3 min read

Decorator Pattern Design

August 17, 2025·3 min read·system design, java

The Decorator Pattern is a structural design pattern that allows us to dynamically add new functionality to objects without modifying their existing code.

Introduction

The Decorator Pattern is a structural design pattern that allows us to dynamically add new functionality to objects without modifying their existing code.

Instead of creating multiple subclasses for every possible combination of features, we "wrap" objects inside other objects (decorators). Each decorator adds its own behavior while still delegating to the original object.

Think of it as layering features step by step—like stacking toppings on a pizza.

Why Do We Need the Decorator Pattern?

Avoids class explosion: Instead of making a class for every possible combination (PizzaWithCheese, PizzaWithCheeseAndMushroom, etc.), we can just wrap objects dynamically.
Open-Closed Principle: Classes are open for extension but closed for modification. We can add features without changing the existing class.
Flexibility: We can mix and match decorators in any order.
Reusability: Each decorator is independent and can be reused across different objects.

Real-World Example

Imagine a pizza shop:

You start with a Base Pizza (like Margherita or Farmhouse).
Customers can add toppings: extra cheese, jalapenos, mushrooms, olives, etc.
Each topping decorates the base pizza, increasing cost step by step.

This is exactly what the Decorator Pattern achieves.

UML Representation

PLAINTEXT

          ┌─────────────────┐
          │    BasePizza    │  <-- Abstract Component
          │  + cost(): int  │
          └─────────────────┘
                  ▲
                  │
    ┌─────────────┼─────────────┐
    │                           │
┌─────────────┐          ┌──────────────────┐
│ Farmhouse   │          │ ToppingDecorator │ <-- Abstract Decorator
│ + cost()    │          │ extends BasePizza│
└─────────────┘          └──────────────────┘
                              ▲
                              │
              ┌───────────────┼───────────────┐
              │                               │
      ┌──────────────┐                ┌──────────────┐
      │ ExtraCheese  │                │ ExtraMushroom│
      │ + cost()     │                │ + cost()     │
      └──────────────┘                └──────────────┘

Java Implementation

Base Component

JAVA

package DecoratorPattern;

public abstract class BasePizza {
    public abstract int cost();
}

Concrete Components

JAVA

package DecoratorPattern;

public class Margherita extends BasePizza {
    @Override
    public int cost() {
        return 100;
    }
}

package DecoratorPattern;

public class Farmhouse extends BasePizza {
    @Override
    public int cost() {
        return 200;
    }
}

Abstract Decorator

JAVA

package DecoratorPattern;

public abstract class ToppingDecorator extends BasePizza {
    // Empty for now, but ensures all toppings act as pizzas
}

Concrete Decorators

JAVA

package DecoratorPattern;

public class ExtraCheese extends ToppingDecorator {
    BasePizza basePizza;

    public ExtraCheese(BasePizza pizza) {
        this.basePizza = pizza;
    }

    @Override
    public int cost() {
        return basePizza.cost() + 10;
    }
}

package DecoratorPattern;

public class ExtraMushroom extends ToppingDecorator {
    BasePizza basePizza;

    public ExtraMushroom(BasePizza pizza) {
        this.basePizza = pizza;
    }

    @Override
    public int cost() {
        return basePizza.cost() + 50;
    }
}

Client Code

JAVA

package DecoratorPattern;

public class Main {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        BasePizza epicPizza = new ExtraMushroom(new ExtraCheese(new Farmhouse()));
        System.out.println("Cost of epic pizza: " + epicPizza.cost());
    }
}

Output:

PLAINTEXT

Cost of epic pizza: 260

Key Takeaways

Decorator pattern adds behavior at runtime, unlike inheritance which is fixed at compile time.
Each decorator is independent and can wrap any object of the base type.
Helps when you need many combinations of features but don’t want dozens of subclasses.
It promotes composition over inheritance.
Order matters: wrapping with ExtraCheese first vs ExtraMushroom first can sometimes affect behavior.

Other Use Cases

Coffee Shop (base coffee + milk + sugar + caramel + whipped cream).
File I/O Streams in Java (BufferedReader, InputStreamReader, etc.).
UI Frameworks (adding borders, scrollbars, shadows to windows).