Design Pattern
A general, reusable solution to a commonly occurring problem in design or software. Patterns provide a shared vocabulary and proven approach rather than reinventing solutions from scratch.
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Origin
Architect Christopher Alexander introduced design patterns in his 1977 book A Pattern Language, documenting 253 patterns for architecture and urban design. Kent Beck and Ward Cunningham adapted patterns to software development at OOPSLA in 1987. The concept exploded in 1994 when the "Gang of Four"—Erich Gamma, Richard Helm, Ralph Johnson, and John Vlissides—published Design Patterns: Elements of Reusable Object-Oriented Software, cataloguing 23 foundational patterns.
Updated February 22, 2026