Unveiling the Power of the Visitor Pattern in Java

source : refactoring.guru

Introduction:

The Visitor Pattern, a design pattern categorized under behavioral patterns, provides an elegant solution to separate the algorithm from the object structure. In this article, we will delve into the intricacies of the Visitor Pattern in Java, exploring its key concepts, implementation details, and practical use cases. Buckle up for a code-centric journey that gets straight to the point, delivering comprehensive knowledge without unnecessary fluff.

Understanding the Visitor Pattern:

1. Visitor Pattern Basics:

At its core, the Visitor Pattern allows you to define a new operation without altering the classes of the elements on which it operates. This pattern introduces a separate visitor interface with methods corresponding to different types of elements. Each element class accepts a visitor, and the appropriate method is invoked based on the type of the element. This decouples the algorithm from the elements, promoting flexibility and extensibility.

2. Components of the Visitor Pattern:

Visitor Interface: Declares the visit methods for each type of element. This interface is implemented by concrete visitor classes.

Concrete Visitor Classes: Implement the visit methods defined in the visitor…