What is the Abstract Factory Pattern?
Updated Apr 28, 2026
Short answer
A creational pattern that lets you produce families of related objects without specifying their concrete classes.
Deep explanation
Unlike Factory Method which creates one specific object, Abstract Factory creates an entire family of related objects. The client code works with factories and products via abstract interfaces, ensuring that the created objects are compatible with each other.
Real-world example
A cross-platform UI framework where a specific factory (Windows/Mac) builds consistent buttons, checkboxes, and scrollbars.
Common mistakes
- Using Abstract Factory when there is only one family of products, creating unnecessary abstraction layers.
Follow-up questions
- How is Abstract Factory implemented internally?