The Pattern in Patterns
24 Apr 2025
When I first stepped into the world of programming, it felt like walking onto a vast construction site. Blank, chaotic, filled with potential, yet overwhelmingly complex. I was handed tools such as Python, Java and HTML. I didn’t care if what I built was perfect, just that it worked. Over time, I added more tools: loops, data structures, object-oriented principles. But discovering design patterns? That was the moment I stopped being just a builder and started thinking like an architect.
Patterns as Blueprints
Design patterns are like blueprints for solving recurring problems in code. They’re not rigid instructions or one-size-fits-all templates. They’re elegant solutions passed down from experience—shaped and refined by those who’ve built before us. The Singleton pattern was the first I bumped into. At the time, I just needed one central controller, not five. I didn’t know it had a name. I just knew it worked. That’s the essence of design patterns: they often show up before you even realize they exist.
Familiar Shapes
Now that I’m learning TypeScript, I’m seeing these same patterns emerge in new ways. Observer pops up when working with events. Strategy shows itself in component design, where behaviors need to be swapped in and out. Decorator? That one hides in higher-order functions and wrappers. Each pattern finds its way back into my code—sometimes reshaped, sometimes renamed, but always useful. They transcend syntax. They’re more about mindset than mechanics.
The Compass in the Toolbelt
Understanding design patterns isn’t about memorizing buzzwords or diagramming class relationships. It’s about recognizing familiar challenges and knowing you don’t have to solve them from scratch. They give you direction. They give you flexibility. And most of all, they give you confidence. Whether I’m in C++, TypeScript, or anything in between, design patterns help me create code that lasts, scales, and makes sense. They’re not just tools. They’re the compass that guides how and why I build.