Bridge Pattern

June 5, 2024

Bridge is a structural design pattern that divides business logic or huge class into separate class hierarchies that can be developed independently.

One of these hierarchies (often called the Abstraction) will get a reference to an object of the second hierarchy (Implementation). The abstraction will be able to delegate some (sometimes, most) of its calls to the implementations object. Since all implementations will have a common interface, they’d be interchangeable inside the abstraction.

Golang Implementation

Example: Computers and Printers

Say, you have two types of computers: Mac and Windows. Also, two types of printers: Epson and HP. Both computers and printers need to work with each other in any combination. The client doesn’t want to worry about the details of connecting printers to computers.

If we introduce new printers, we don’t want our code to grow exponentially. Instead of creating four structs for the 2*2 combination, we create two hierarchies:

Abstraction hierarchy: this will be our computers
Implementation hierarchy: this will be our printers

These two hierarchies communicate with each other via a Bridge, where the Abstraction (computer) contains a reference to the Implementation (printer). Both the abstraction and implementation can be developed independently without affecting each other.

computer.go

package main

type computer interface {
    print()
    setPrinter(printer)
}

mac.go

package main

import "fmt"

type mac struct {
    printer printer
}

func (m *mac) print() {
    fmt.Println("Print request for mac")
    m.printer.printFile()
}

func (m *mac) setPrinter(p printer) {
    m.printer = p
}

windows.go

package main

import "fmt"

type windows struct {
    printer printer
}

func (w *windows) print() {
    fmt.Println("Print request for windows")
    w.printer.printFile()
}

func (w *windows) setPrinter(p printer) {
    w.printer = p
}

printer.go

package main

type printer interface {
    printFile()
}

epson.go

package main

import "fmt"

type epson struct {
}

func (p *epson) printFile() {
    fmt.Println("Printing by a EPSON Printer")
}

hp.go

package main

import "fmt"

type hp struct {
}

func (p *hp) printFile() {
    fmt.Println("Printing by a HP Printer")
}

main.go

package main

import "fmt"

func main() {

	hpPrinter := &hp{}
	epsonPrinter := &epson{}

	macComputer := &mac{}

	macComputer.setPrinter(hpPrinter)
	macComputer.print()
	fmt.Println()

	macComputer.setPrinter(epsonPrinter)
	macComputer.print()
	fmt.Println()

	winComputer := &windows{}

	winComputer.setPrinter(hpPrinter)
	winComputer.print()
	fmt.Println()

	winComputer.setPrinter(epsonPrinter)
	winComputer.print()
	fmt.Println()
}

// Print request for mac
// Printing by a HP Printer

// Print request for mac
// Printing by a EPSON Printer

// Print request for windows
// Printing by a HP Printer

// Print request for windows
// Printing by a EPSON Printer

Rust Implementation

Example: Devices and Remotes

This example illustrates how the Bridge pattern can help divide the monolithic code of an app that manages devices and their remote controls. The Device classes act as the implementation, whereas the Remotes act as the abstraction.

remotes/mod.rs

mod advanced;
mod basic;

pub use advanced::AdvancedRemote;
pub use basic::BasicRemote;

use crate::device::Device;

pub trait HasMutableDevice<D: Device> {
    fn device(&mut self) -> &mut D;
}

pub trait Remote<D: Device>: HasMutableDevice<D> { // object that implements Remote trait must also implement HasMutableDevice trait
    fn power(&mut self) { // trait method with default implementation
        println!("Remote: power toggle");
        if self.device().is_enabled() {
            self.device().disable();
        } else {
            self.device().enable();
        }
    }

    fn volume_down(&mut self) {
        println!("Remote: volume down");
        let volume = self.device().volume();
        self.device().set_volume(volume - 10);
    }

    fn volume_up(&mut self) {
        println!("Remote: volume up");
        let volume = self.device().volume();
        self.device().set_volume(volume + 10);
    }

    fn channel_down(&mut self) {
        println!("Remote: channel down");
        let channel = self.device().channel();
        self.device().set_channel(channel - 1);
    }

    fn channel_up(&mut self) {
        println!("Remote: channel up");
        let channel = self.device().channel();
        self.device().set_channel(channel + 1);
    }
}

remotes/basic.rs

use crate::device::Device;

use super::{HasMutableDevice, Remote};

pub struct BasicRemote<D: Device> {
    device: D,
}

impl<D: Device> BasicRemote<D> {
    pub fn new(device: D) -> Self {
        Self { device }
    }
}

impl<D: Device> HasMutableDevice<D> for BasicRemote<D> {
    fn device(&mut self) -> &mut D {
        &mut self.device
    }
}

impl<D: Device> Remote<D> for BasicRemote<D> {}

remotes/advanced.rs

use crate::device::Device;

use super::{HasMutableDevice, Remote};

pub struct AdvancedRemote<D: Device> {
    device: D,
}

impl<D: Device> AdvancedRemote<D> {
    pub fn new(device: D) -> Self {
        Self { device }
    }

    pub fn mute(&mut self) {
        println!("Remote: mute");
        self.device.set_volume(0);
    }
}

impl<D: Device> HasMutableDevice<D> for AdvancedRemote<D> {
    fn device(&mut self) -> &mut D {
        &mut self.device
    }
}

impl<D: Device> Remote<D> for AdvancedRemote<D> {}

device/mod.rs

mod radio;
mod tv;

pub use radio::Radio;
pub use tv::Tv;

pub trait Device {
    fn is_enabled(&self) -> bool;
    fn enable(&mut self);
    fn disable(&mut self);
    fn volume(&self) -> u8;
    fn set_volume(&mut self, percent: u8);
    fn channel(&self) -> u16;
    fn set_channel(&mut self, channel: u16);
    fn print_status(&self);
}

device/radio.rs

use super::Device;

#[derive(Clone)]
pub struct Radio {
    on: bool,
    volume: u8,
    channel: u16,
}

impl Default for Radio {
    fn default() -> Self {
        Self {
            on: false,
            volume: 30,
            channel: 1,
        }
    }
}

impl Device for Radio {
    fn is_enabled(&self) -> bool {
        self.on
    }

    fn enable(&mut self) {
        self.on = true;
    }

    fn disable(&mut self) {
        self.on = false;
    }

    fn volume(&self) -> u8 {
        self.volume
    }

    fn set_volume(&mut self, percent: u8) {
        self.volume = std::cmp::min(percent, 100);
    }

    fn channel(&self) -> u16 {
        self.channel
    }

    fn set_channel(&mut self, channel: u16) {
        self.channel = channel;
    }

    fn print_status(&self) {
        println!("------------------------------------");
        println!("| I'm radio.");
        println!("| I'm {}", if self.on { "enabled" } else { "disabled" });
        println!("| Current volume is {}%", self.volume);
        println!("| Current channel is {}", self.channel);
        println!("------------------------------------\n");
    }
}

device/tv.rs

use super::Device;

#[derive(Clone)]
pub struct Tv {
    on: bool,
    volume: u8,
    channel: u16,
}

impl Default for Tv {
    fn default() -> Self {
        Self {
            on: false,
            volume: 30,
            channel: 1,
        }
    }
}

impl Device for Tv {
    fn is_enabled(&self) -> bool {
        self.on
    }

    fn enable(&mut self) {
        self.on = true;
    }

    fn disable(&mut self) {
        self.on = false;
    }

    fn volume(&self) -> u8 {
        self.volume
    }

    fn set_volume(&mut self, percent: u8) {
        self.volume = std::cmp::min(percent, 100);
    }

    fn channel(&self) -> u16 {
        self.channel
    }

    fn set_channel(&mut self, channel: u16) {
        self.channel = channel;
    }

    fn print_status(&self) {
        println!("------------------------------------");
        println!("| I'm TV set.");
        println!("| I'm {}", if self.on { "enabled" } else { "disabled" });
        println!("| Current volume is {}%", self.volume);
        println!("| Current channel is {}", self.channel);
        println!("------------------------------------\n");
    }
}

main.rs

mod device;
mod remotes;

use device::{Device, Radio, Tv};
use remotes::{AdvancedRemote, BasicRemote, HasMutableDevice, Remote};

fn main() {
    println!("Tests Tv: ----------");
    test_device(Tv::default());
    println!("Tests Radio: -------");
    test_device(Radio::default());
}

fn test_device(device: impl Device + Clone) { // means device parameter accepts object that must have implemented both Device and Clone traits
    println!("Tests with basic remote.");
    let mut basic_remote = BasicRemote::new(device.clone());
    basic_remote.power();
    basic_remote.device().print_status();

    println!("Tests with advanced remote.");
    let mut advanced_remote = AdvancedRemote::new(device);
    advanced_remote.power();
    advanced_remote.mute();
    advanced_remote.device().print_status();
}

// Tests Tv: ----------
// Tests with basic remote.
// Remote: power toggle
// ------------------------------------
// | I'm TV set.
// | I'm enabled
// | Current volume is 30%
// | Current channel is 1
// ------------------------------------
//
// Tests with advanced remote.
// Remote: power toggle
// Remote: mute
// ------------------------------------
// | I'm TV set.
// | I'm enabled
// | Current volume is 0%
// | Current channel is 1
// ------------------------------------
//
// Tests Radio: -------
// Tests with basic remote.
// Remote: power toggle
// ------------------------------------
// | I'm radio.
// | I'm enabled
// | Current volume is 30%
// | Current channel is 1
// ------------------------------------
//
// Tests with advanced remote.
// Remote: power toggle
// Remote: mute
// ------------------------------------
// | I'm radio.
// | I'm enabled
// | Current volume is 0%
// | Current channel is 1
// ------------------------------------