Adapter Design Pattern Explained

Adapter converts the interface of one class into another interface that calling code expects, letting otherwise incompatible interfaces work together.

Why it exists

• Integrating a third-party library or legacy code whose interface doesn't match what the rest of your application expects

How to apply it

• Create a wrapper class that implements the interface your code expects, internally translating calls to the underlying incompatible class
• This isolates the incompatibility to one place instead of scattering conversion logic throughout the codebase

FAQ

Is an adapter the same as a wrapper?

An adapter is a specific kind of wrapper whose purpose is translating one interface into another — "wrapper" is the more general term.