Dependency Injection is primarily a design pattern, and more specifically, it falls into the category of a "Behavioral Design Pattern" or a "Structural Design Pattern," depending on how it is applied.
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Behavioral Design Pattern:
- Dependency Injection can be considered a behavioral design pattern because it focuses on the behavior of objects and how they collaborate with each other by managing their dependencies. It addresses the interaction between components and promotes the decoupling of these components.
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Structural Design Pattern:
- Dependency Injection is also related to structural design patterns because it deals with the structure of the code and the relationships between classes. It emphasizes the organization of components and how they are composed and interact.
In Dependency Injection, the main goal is to achieve loosely coupled and modular code by injecting dependencies rather than having components create or manage their dependencies. This approach enhances flexibility, maintainability, and testability in software design.
It's important to note that Dependency Injection is often used in conjunction with other design patterns, such as the Factory Pattern or the Singleton Pattern, depending on the specific requirements of the application. For example, a Dependency Injection Container may use the Factory Pattern internally to create and manage instances of objects.
In summary, while Dependency Injection itself is a design pattern, its application and usage may involve elements of both behavioral and structural design patterns.