Singleton Pattern

Summary

• The Singleton pattern ensures that a class is instantiated only once and that all requests are directed to that one and only object.
• The purpose of the Singleton pattern is to ensure that there is only one instance of a class, and that there is a global access point to that object.
• In the Singleton pattern, it is the class itself that is responsible for ensuring this constraint, not the clients of the class.

Class diagram: (see Singleton Pattern code review)

Usage

Use the Singleton pattern when:

• You need to ensure there is only one instance of a class.
• Controlled access to that instance is essential.
• You might need more than one instance at a later stage.
• The control should be localized in the instantiated class, not in some other mechanism.