Design Patterns - Key Points Summary

(1) A design pattern is a way of reusing abstract knowledge about a problem and its solution

(2) Patterns rely on object characteristics such as inheritance and polymorphism to provide generality

(3) Pattern descriptions usually include a graphical model as well as a narrative description

(4) The general principle of encapsulating experience in a pattern is applicable to any kind of software design, not just object-oriented design

Explanation

True: patterns reuse abstract knowledge; published patterns rely on inheritance and polymorphism; pattern descriptions include both narrative and graphical models; the general encapsulation-of-experience principle applies to all software design (including configuration patterns for instantiating reusable application systems). False: patterns are NOT ready-to-use implementations - they are templates for design solutions that must be adapted and instantiated for each specific situation.