What is the good way to identify whether decorator pattern used by looking at the API? Besides the abstract decorator has the same type as the Abstract Component, the abstract decorator also contains an instance of the Component (composition). If the Decorator does not contains the instance, ConcreteDecorator needs to contain an instance of the component. What is the best way to recognize decorator pattern?
I just read the Head First Design PatternsChapter on Decorators and thought it was great! One thing you might see in the API is a constructor that takes an argument extending the same abstract type as the class you're constructing. If you can get into the code, you'd also see the decorator passing some or all methods on to the class it's decorating.
A good question is never answered. It is not a bolt to be tightened into place but a seed to be planted and to bear more seed toward the hope of greening the landscape of the idea. John Ciardi
