jyjeanne/adapter-pattern-typescript

Purpose

To allow incompatible interfaces to work together by wrapping an object in an adapter that translates its interface into one that a client expects.

When to Use

• When integrating a third-party library whose interface doesn't match your application's internal requirements.
• When you want to standardize multiple different implementations of a service (e.g., different payment gateways).
• When you need to provide a stable interface while the underlying dependency is subject to change.

Procedure

1. Define the Target Interface

This is the interface your application expects to use.

// logger.interface.ts
export interface ILogger {
  log(message: string): void;
  error(message: string): void;
}

2. The Incompatible Service (Adaptee)

An external library or old code with a different interface.

// legacy-logger.ts
export class LegacyLogger {
  printMessage(msg: string) {
    console.log(`[LEGACY]: ${msg}`);
  }
  
  reportFailure(err: string) {
    console.error(`[LEGACY ERROR]: ${err}`);
  }
}

3. Implement the Adapter

The adapter implements the Target interface and delegates work to the Adaptee.

// logger-adapter.ts
import { ILogger } from './logger.interface';
import { LegacyLogger } from './legacy-logger';

export class LoggerAdapter implements ILogger {
  private legacyLogger: LegacyLogger;

  constructor(legacyLogger: LegacyLogger) {
    this.legacyLogger = legacyLogger;
  }

  log(message: string): void {
    // Translate the call
    this.legacyLogger.printMessage(message);
  }

  error(message: string): void {
    // Translate the call
    this.legacyLogger.reportFailure(message);
  }
}

4. Usage in Client Code

The client only knows about the ILogger interface.

function app(logger: ILogger) {
  logger.log("Application started");
}

const legacy = new LegacyLogger();
const adapter = new LoggerAdapter(legacy);

app(adapter);

Constraints

• Complexity: Don't use the pattern if you can easily modify the original class to match the interface.
• Performance: While negligible, the extra layer of indirection adds a tiny overhead.
• Single Responsibility: The adapter should only focus on translation, not adding new business logic.

Expected Output

A wrapper class that successfully bridges two incompatible interfaces, allowing them to communicate without changing their existing code.