Prototype Design Pattern in Java

Prototype design pattern

1. Create a “contract” with clone() and getName() entries
2. Design a “registry” that maintains a cache of prototypical objects
3. Populate the registry with an initializePrototypes() function
4. The registry has a findAndClone() “virtual constructor” that can transform a String into its correct object (it calls clone() which then calls “new”)
5. All classes relate themselves to the clone() contract
6. Client uses the findAndClone() virtual ctor instead of the “new” operator

interface Prototype {
  Object clone();
  String getName();
}
// 1. The clone() contract
interface Command {
  void execute();
}

class PrototypesModule {
  // 2. "registry" of prototypical objs
  private static Prototype[] prototypes = new Prototype[9];
  private static int total = 0;

  // Adds a feature to the Prototype attribute of the PrototypesModule class
  // obj  The feature to be added to the Prototype attribute
  public static void addPrototype( Prototype obj ) {
    prototypes[total++] = obj;
  }

  public static Object findAndClone( String name ) {
    // 4. The "virtual ctor"
    for ( int i = 0; i < total; i++ ) {
      if ( prototypes[i].getName().equals( name ) ) {
        return prototypes[i].clone();
      }
    }
    System.out.println( name + " not found" );
    return null;
  }
}

// 5. Sign-up for the clone() contract.
// Each class calls "new" on itself FOR the client.
class This implements Prototype, Command {
  public Object clone() {
    return new This();
  }
  public String getName() {
    return "This";
  }
  public void execute() {
    System.out.println( "This: execute" );
  }
}

class That implements Prototype, Command {
  public Object clone() {
    return new That();
  }
  public String getName() {
    return "That";
  }
  public void execute() {
    System.out.println( "That: execute" );
  }
}

class TheOther implements Prototype, Command {
  public Object clone() {
    return new TheOther();
  }
  public String getName() {
    return "TheOther";
  }
  public void execute() {
    System.out.println( "TheOther: execute" );
  }
}


public class PrototypeDemo {
  // 3. Populate the "registry"
  public static void initializePrototypes() {
    PrototypesModule.addPrototype( new This() );
    PrototypesModule.addPrototype( new That() );
    PrototypesModule.addPrototype( new TheOther() );
  }
  public static void main( String[] args ) {
    initializePrototypes();
    Object[] objects = new Object[9];
    int total = 0;

    // 6. Client does not use "new"
    for (int i=0; i < args.length; i++) {
      objects[total] = PrototypesModule.findAndClone( args[i] );
      if (objects[total] != null) total++;
    }
    for (int i=0; i < total; i++) {
      ((Command)objects[i]).execute();
    }
  }
}