Menu
Home
People
Places
Arts
History
Plants & Animals
Science
Life & Culture
Technology
Reference.org
Template method pattern
open-in-new
<p>In <a href="/facts/Object-oriented_programming/TxNMEcao">object-oriented programming</a>, the template method is one of the <a href="/facts/Behavioral_pattern/bj6GXvaL">behavioral</a> <a href="/facts/Software_design_pattern/mV7r4egw">design patterns</a> identified by Gamma et al. in the book <i><a href="/facts/Design_Patterns/sYDxSGc9">Design Patterns</a></i>. The template method is a method in a superclass, usually an abstract superclass, and defines the skeleton of an operation in terms of a number of high-level steps. These steps are themselves implemented by additional <i>helper methods</i> in the same class as the <i>template method</i>. </p><p>The <i>helper methods</i> may be either <i><a href="/facts/Abstract_method/8kAXxVYs">abstract methods</a></i>, in which case subclasses are required to provide concrete implementations, or <i><a href="/facts/Hooking/FJlTwAmd">hook methods</a>,</i> which have empty bodies in the superclass. <a href="/facts/Subclass_(computer_science)/a7R1xv8n">Subclasses</a> can (but are not required to) customize the operation by <a href="/facts/Method_overriding/B1AwBgUF">overriding</a> the hook methods. The intent of the template method is to define the overall structure of the operation, while allowing subclasses to refine, or redefine, certain steps. </p>