What is the purpose of the Template Method design pattern and how is it implemented?

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What is the purpose of the Template Method design pattern and how is it implemented?

The purpose of the Template Method design pattern is to define the skeleton of an algorithm in a base class, while allowing subclasses to provide specific implementations for certain steps of the algorithm. It is used when there is a common algorithm that needs to be implemented across multiple classes, but with some variations in certain steps.

The Template Method pattern is implemented by creating an abstract base class that defines the overall algorithm and provides default implementations for some of the steps. This base class also includes one or more abstract methods that represent the steps that need to be implemented by the subclasses.

The subclasses then inherit from the base class and override the abstract methods to provide their own specific implementations for those steps. They can also choose to override any of the default implementations provided by the base class if needed.

At runtime, the client code interacts with the subclasses through the base class interface. The base class controls the overall flow of the algorithm by calling the abstract methods and the default implementations as necessary. This allows for code reuse and promotes a consistent structure across the subclasses while still allowing for flexibility and customization.