Chain of Responsibility

Intent, Motivation, Applicability, Structure, Participants, Collaborations, Consequences, Implementation, Sample Code, Known Uses, Related Patterns

Applicability

Use Chain of Responsibility when

• more than one object may handle a request, and the handler isn't known a priori. The handler should be ascertained automatically.
• you want to issue a request to one of several objects without specifying the receiver explicitly.
• the set of objects that can handle a request should be specified dynamically.

Applicability of Abstract Factory, Adapter, Bridge, Builder, Chain of Responsibility, Command, Composite, Decorator, Facade, Factory Method, Flyweight, Interpreter, Iterator, Mediator, Memento, Observer, Prototype, Proxy, Singleton, State, Strategy, Template Method, Visitor