What is a Proxy Architectural Pattern?
The Proxy Architectural Pattern serves as a design solution that provides a surrogate or placeholder for another object, which can be either a local or a remote resource. This pattern is used to control access to the original object, thereby enhancing flexibility and functionality.
Key Components:
- Subject: Defines the interface that the RealObject and Proxy will implement.
- RealObject: The actual object that the Proxy represents and interacts with.
- Proxy: The intermediary that controls access to the RealObject. It may include additional functionality, such as lazy loading, access control, or logging.
Advantages:
- Control: Proxies can enforce access policies, logging operations, or caching results.
- Performance: By implementing lazy loading or caching, proxies can help improve application performance.
Use Cases:
Common scenarios include remote service access, where a Proxy can manage network calls, and resource-heavy objects where a Proxy can delay instantiation until absolutely needed.
Conclusion:
In summary, the Proxy Architectural Pattern is a valuable tool in software development that provides control and flexibility for accessing complex objects.