Refactoring to Patterns

Joshua Kerievsky

Aug 2004 · Pearson Education

About this ebook

In 1994, Design Patterns changed the landscape of object-oriented development by introducing classic solutions to recurring design problems. In 1999, Refactoring revolutionized design by introducing an effective process for improving code. With the highly anticipated Refactoring to Patterns, Joshua Kerievsky has changed our approach to design by forever uniting patterns with the evolutionary process of refactoring.

This book introduces the theory and practice of pattern-directed refactorings: sequences of low-level refactorings that allow designers to safely move designs to, towards, or away from pattern implementations. Using code from real-world projects, Kerievsky documents the thinking and steps underlying over two dozen pattern-based design transformations. Along the way he offers insights into pattern differences and how to implement patterns in the simplest possible ways.

Coverage includes:

• A catalog of twenty-seven pattern-directed refactorings, featuring real-world code examples
• Descriptions of twelve design smells that indicate the need for this book’s refactorings
• General information and new insights about patterns and refactoring
• Detailed implementation mechanics: how low-level refactorings are combined to implement high-level patterns
• Multiple ways to implement the same pattern–and when to use each
• Practical ways to get started even if you have little experience with patterns or refactoring

Refactoring to Patterns reflects three years of refinement and the insights of more than sixty software engineering thought leaders in the global patterns, refactoring, and agile development communities. Whether you’re focused on legacy or “greenfield” development, this book will make you a better software designer by helping you learn how to make important design changes safely and effectively.

Ratings and reviews

This is a thoroughly useful book. It breaks no truly new ground but can be treated as an extended meditation (with highly practical expresdion) on the GoF patterns and Fowler's Refactoring, bringing more detail to the context for the former - especially the situations which call for the deployment of the patterns - and longer examples of the process covered in the latter.

About the author

Joshua Kerievsky is the founder of Industrial Logic (http://industriallogic.com), a company specializing in Extreme Programming. Since 1988, Joshua has been a professional software developer, coach, and instructor for clients such as Bankers Trust, MTV, MBNA, Ansys, MDS Sciex, Nielsen Media Research, and Sun Microsystems. He speaks regularly at conferences, has written numerous articles, and contributed chapters to Extreme Programming Explored (Addison-Wesley, 2001) and Extreme Programming Perspectives (Addison-Wesley, 2002). Joshua lives with his wife and daughters in Berkeley, California.