<ul data-eligibleForWebStory="true">Design patterns are commonly misunderstood as a cookbook approach rather than tools for abstraction.Focusing on individual pattern diagrams can be overwhelming, but comparing patterns reveals common structures.Patterns like Strategy and Command share fundamental abstraction patterns when analyzed together.The similarities between Composite and Decorator patterns highlight shared abstraction concepts.Different design patterns are variations of the same abstraction pattern using indirection and delegation.Understanding the structural purpose of intermediate components in patterns enhances flexibility in code.Adapting abstraction layers based on requirements offers significant flexibility in design implementation.Design patterns provide a common language for discussing abstractions rather than strict guidelines.Recognizing when and how to introduce abstraction layers improves code flexibility, testability, and maintainability.Emphasizing the abstraction behind patterns is more important than rigidly following specific patterns.