SINGELTON Meaning and
Definition
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A singleton is a design pattern in object-oriented programming that restricts the instantiation of a class to only one object. It ensures that throughout the application, there is a single instance of the class that can be accessed globally.
In a singleton pattern, a class typically contains a static method that serves as a point of access to the single instance of the class. This method is responsible for instantiating the class if it has not been instantiated before, and returning the instance thereafter. The constructor of the class is usually marked as private to prevent external instantiation.
The primary purpose of using a singleton is to control and limit the number of instances of a particular class, making it suitable for scenarios where only one instance is required to coordinate actions across the system. It can also provide a global point of access, allowing other objects or subsystems to use and interact with the singleton instance easily.
Typically, singletons are employed for resources that are expensive to create or access repeatedly, such as database connections, thread pools, or file systems. They can be beneficial in scenarios where it is crucial to maintain consistent state or data throughout the application, as the singleton instance ensures that any modifications made by one part of the system are reflected across other components.
However, it is important to use singletons judiciously since they can introduce global state and create dependencies that can make code harder to test, maintain, and understand.
Etymology of SINGELTON
The word "singleton" originated from the Middle English term "senglot", which was derived from the Old French word "sengle" meaning "single" or "alone". This Old French term was then borrowed from the Latin word "singulus", which had a similar meaning of "single" or "individual". Thus, the word "singleton" has been used to refer to a person or thing that is alone or singular since at least the 15th century.
Similar spelling words for SINGELTON
- singleness,
- singler,
- singley,
- Singleterry,
- single,
- singlestick,
- singlet,
- single out,
- singalong,
- single tax,
- single-leaf,
- single-lane,
- singleton,
- Sincell,
- singly,
- singles,
- singletary,
- sing along.
