Factory Method Pattern in Java: Cleaner Object Creation via Subclass Delegation

The Factory Method is a creational design pattern in Java that delegates object creation to subclasses rather than hardcoding it throughout an application. Without this pattern, adding new object types — such as new notification channels — forces repeated modifications to existing service classes, creating tight coupling. The pattern solves this by defining a common interface and an abstract creator class with a factory method that subclasses override to return specific object instances. A practical notification system example illustrates how EmailNotificationCreator and SMSNotificationCreator each independently decide which object to instantiate. This approach makes codebases easier to extend and maintain without altering existing logic.