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C# Example

// Strategy Design Pattern
//
// Intent: Lets you define a family of algorithms, put each of them into a
// separate class, and make their objects interchangeable.

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;

namespace RefactoringGuru.DesignPatterns.Strategy.Conceptual
{
// The Context defines the interface of interest to clients.
class Context
{
// The Context maintains a reference to one of the Strategy objects. The
// Context does not know the concrete class of a strategy. It should
// work with all strategies via the Strategy interface.
private IStrategy _strategy;

public Context()
{ }

// Usually, the Context accepts a strategy through the constructor, but
// also provides a setter to change it at runtime.
public Context(IStrategy strategy)
{
this._strategy = strategy;
}

// Usually, the Context allows replacing a Strategy object at runtime.
public void SetStrategy(IStrategy strategy)
{
this._strategy = strategy;
}

// The Context delegates some work to the Strategy object instead of
// implementing multiple versions of the algorithm on its own.
public void DoSomeBusinessLogic()
{
Console.WriteLine("Context: Sorting data using the strategy (not sure how it'll do it)");
var result = this._strategy.DoAlgorithm(new List<string> { "a", "b", "c", "d", "e" });

string resultStr = string.Empty;
foreach (var element in result as List<string>)
{
resultStr += element + ",";
}

Console.WriteLine(resultStr);
}
}

// The Strategy interface declares operations common to all supported
// versions of some algorithm.
//
// The Context uses this interface to call the algorithm defined by Concrete
// Strategies.
public interface IStrategy
{
object DoAlgorithm(object data);
}

// Concrete Strategies implement the algorithm while following the base
// Strategy interface. The interface makes them interchangeable in the
// Context.
class ConcreteStrategyA : IStrategy
{
public object DoAlgorithm(object data)
{
var list = data as List<string>;
list.Sort();

return list;
}
}

class ConcreteStrategyB : IStrategy
{
public object DoAlgorithm(object data)
{
var list = data as List<string>;
list.Sort();
list.Reverse();

return list;
}
}

class Program
{
static void Main(string[] args)
{
// The client code picks a concrete strategy and passes it to the
// context. The client should be aware of the differences between
// strategies in order to make the right choice.
var context = new Context();

Console.WriteLine("Client: Strategy is set to normal sorting.");
context.SetStrategy(new ConcreteStrategyA());
context.DoSomeBusinessLogic();

Console.WriteLine();

Console.WriteLine("Client: Strategy is set to reverse sorting.");
context.SetStrategy(new ConcreteStrategyB());
context.DoSomeBusinessLogic();
}
}
}
Client: Strategy is set to normal sorting.
Context: Sorting data using the strategy (not sure how it'll do it)
a,b,c,d,e

Client: Strategy is set to reverse sorting.
Context: Sorting data using the strategy (not sure how it'll do it)
e,d,c,b,a