using Visitor to define new operations without changing hierarchy classes

If you're a Java programmer wanting to save time while writing better code, this book's techniques, tips, and clear explanations and examples will help you harness the power of patterns to improve every program you write, design, or maintain.

All source code is available for download at http://www.oozinoz.com.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Steven John Metsker is a Managing Consultant with Dominion Digital, an information technology and business process reengineering company. Steve specializes in object-oriented techniques for creating clean, powerful software, and he is the author of Building Parsers with Java™, Design Patterns Java™ Workbook, and Design Patterns in C# (all from Addison-Wesley).

William C. Wake, http://www.xp123.com , is an independent software consultant, coach, and trainer with more than twenty years of programming experience. Bill previously held positions with Capital One Financial, DMR Trecom, and VTLS, Inc. He is the author of the Refactoring Workbook and Extreme Programming Explored (both from Addison-Wesley).

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Design patterns are class- and method-level solutions to common problems in object-oriented design. If you're an intermediate-level Java programmer who wants to become advanced or an advanced-level Java programmer who hasn't yet studied design patterns, this book is for you.

Design Patterns in Java™ takes a workbook approach. Each chapter focuses on a particular pattern. In addition to explaining the pattern, the chapter includes a number of challenges, each asking you to explain something or to develop code that solves a problem.

We strongly urge you to stop and work through the challenges rather than try to read this book straight through. You'll learn more by putting in the work to do the challenges, even if it's only a chapter or two a week.

An Update

This book merges and updates two previous books: Design Patterns Java Workbook™; and Design Patterns in C#. This book combines the Java orientation of the former with the more stand-alone approach of the latter. If you've already worked through the previous books, you won't need this one.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 480 pages
• Publisher: Addison-Wesley Professional; 2 edition (April 28, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0321333020
• ISBN-13: 978-0321333025
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 7.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #761,660 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bridging pattern theory to coding reality..., July 21, 2006

By 

Thomas Duff "Duffbert" (Portland, OR United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Design Patterns in Java(TM) (Software Patterns Series) (Hardcover)

If you're a Java programmer and want to approach the subject of design patterns from that perspective, this book is very well done... Design Patterns In Java by Steven John Metsker and William C. Wake.

Contents: Introduction
Part 1 - Interface Patterns: Introducing Interfaces; Adapter; Facade; Composite; Bridge
Part 2 - Responsibility Patterns: Introducing Responsibility; Singleton; Observer; Mediator; Proxy; Chain of Responsibility; Flyweight
Part 3 - Construction Patterns: Introducing Construction; Builder; Factory Method; Abstract Factory; Prototype; Memento
Part 4 - Operation Patterns: Introducing Operations; Template Method; State; Strategy; Command; Interpreter
Part 5 - Extension Patterns: Introducing Extensions; Decorator; Iterator; Visitor
Part 6 - Appendixes: Directions; Solutions; Oozinoz Source; UML At A Glance; Glossary; Bibliography; Index

Wake and Metsker use the same standard patterns that have been popularized in the Gang Of Four patterns book. But the main difference between that book and this one is in the application of the material. After you get a very clear understanding of the goals of a certain pattern set, they explore the implementation of that pattern using Java coding examples. That's the value that sticks out for me. Rather than dealing with general abstract coding philosophy, you end up with concrete examples, real business scenarios, and working code that illustrates the concept. Granted, the "real business scenarios" are most applicable to running a fireworks factory, but it's better than "dog is a object of class mammal" fluff that doesn't bridge well to where we live on a daily basis...

This book can definitely stand alone when it comes to learning all about design patterns. But if you've read the classic and still don't "get it", this book will tie it all together for you... From the Java perspective, it'd be hard to go wrong here...

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars for new and intermediate Java programmers, May 8, 2006

By 

W Boudville (Terra, Sol 3) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Design Patterns in Java(TM) (Software Patterns Series) (Hardcover)

Metsker, in collaboration with Wake, has released a counterpart to his earlier book, "Design Patterns in C#". Essentially, it covers the same design patterns, but now implemented in Java code. The authors readily point out that the book is directed at a new or intermediate Java programmer. Experienced Java coders probably [or should] already have written such patterns, based on their prior knowledge.

The book takes you beyond the elementary syntactical issues of Java. The pedagogy also includes frequent problems interwoven into the text. These have answers! [At the back of the book.] One reason given by the authors for including the problems is simply that you can get good experience with patterning, if you tackle them. A cheaper and safer alternative than trying out patterns for the first time on actual workplace problems.

None of the problems are very intricate. But they expose enough of the essence of the patterns for your understanding.

Of course, aside from actual coding, patterns are now forming part of the standard vocabulary of professional programmers. If you are not a programmer, but have to interact with them, then the text can be good background.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great read for Java developers looking to improve their design skills, September 8, 2006

By 

Jim Anderton (Portland, OR USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Design Patterns in Java(TM) (Software Patterns Series) (Hardcover)

I've heard a lot about the classic "Gang of Four" Design Patterns book. However, while I've read many papers based on it, I've never actually read The Book. So, when I had a chance to read the new Design Patterns in Java(TM) (2nd Edition) it seemed like a perfect chance to load up on some must-know information as it is applied to my programming language of choice. Excellent!

This book merges and updates the Design Patterns Java Workbook and Design Patterns C#. Design Patterns in Java is targeted at developers who know Java and want to improve their skills as designers. It covers the same 23 patterns discussed in the Gang of Four Design Patterns book.

Patterns are powerful things. As the Metsker and Wake put it, "Patterns are distillations of accumulated wisdom that provide a standard jargon, naming the concepts that experienced practitioners apply." Exactly! They authors have a way with words. I really appreciated the one sentence descriptions of each pattern at the beginning of each chapter. These helped me to immediately grasp the intention of each pattern before digging in to the details. The periodic "challenges" throughout the text are thought provoking and worth the effort to work through.

The advantage of this Java-centered book over a general patterns book is that it helps you understand how Java's unique features can be used to implement the patterns. For example, sorting can be implemented using polymorphism and the template method pattern. The original GoF book is a classic. Design Patterns in Java is, for the Java developer, the perfect combination of the GoF book's concepts with concrete Java implementations to make it all easier use. Not only are there Java examples but the book also includes information to help you refactor your existing code to use patterns. Very helpful.

The appendices include solutions to the various code challenges, information to access the sample site's source code, and a crash-course in UML.

I love the suggestion at the end of Appendix A: "Decide how many hours a week you want to spend on your career. Take five hours off the top and pay yourself first. Spend that time away from the office, reading books and magazines or writing software related to any topic that interests you." Great concept!

If you're a Java developer looking to invest some time to improve your design skills, this would a great place to start.