Q-1). What are the problems faced while introducing additional layers of abstraction?
A-1). The Abstract Factory Pattern introduces additional layers of abstraction, which can make the code more complex and harder to understand. Firstly, one should remember that to use this pattern, when it is truly beneficial. Keep the design as simple as possible, and document the purpose and structure of the factories clearly.
Q-2). What are the difficulties faced in adding new products?
A-2). Adding a new product family requires changes in the abstract factory interface and all its concrete implementations, leading to potential code modifications in multiple places. You need to anticipate changes by designing the system to accommodate future extensions. Use default methods in interfaces or abstract classes to minimize changes when adding new products.
Q-3). Is AbstractFactory tightly coupled with the factories?
A-3). Client code becomes tightly coupled to the abstract factory interface, making it dependent on the structure of the factory. One has to use dependency injection to pass the factory to the client, reducing direct dependency and improving testability and flexibility.
Q-4). Is AbstractFactory is very difficult to beginners?
A-4). The pattern can be confusing for beginners due to the separation of interface and implementation and the additional classes/interfaces involved. You have to provide clear examples and documentation. Use simple scenarios to illustrate how the pattern works before applying it to complex systems.
Q-5). What is the performance overhead scenario for Abstract Factory Design Pattern?
A-5). The creation of factory instances and the additional layers of abstraction can introduce a slight performance overhead. Evaluate the performance impact. For systems where object creation is not a performance bottleneck, the overhead is usually negligible. If performance is critical, consider other optimizations.
Q-6). What are the limited flexibility in runtime configuration?
A-6). It can be challenging to change the factory type at runtime without redesigning the system. Use a configuration-based approach where the factory type is determined at runtime based on configuration files or environment settings.