Differences between Proxy and Decorator Pattern

Question

Can you give any good explanation what is the difference between Proxy and Decorator?

The main difference I see is that when we assume that Proxy uses composition and Decorator uses aggregation then it seems to be clear that by using multiple (one or more) Decorators you can modify/ add functionalities to pre-existing instance (decorate), whereas Proxy has own inner instance of proxied class and delegates to it adding some additional features (proxy behaviour).

The question is - Does Proxy created with aggregation is still Proxy or rather Decorator? Is it allowed (by definition in GoF patterns) to create Proxy with aggregation?

Answer 1

Decorator Pattern focuses on dynamically adding functions to an object, while Proxy Pattern focuses on controlling access to an object.

EDIT:-

Relationship between a Proxy and the real subject is typically set at compile time, Proxy instantiates it in some way, whereas Decorator is assigned to the subject at runtime, knowing only subject's interface.

Answer 2

The accepted answer is not quite correct. The real difference is not ownership (composition versus aggregation), but rather type-information.

A Decorator is always passed its delegatee. A Proxy might create it himself, or he might have it injected.

But a Proxy always knows the (more) specific type of the delegatee. In other words, the Proxy and its delegatee will have the same base type, but the Proxy points to some derived type. A Decorator points to its own base type. Thus, the difference is in compile-time information about the type of the delegatee.

In a dynamic language, if the delegatee is injected and happens to have the same interface, then there is no difference.

The answer to your question is "Yes".

Answer 3

Decorator get reference for decorated object (usually through constructor) while Proxy responsible to do that by himself.

Proxy may not instantiate wrapping object at all (like this do ORMs to prevent unnecessary access to DB if object fields/getters are not used) while Decorator always hold link to actual wrapped instance.

Proxy usually used by frameworks to add security or caching/lazing and constructed by framework (not by regular developer itself).

Decorator usually used to add new behavior to old or legacy classes by developer itself based on interface rather then actual class (so it work on wide range of interface instances, Proxy is around concrete class).

Answer 4

Key differences:

1. Proxy provides the same interface. Decorator provides an enhanced interface.
2. Decorator and Proxy have different purposes but similar structures. Both describe how to provide a level of indirection to another object, and the implementations keep a reference to the object to which they forward requests.
3. Decorator can be viewed as a degenerate Composite with only one component. However, a Decorator adds additional responsibilities - it isn't intended for object aggregation.
4. Decorator supports recursive composition
5. The Decorator class declares a composition relationship to the LCD (Lowest Class Denominator) interface, and this data member is initialized in its constructor.
6. Use Proxy for lazy initialization, performance improvement by caching the object and controlling access to the client/caller

Sourcemaking article quotes the similarities and differences in excellent way.

Related SE questions/links:

When to Use the Decorator Pattern?

What is the exact difference between Adapter and Proxy patterns?

Answer 5

Proxy and Decorator differ in purpose and where they focus on the internal implementation. Proxy is for using a remote, cross process, or cross-network object as if it were a local object. Decorator is for adding new behavior to the original interface.

While both patterns are similar in structure, the bulk of the complexity of Proxy lies in ensuring proper communications with the source object. Decorator, on the other hand, focuses on the implementation of the added behavior.