The Pragmatic Craftsman :: Simplicity from complexity : by Stanley Kubasek ::

Pattern-Oriented Software Architecture, Volume 1: A System of Patterns
by Frank Buschmann, Regine Meunier, Hans Rohnert, Peter Sommerlad, Michael Stal
ISBN 0471958697
Date Read 9/2006

My Rating

This is one of the best design patterns books. I am not the only person that’s saying that. Check out Amazon.com reviews, check out recomendations from Martin Fowler. If you’re into architecture, this is a must read. (As a side benefit, you’ll enjoy reading it.)

By reading this book, you’ll not only gain design patterns knowledge, you’ll get an excellent discussion about architecture in general, and a great OO design discussion.

This book is broken up into eight different sections. The three sections that I enjoyed the most (major part of the book) are architectural patterns, design patterns, and patterns and software architecture discussion.

In the architecture patterns section, the authors have an excellent discussion about the Layers pattern, the Broker pattern, MVC, and Presentation Abstraction Control. I especially enjoyed the Layers and the Broker pattern. (My understanding of the Layers pattern was a little different before reading this book.)

In the design section, I found the following especially valuable Whole-Part, Master-Slave, Forwarder-Receiver, and Client-Dispatcher.

The discussion about software architecture in general and about object-oriented design in chapter 6 is one of the best. It’s always good to refresh your mind how your project should be structured, the qualities it should have. Always valuable.

This is a must read if you’re into architecture and design. You will become better at it by reading (and implementing) the patterns cointained in this book. One of my most valuable books.