Book excerpt: Get hands-on experience implementing 26 of the most common design patterns using Java and Eclipse. In addition to Gang of Four (GoF) design patterns, you will also learn about alternative design patterns, and understand the criticisms of design patterns with an overview of anti-patterns. For each pattern you will see at least one real-world scenario, a computer-world example, and a complete implementation including output. This book has three parts. The first part covers 23 Gang of Four (GoF) design patterns. The second part includes three alternative design patterns. The third part presents criticisms of design patterns with an overview of anti-patterns. You will work through easy-to-follow examples to understand the concepts in depth and you will have a collection of programs to port over to your own projects. A Q&A session is included in each chapter and covers the pros and cons of each pattern. The last chapter presents FAQs about the design patterns. The step-by-step approach of the book helps you apply your skills to learn other patterns on your own, and to be familiar with the latest version of Java and Eclipse. What You'll Learn Work with each of the design patterns Implement design patterns in real-world applications Choose from alternative design patterns by comparing their pros and cons Use the Eclipse IDE to write code and generate output Read the in-depth Q&A session in each chapter with pros and cons for each design pattern Who This Book Is For Software developers, architects, and programmers