What is a pattern?
Wikipedia provides an excellent description of patterns and pattern languages. According to Wikipedia, a pattern is "A common problem (or decision) in a design process, together with its best solution, is a single design pattern. Each pattern has a name, a descriptive entry, and some cross-references, much like a dictionary entry."
Christopher Alexander coined the term "pattern language" to refer to common problems of civil and architectural design, from how cities should be laid out to where windows should be placed in a room. The idea was initially popularized in his book A Pattern Language, from which the following is taken:
| "Each pattern describes a problem, PatternProblems, which occurs over and over again in our environment, and then describes the core of the solution to that problem, in such a way that you can use this solution a million times over, without every doing it the same way twice...each pattern has the same format, PatternStructure. First, there is a picture, which shows an archetypal example of that pattern. Second, after the picture, each pattern has an introductory paragraph, which sets the context for the pattern, by explaining how it helps to complete certain larger patterns. Then there are three diamonds to mark the beginning of the problem. After the diamonds there is a headline, in bold type. This headline gives the essence of the problem in one or two sentences. After the headline comes the body of the problem. This...describes the empirical background of the pattern, the evidence for its validity, the range of different ways the pattern can be manifested...Then again in bold type, like the headline, is the solution--the heart of the pattern--which describes the field of physical and social relationships which are required to solve the stated problem, in the stated context. This solution is always stated in the form of an instruction--so that you know exactly what you nee to do, to build the pattern. Then, after the solution, there is a diagram, which shows the solution in the form of a diagram, with labels to indicate its main components. Christopher Alexander, et al "A Pattern Language"" |
WhatsaPattern? **Stephen Downes' take on patterns"
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