Design patterns can be compared to building blocks in architecture. Just as architects use a set of standard building blocks to construct a building, programmers use design patterns as a foundation for their code. These building blocks, or patterns, provide a solid framework for creating efficient and effective code. They are not specific solutions, but rather a set of guidelines that can be adapted to meet the unique requirements of a project. In architecture, there are standard building blocks such as bricks, concrete blocks, and beams that are used to build structures. Similarly, in software development, design patterns are like these standard building blocks that can be combined and assembled in different ways to construct a solution. Just as architects use these building blocks to construct a building that is both functional and aesthetically pleasing, programmers use design patterns to create software that is both efficient and effective. Just like how different building blocks can be used to create different structures, different design patterns can be combined to create unique solutions to software development problems.
In the Manoa Link project, I have used design patterns to make the code scalable and maintainable. The platform has three different user roles - student, company, and admin - and each role has a unique interface. To manage this complexity and keep the code organized, I employed the Model-View-Controller (MVC) design pattern with advanced modern react pattern. This pattern allowed me to separate the code into three distinct parts - the model, which manages the data, the view, which presents the data to the user, and the controller, which handles user input and updates the model, also navigate the page depending on the user’s role. This structure helps to ensure that changes in one part of the code do not affect the others, making it easier to maintain and update the platform over time. Additionally, to avoid duplicated code in the tags used for filtering events and companies, I implemented the Singleton design pattern. This pattern ensures that there is only one instance of the tag code, making it more efficient and reducing the risk of bugs.