Unraveling the Factory Method vs. Abstract Factory Dilemma

Similarities between Factory Method and Abstract Factory Patterns:

1. Creational Patterns: Both the Factory Method Pattern and Abstract Factory Pattern fall under the category of creational design patterns, focusing on object creation mechanisms.
2. Encapsulation: Both patterns encapsulate the object creation process, providing an interface to create objects without exposing their instantiation logic.
3. Abstraction: Both patterns involve the use of interfaces or abstract classes to declare the creation methods, allowing for the creation of families of related objects.

Differences between Factory Method and Abstract Factory Patterns:

1. Scope:

Factory Method Pattern: Defines an interface for creating a single product but allows subclasses to alter the type of products that will be created.

Abstract Factory Pattern: Provides an interface for creating families of related or dependent products without specifying their concrete classes.

2. Number of Products:

Factory Method Pattern: Typically involves the creation of a single product per factory.

Abstract Factory Pattern: Involves the creation of multiple related products forming a family.

3. Usage:

Factory Method Pattern:

• Useful when a class cannot anticipate the class of objects it must create.
• Subclasses decide which concrete class to instantiate.

Abstract Factory Pattern:

• Useful when a system must be configured to work with multiple families of related products.
• Provides an interface for creating families of products without specifying their concrete classes.

4. Relationships:

Factory Method Pattern: Typically involves a single factory method in a creator class.

Abstract Factory Pattern: Involves multiple factory methods in an abstract factory interface, each responsible for creating a different type of product.

Drawbacks of Factory Method Pattern:

Limited to Single Product: The Factory Method Pattern is designed for creating a single product, which may limit its applicability in scenarios where multiple related products need to be created.

Subclass Proliferation: Overuse of the Factory Method Pattern can lead to a proliferation of subclasses, making the class hierarchy more complex.

Drawbacks of Abstract Factory Pattern:

1. Complexity: The Abstract Factory Pattern can introduce complexity, especially when dealing with a large number of products and their variations.
2. Rigidity: Adding new product families or variations to an existing abstract factory can be rigid and may require modifying the existing code.
3. Single Responsibility Principal Violation: Abstract factories may violate the Single Responsibility Principle by being responsible for creating and configuring multiple types of products.
4. Hard to Extend: Extending the Abstract Factory Pattern to support new types of products or variations may require modifying the existing abstract factory interface, which can be challenging.