Is facade a class which contains a lot of other classes?
What makes it a design pattern? To me, it is like a normal class.
Can you explain to me this Facade pattern?
A design pattern is a common way of solving a recurring problem. Classes in all design patterns are just normal classes. What is important is how they are structured and how they work together to solve a given problem in the best possible way.
The Facade design pattern simplifies the interface to a complex system; because it is usually composed of all the classes which make up the subsystems of the complex system.
A Facade shields the user from the complex details of the system and provides them with a simplified view
of it which is easy to use
. It also decouples
the code that uses the system from the details of the subsystems, making it easier to modify the system later.
http://www.dofactory.com/Patterns/PatternFacade.aspx
http://www.blackwasp.co.uk/Facade.aspx
Also, what is important while learning design patterns is to be able to recognize which pattern fits your given problem and then using it appropriately. It is a very common thing to misuse a pattern or trying to fit it to some problem just because you know it. Be aware of those pitfalls while learning\using design patterns.