This document provides an introduction to design patterns, including their motivation, history, definition, categories, and examples. Some key points: - Design patterns solve common programming problems by describing reusable solutions that can be adapted for different situations. - Common categories include creational, structural, and behavioral patterns. Example patterns discussed are Singleton, Decorator, Abstract Factory. - Design patterns speed up development, promote code reuse, and make software more robust, maintainable and extensible. Resources for further information on design patterns are provided.