top of page

Adapter: Round Pegs in Square Holes

Writer: The MainesThe Maines

Introduction

The Adapter pattern allows incompatible interfaces to work together by acting as a middleman that translates one interface into another.


Real-Life Example

A power plug adapter: A European device with a round plug won’t fit into a North American outlet, but an adapter allows seamless connection without modifying the device itself.


Pros

  • Enables integration of existing components without modification.

  • Improves code maintainability by standardizing interfaces.

  • Supports legacy code migration.


Cons

  • Can lead to excessive wrappers if not managed properly.

  • May introduce slight performance overhead due to extra translation.


When to Use It

  • When working with legacy code that needs to integrate with modern systems.

  • When connecting third-party libraries with incompatible interfaces.

  • Avoid when a simpler refactor can solve the incompatibility.


Conclusion

Adapter is an essential tool for bridging systems, but excessive use can make code harder to maintain.


Comments


bottom of page