Visitor
Objective
Represent an operation to be performed on the elements of an object structure; allowing to define a new operation without changing the classes of the operating elements.
Function
Representing a function to be performed by the elements of the object's structure, it also allows defining a new function without changing the classes of the elements in which it operates.
Structure
As shown in figure 1
- Client: Component that interacts with the structure (element) and with the Visitor. The Visitor is responsible for creating the visitors and sending them to the element for processing.
- Element: Represents the root of the structure, in the form of a tree, on which we will use the Visitor. This object is usually an interface that defines the accept method and should implement all the objects of the structure.
- ElementConcrete (A,B): Represents a child of the composite structure, the complete structure can be composed of a large number of these objects and each must implement the accept method.
- IVisitor: Interface that defines the structure of the visitor, the interface should have a method for each object that requires analysis of the structure (element).
- VisitorConcrete (A,B): It represents an implementation of the visitor, this implementation can perform an operation on the element. It is possible to have all the ConcreteVisitor needed to perform the operations we need.
The structure that meets this pattern is shown in Figure 1
Figure 1: UML Diagram Visitor Pattern
Applications
The use of the Visitor pattern is recommended when:
- An object structure contains many classes of objects that differ in their interface and the aim is to combine the operation of their particular classes.
- Many different and unrelated operations need to be executed on objects and object structures; the Viewer object allows you to keep the related operation together by defining it in a class.
- Classes define object structures that rarely change; but highly changing requirements need to be defined.
Design Patterns Collaborators
- The Visitor pattern can be used to apply an operation on an object structure defined by a Composite pattern.
- The Visitor objects can be applied for the interpretation of Interpreter objects.
Scope of action
Applied at the object level.
Problem
The application requires many different operations that are not related, in the node object of an aggregated heterogeneous structure; taking into account that it cannot be allowed to fill the node class with this type of operations; increasing the complexity when analyzing each node until finding the appropriate one to launch the indicator to perform the desired operation.
Solution
The Visitor pattern is the object oriented model that allows the creation of an external class that acts on the data of the other classes, this process is highly useful; since it facilitates the use only of the instances of the classes that are needed to solve the needs of the moment without the need to involve or affect those that are not useful in a certain operation.
Diagram or Implementation
Figure 2: UML Diagram Visitor Pattern
Figure 2 explains the behaviour of the pattern by means of a sequence diagram.
- The client class creates the structure (Element).
- The client class creates the instance of the Visitor to be used on the structure.
- The client class executes the accept method of the structure and sends it to the Visitor.
- The Element component tells the Visitor which method to process it with. The Visitor must have a method for each class type in the structure.
- The Visitor analyzes the Element using its visitElement method and repeats the process of running the accept method on the children of the Element. Again the Visitor should have a method to process each child class of the structure.
- The ConcreteElementA component tells the Visitor which method to process it with, which is visitElementA.
- The visitor continues with the other children of Element and this time executes the accept method on the ConcreteElementB component.
- The ConcrteElementB tells the Viewer which method to process it with, which is visitElementB.
- Finally the Visitor finishes the operation on the structure when it has gone through all the objects, obtaining a result that is requested by the client class through the getResults method (the result is optional since there are operations that do not give results).
Implementations of the Visitor pattern:
from __future__ import annotations
from abc import ABC, abstractmethod, abstractproperty
from typing import Any
class Builder(ABC):
"""
The Builder interface specifies methods for creating the different parts of
the Product objects.
"""
@abstractproperty
def product(self) -> None:
pass
@abstractmethod
def produce_part_a(self) -> None:
pass
@abstractmethod
def produce_part_b(self) -> None:
pass
@abstractmethod
def produce_part_c(self) -> None:
pass
class ConcreteBuilder1(Builder):
"""
The Concrete Builder classes follow the Builder interface and provide
specific implementations of the building steps. Your program may have
several variations of Builders, implemented differently.
"""
def __init__(self) -> None:
"""
A fresh builder instance should contain a blank product object, which is
used in further assembly.
"""
self.reset()
def reset(self) -> None:
self._product = Product1()
@property
def product(self) -> Product1:
"""
Concrete Builders are supposed to provide their own methods for
retrieving results. That's because various types of builders may create
entirely different products that don't follow the same interface.
Therefore, such methods cannot be declared in the base Builder interface
(at least in a statically typed programming language).
Usually, after returning the end result to the client, a builder
instance is expected to be ready to start producing another product.
That's why it's a usual practice to call the reset method at the end of
the `getProduct` method body. However, this behavior is not mandatory,
and you can make your builders wait for an explicit reset call from the
client code before disposing of the previous result.
"""
product = self._product
self.reset()
return product
def produce_part_a(self) -> None:
self._product.add("PartA1")
def produce_part_b(self) -> None:
self._product.add("PartB1")
def produce_part_c(self) -> None:
self._product.add("PartC1")
class Product1():
"""
It makes sense to use the Builder pattern only when your products are quite
complex and require extensive configuration.
Unlike in other creational patterns, different concrete builders can produce
unrelated products. In other words, results of various builders may not
always follow the same interface.
"""
def __init__(self) -> None:
self.parts = []
def add(self, part: Any) -> None:
self.parts.append(part)
def list_parts(self) -> None:
print(f"Product parts: {', '.join(self.parts)}", end="")
class Director:
"""
The Director is only responsible for executing the building steps in a
particular sequence. It is helpful when producing products according to a
specific order or configuration. Strictly speaking, the Director class is
optional, since the client can control builders directly.
"""
def __init__(self) -> None:
self._builder = None
@property
def builder(self) -> Builder:
return self._builder
@builder.setter
def builder(self, builder: Builder) -> None:
"""
The Director works with any builder instance that the client code passes
to it. This way, the client code may alter the final type of the newly
assembled product.
"""
self._builder = builder
"""
The Director can construct several product variations using the same
building steps.
"""
def build_minimal_viable_product(self) -> None:
self.builder.produce_part_a()
def build_full_featured_product(self) -> None:
self.builder.produce_part_a()
self.builder.produce_part_b()
self.builder.produce_part_c()
if __name__ == "__main__":
"""
The client code creates a builder object, passes it to the director and then
initiates the construction process. The end result is retrieved from the
builder object.
"""
director = Director()
builder = ConcreteBuilder1()
director.builder = builder
print("Standard basic product: ")
director.build_minimal_viable_product()
builder.product.list_parts()
print("\n")
print("Standard full featured product: ")
director.build_full_featured_product()
builder.product.list_parts()
print("\n")
# Remember, the Builder pattern can be used without a Director class.
print("Custom product: ")
builder.produce_part_a()
builder.produce_part_b()
builder.product.list_parts()
namespace RefactoringGuru\Builder\Conceptual;
/**
* The Builder interface specifies methods for creating the different parts of
* the Product objects.
*/
interface Builder
{
public function producePartA(): void;
public function producePartB(): void;
public function producePartC(): void;
}
/**
* The Concrete Builder classes follow the Builder interface and provide
* specific implementations of the building steps. Your program may have several
* variations of Builders, implemented differently.
*/
class ConcreteBuilder1 implements Builder
{
private $product;
/**
* A fresh builder instance should contain a blank product object, which is
* used in further assembly.
*/
public function __construct()
{
$this->reset();
}
public function reset(): void
{
$this->product = new Product1();
}
/**
* All production steps work with the same product instance.
*/
public function producePartA(): void
{
$this->product->parts[] = "PartA1";
}
public function producePartB(): void
{
$this->product->parts[] = "PartB1";
}
public function producePartC(): void
{
$this->product->parts[] = "PartC1";
}
/**
* Concrete Builders are supposed to provide their own methods for
* retrieving results. That's because various types of builders may create
* entirely different products that don't follow the same interface.
* Therefore, such methods cannot be declared in the base Builder interface
* (at least in a statically typed programming language). Note that PHP is a
* dynamically typed language and this method CAN be in the base interface.
* However, we won't declare it there for the sake of clarity.
*
* Usually, after returning the end result to the client, a builder instance
* is expected to be ready to start producing another product. That's why
* it's a usual practice to call the reset method at the end of the
* `getProduct` method body. However, this behavior is not mandatory, and
* you can make your builders wait for an explicit reset call from the
* client code before disposing of the previous result.
*/
public function getProduct(): Product1
{
$result = $this->product;
$this->reset();
return $result;
}
}
/**
* It makes sense to use the Builder pattern only when your products are quite
* complex and require extensive configuration.
*
* Unlike in other creational patterns, different concrete builders can produce
* unrelated products. In other words, results of various builders may not
* always follow the same interface.
*/
class Product1
{
public $parts = [];
public function listParts(): void
{
echo "Product parts: " . implode(', ', $this->parts) . "\n\n";
}
}
/**
* The Director is only responsible for executing the building steps in a
* particular sequence. It is helpful when producing products according to a
* specific order or configuration. Strictly speaking, the Director class is
* optional, since the client can control builders directly.
*/
class Director
{
/**
* @var Builder
*/
private $builder;
/**
* The Director works with any builder instance that the client code passes
* to it. This way, the client code may alter the final type of the newly
* assembled product.
*/
public function setBuilder(Builder $builder): void
{
$this->builder = $builder;
}
/**
* The Director can construct several product variations using the same
* building steps.
*/
public function buildMinimalViableProduct(): void
{
$this->builder->producePartA();
}
public function buildFullFeaturedProduct(): void
{
$this->builder->producePartA();
$this->builder->producePartB();
$this->builder->producePartC();
}
}
/**
* The client code creates a builder object, passes it to the director and then
* initiates the construction process. The end result is retrieved from the
* builder object.
*/
function clientCode(Director $director)
{
$builder = new ConcreteBuilder1();
$director->setBuilder($builder);
echo "Standard basic product:\n";
$director->buildMinimalViableProduct();
$builder->getProduct()->listParts();
echo "Standard full featured product:\n";
$director->buildFullFeaturedProduct();
$builder->getProduct()->listParts();
// Remember, the Builder pattern can be used without a Director class.
echo "Custom product:\n";
$builder->producePartA();
$builder->producePartC();
$builder->getProduct()->listParts();
}
$director = new Director();
clientCode($director);
/* "Product" */
class Pizza {
private String dough = "";
private String sauce = "";
private String topping = "";
public void setDough(String dough) {
this.dough = dough;
}
public void setSauce(String sauce) {
this.sauce = sauce;
}
public void setTopping(String topping) {
this.topping = topping;
}
}
/* "Abstract Builder" */
abstract class PizzaBuilder {
protected Pizza pizza;
public Pizza getPizza() {
return pizza;
}
public void createNewPizzaProduct() {
pizza = new Pizza();
}
public abstract void buildDough();
public abstract void buildSauce();
public abstract void buildTopping();
}
/* "ConcreteBuilder" */
class HawaiianPizzaBuilder extends PizzaBuilder {
public void buildDough() {
pizza.setDough("cross");
}
public void buildSauce() {
pizza.setSauce("mild");
}
public void buildTopping() {
pizza.setTopping("ham+pineapple");
}
}
/* "ConcreteBuilder" */
class SpicyPizzaBuilder extends PizzaBuilder {
public void buildDough() {
pizza.setDough("pan baked");
}
public void buildSauce() {
pizza.setSauce("hot");
}
public void buildTopping() {
pizza.setTopping("pepperoni+salami");
}
}
/* "Director" */
class Waiter {
private PizzaBuilder pizzaBuilder;
public void setPizzaBuilder(PizzaBuilder pb) {
pizzaBuilder = pb;
}
public Pizza getPizza() {
return pizzaBuilder.getPizza();
}
public void constructPizza() {
pizzaBuilder.createNewPizzaProduct();
pizzaBuilder.buildDough();
pizzaBuilder.buildSauce();
pizzaBuilder.buildTopping();
}
}
/* A customer ordering a pizza. */
public class PizzaBuilderDemo {
public static void main(String[] args) {
Waiter waiter = new Waiter();
PizzaBuilder hawaiianPizzabuilder = new HawaiianPizzaBuilder();
PizzaBuilder spicyPizzaBuilder = new SpicyPizzaBuilder();
waiter.setPizzaBuilder( hawaiianPizzabuilder );
waiter.constructPizza();
Pizza pizza = waiter.getPizza();
}
}