Where design patterns identify different types of procedures, designs, or code that WORKED in object-oriented projects, Anti-Patterns target those common mistakes, defects, or errors that can sink object-oriented projects and systems.

The Anti-Patterns movement has stirred up some controversy within the Patterns area because of
1.) the negative-sounding name and
2.) many Anti-Patterns supporters fail to provide practical advise on how to deal with these errors and defects after they are detected.

A book that discusses what Anti-Patterns are and also provides concrete guidelines on what to do once the patterns are detected, will be of interest to both supporters and critics of anti-patterns.

Software developers and programmers will be able to use this book as a constant resource of design errors or defects that are common to object-oriented system development.

The authors will discuss 20 different Anti-Patterns. For each pattern coveredm the authors will provide a solution to the anti-pattern, why it occurs, and a case study where that solution worked. Patterns that are related to each other will be cross referenced.