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C# Mediator

The Mediator design pattern defines an object that encapsulates how a set of objects interact. Mediator promotes loose coupling by keeping objects from referring to each other explicitly, and it lets you vary their interaction independently.

Frequency of use:
medium-low
C# Design Patterns

UML class diagram

A visualization of the classes and objects participating in this pattern.


Participants

The classes and objects participating in this pattern include:

  • Mediator  (IChatroom)
    • defines an interface for communicating with Colleague objects
  • ConcreteMediator  (Chatroom)
    • implements cooperative behavior by coordinating Colleague objects
    • knows and maintains its colleagues
  • Colleague classes  (Participant)
    • each Colleague class knows its Mediator object
    • each colleague communicates with its mediator whenever it would have otherwise communicated with another colleague

Structural code in C#

This structural code demonstrates the Mediator pattern facilitating loosely coupled communication between different objects and object types. The mediator is a central hub through which all interaction must take place.

using System;

namespace Mediator.Structural
{
    /// <summary>
    /// Mediator Design Pattern
    /// </summary>

    public class Program
    {
        public static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            ConcreteMediator m = new ConcreteMediator();

            ConcreteColleague1 c1 = new ConcreteColleague1(m);
            ConcreteColleague2 c2 = new ConcreteColleague2(m);

            m.Colleague1 = c1;
            m.Colleague2 = c2;

            c1.Send("How are you?");
            c2.Send("Fine, thanks");

            // Wait for user

            Console.ReadKey();
        }
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// The 'Mediator' abstract class
    /// </summary>

    public abstract class Mediator
    {
        public abstract void Send(string message,
            Colleague colleague);
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// The 'ConcreteMediator' class
    /// </summary>

    public class ConcreteMediator : Mediator
    {
        ConcreteColleague1 colleague1;
        ConcreteColleague2 colleague2;

        public ConcreteColleague1 Colleague1
        {
            set { colleague1 = value; }
        }

        public ConcreteColleague2 Colleague2
        {
            set { colleague2 = value; }
        }

        public override void Send(string message, Colleague colleague)
        {
            if (colleague == colleague1)
            {
                colleague2.Notify(message);
            }
            else
            {
                colleague1.Notify(message);
            }
        }
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// The 'Colleague' abstract class
    /// </summary>

    public abstract class Colleague
    {
        protected Mediator mediator;

        // Constructor

        public Colleague(Mediator mediator)
        {
            this.mediator = mediator;
        }
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// A 'ConcreteColleague' class
    /// </summary>

    public class ConcreteColleague1 : Colleague
    {
        // Constructor

        public ConcreteColleague1(Mediator mediator)
            : base(mediator)
        {
        }

        public void Send(string message)
        {
            mediator.Send(message, this);
        }

        public void Notify(string message)
        {
            Console.WriteLine("Colleague1 gets message: "
                + message);
        }
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// A 'ConcreteColleague' class
    /// </summary>

    public class ConcreteColleague2 : Colleague
    {
        // Constructor

        public ConcreteColleague2(Mediator mediator)
            : base(mediator)
        {
        }

        public void Send(string message)
        {
            mediator.Send(message, this);
        }

        public void Notify(string message)
        {
            Console.WriteLine("Colleague2 gets message: "
                + message);
        }
    }
}
Output
Colleague2 gets message: How are you?
Colleague1 gets message: Fine, thanks

Real-world code in C#

This real-world code demonstrates the Mediator pattern facilitating loosely coupled communication between different Participants registering with a Chatroom. The Chatroom is the central hub through which all communication takes place. At this point only one-to-one communication is implemented in the Chatroom, but would be trivial to change to one-to-many.

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;

namespace Mediator.RealWorld
{
    /// <summary>
    /// Mediator Design Pattern
    /// </summary>

    public class Program
    {
        public static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            // Create chatroom

            Chatroom chatroom = new Chatroom();

            // Create participants and register them

            Participant George = new Beatle("George");
            Participant Paul = new Beatle("Paul");
            Participant Ringo = new Beatle("Ringo");
            Participant John = new Beatle("John");
            Participant Yoko = new NonBeatle("Yoko");

            chatroom.Register(George);
            chatroom.Register(Paul);
            chatroom.Register(Ringo);
            chatroom.Register(John);
            chatroom.Register(Yoko);

            // Chatting participants

            Yoko.Send("John", "Hi John!");
            Paul.Send("Ringo", "All you need is love");
            Ringo.Send("George", "My sweet Lord");
            Paul.Send("John", "Can't buy me love");
            John.Send("Yoko", "My sweet love");

            // Wait for user

            Console.ReadKey();
        }
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// The 'Mediator' abstract class
    /// </summary>

    public abstract class AbstractChatroom
    {
        public abstract void Register(Participant participant);
        public abstract void Send(
            string from, string to, string message);
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// The 'ConcreteMediator' class
    /// </summary>

    public class Chatroom : AbstractChatroom
    {
        private Dictionary<string, Participant> participants = new Dictionary<string, Participant>();

        public override void Register(Participant participant)
        {
            if (!participants.ContainsValue(participant))
            {
                participants[participant.Name] = participant;
            }

            participant.Chatroom = this;
        }

        public override void Send(string from, string to, string message)
        {
            Participant participant = participants[to];

            if (participant != null)
            {
                participant.Receive(from, message);
            }
        }
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// The 'AbstractColleague' class
    /// </summary>

    public class Participant
    {
        Chatroom chatroom;
        string name;

        // Constructor

        public Participant(string name)
        {
            this.name = name;
        }

        // Gets participant name

        public string Name
        {
            get { return name; }
        }

        // Gets chatroom

        public Chatroom Chatroom
        {
            set { chatroom = value; }
            get { return chatroom; }
        }

        // Sends message to given participant

        public void Send(string to, string message)
        {
            chatroom.Send(name, to, message);
        }

        // Receives message from given participant

        public virtual void Receive(
            string from, string message)
        {
            Console.WriteLine("{0} to {1}: '{2}'",
                from, Name, message);
        }
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// A 'ConcreteColleague' class
    /// </summary>

    public class Beatle : Participant
    {
        // Constructor

        public Beatle(string name)
            : base(name)
        {
        }

        public override void Receive(string from, string message)
        {
            Console.Write("To a Beatle: ");
            base.Receive(from, message);
        }
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// A 'ConcreteColleague' class
    /// </summary>

    public class NonBeatle : Participant
    {
        // Constructor
        public NonBeatle(string name)
            : base(name)
        {
        }

        public override void Receive(string from, string message)
        {
            Console.Write("To a non-Beatle: ");
            base.Receive(from, message);
        }
    }
}
Output
To a Beatle: Yoko to John: 'Hi John!'
To a Beatle: Paul to Ringo: 'All you need is love'
To a Beatle: Ringo to George: 'My sweet Lord'
To a Beatle: Paul to John: 'Can't buy me love'
To a non-Beatle: John to Yoko: 'My sweet love'

.NET Optimized code in C#

The .NET optimized code demonstrates the same real-world situation as above but uses modern, built-in .NET features, such as, generics, reflection, LINQ, lambda functions, etc. You can find an example on our Singleton pattern page.

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