The original book was written using C++ and Smalltalk as examples, but since then, the design pattern has been adopted by almost every programming language like Java, C#, PHP and even programming language which is not strictly object-oriented like JavaScript.
The benefit of design patterns are immortal, you will find them in many frameworks, libraries, and in-built in the programming language.
You probably use them on a daily basis even if you don’t realize they are there. For example, JDK uses several of GOF design patterns like Decorator is used in IO classes, Strategy is used along with Comparable and Comparator and so on.
The knowledge of OOP design principles and GOF design patterns are very important for Java developers because it enables them to write better code. It is also important from the interview perspective, where interviewer often judges experienced Java developers with their knowledge of design patterns.
7 Best Courses to Learn OOP Design Patterns in Java in 2024
Today, I’ll share some of the best online courses to learn Design patterns from scratch. These courses are not free but not very expensive either. You can buy them in the Udemy’s flash sale for just $10.99 and sometimes even lower with just $9.99. I have already bought over 50 courses on Node JS, Spring, Kotlin, DevOps, Big Data, Java 9, and Android on Udemy’s last sale.
Most of these courses will not only explain to you how these design patterns work and what problem they solved but also how to use them in the real world. For example, I really like the example of using Strategy pattern for designing a Payment system on on Paulo Dichlone’s Java Design Patterns Masterclass.
Some of the courses also explain basic OOP design principles which are the basic building block of design patterns like SOLID principles like Single Responsibility principle, Open-closed design principle, Liskov Substitution, Inversion of control and Dependency injection etc. Apart from these they also cover some of the less popular but still useful principles like Law of Demeter and Delegation principles.
1. Design Patterns in Java [Udemy]
This is one of the best course to learn Design Pattern on Udemy and also my personal favorite. While similar to other courses it also covers object oriented design patterns but what separate this course from other courses is that it provides modern Java implementation of classic design pattern.
Java has changed a lot since Java 8 because of Lambda, Stream, and changes made at the interface level like default and static methods in Java and that makes it easier to implement many design patterns in Java.
As I said, it is also a very hands-on course where the author will show you how to implement a particular design pattern live on IntelliJ IDEA.
Most demos are also a single-file, so you can also download the file attached to the lesson and run it in IntelliJ IDEA, Eclipse, NetBeans or another IDE of your choice.
Overall a complete course to learn all 24 GOF patterns and SOLID design principles for writing better code.
With 79,728 students already enrolled, this intermediate-level course requires no previous experience and offers a flexible schedule, allowing participants to learn at their own pace over approximately 15 hours. Included in Coursera Plus, the course provides valuable insights into the field.
Kenny Wong, author of this course, rated 4.6 by 196 learners, guides students through a comprehensive exploration of design patterns, extending object-oriented analysis and design to create interactive applications.
The curriculum covers established design patterns, providing a foundation for tackling complex software applications. Participants will learn to identify problematic software designs using a catalog of code smells.
The capstone project challenges students to redesign a Java-based Android application by implementing various design patterns and critiquing a given Java codebase for code smells.
By the end of the course, students will demonstrate proficiency in addressing user interface design issues, selecting appropriate design patterns for application design problems, applying design principles, critiquing and refactoring anti-patterns, and implementing the model-view-controller architectural pattern.
This course is highly recommended for those interested in software development and it also offers a shareable career certificate upon completion. If you want to learn design patterns and looking for a Coursera course then you should join this one.
3. Basics of Software Architecture & Design Patterns in Java
This course is your guide to create smart, reusable software with SOLID principles and design patterns in Java.
The course is divided into two parts, in the first part, the author talks about SOLID design principles e.g. Single Responsibility, Open-Closed, Liskov Substitution etc and how they help you to write better code.
In the second part, he talks about design patterns and how they solve the common problem. In order to use design patterns, you should be able to identify the problem and understand which pattern can help you and that’s where this course excels.
In short, a good course to cover the basics of software design, architecture and design patterns in Java for writing better code.
4 .The Java Design Patterns Course by Tim Buchalaka on Udemy
This one is a rather new course from Tim Buchalaka, who has written a couple of best selling Java and Android courses like The Complete Java Masterclass which I have recently gone through to understand the Java 17 features.
In this course, he tackles the topic of GOF design patterns and he has done a really good job of explaining how each pattern works and how you can use them in your code.
His examples are from the real world and very relevant which helps to grasp the concepts. For example, using the Strategy pattern to implement a Payment processing engine is a great idea because you need to process payment in different form like Cash, Credit Card, Coupons, Bitcoins or maybe something else.
In short, a great course for experienced Java developers and anyone who wants to learn about GOF design patterns like Visitor, Adapter, Decorator etc.
5. Java Design Patterns by Bharath Thippireddy on Udemy
This is another comprehensive course to learn Object-oriented design patterns from famous GOF book but the best thing about this course is that it not only coverers core Java pattern but also essential Java EE patterns.
The instructor, Bharath Reddy is one of my favorite Udemy instructor when it comes to learning Java and related topics. Bharath is very knowledgeable and have working experience in Java development.
Like first two courses, this one is also from Udemy and covers both object oriented design pattern and Java EE patterns like MVC, Data Access object (DAO), and others.
Talking about social proof, more than 10,000 students have joined this course and it has on average 4.6 rating which is amazing. In short, a great course to start with Java design patterns to write better code.
6. Design Pattern Library [Pluralsight]
This is one of the best course to learn design pattern in Java on Pluralsight. It will teach you how to write better software by understanding common problems and applying design patterns for a better solution.
This course will teach you more than 20+ design patterns from the classic design pattern book by Gang of four, which is considered the holy bible on the subject. It’s like a reference library for design pattern and you can always go back and revise the pattern you are not comfortable with.
For each pattern, a clear example is given to understand the problem the pattern will solve, as well as its advantages and disadvantages. You will be able to practically understand how the pattern works with the detailed included Java lessons.
After completing the course you should be able to identify common problems in your code, apply the correct design pattern, and implement a better object-oriented solution that is a lot more maintainable and readable.
7. Software Design Patterns: Best Practices for Software Developers [Educative]
If you are looking for a text-based interactive course to learn and practice design pattern then this Educative design pattern course is for you. Educative is a new online learning platform which focus on browse based learning and in the process makes learning easier and fun.
This course also cover same design patterns covered by other courses like behavioral, creational, and structural pattern but what separate this course from other is that its a text-based and interactive. This means you can implement the design pattern in the code given in browser and learn easy.
It also focuses on software code quality and how design pattern can improve it. If you have passion for clean code then you will love this course.
Other Java and Programming Resources you may like
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