Bridge Pattern

Summary

• The Bridge pattern allows for development of an interface and implementation of a component to proceed independently.
• The Bridge pattern decouples an abstraction from its implementation, enabling them to vary independently.
• The Bridge pattern is useful when a new version of software is brought out that will replace an existing version, but the older version must still run for its existing client base.
• The Abstraction component is what is commonly called a Portal.

Class diagram: (see Bridge Pattern code review)

Usage

Use the Bridge pattern when you want to:

• Completely hide implementations from clients.
• Avoid binding an implementation to an abstraction directly.
• Change an implementation without even recompiling an abstraction.
• Combine different parts of a system at runtime.