What does the aggregator design pattern do when it receives a request?

The aggregator design pattern, when it receives a request, is designed to make several requests to different services in order to combine their results into a single output. This pattern is particularly useful in scenarios where data from multiple sources is needed to formulate a comprehensive response to a client’s request.

For instance, imagine an application that needs user information, order details, and shipping data all at once to provide a complete view of a customer's order. The aggregator pattern would handle this by concurrently making requests to the various services that hold this information and then merging the results. This approach efficiently consolidates data from disparate services, ensuring that clients receive a unified response.

The other options do not accurately reflect the purpose of the aggregator pattern. If a response were sent immediately, it would imply a direct and singular service call rather than aggregation. Storing request data for future processing does not fit with the real-time nature of the pattern, nor does directly forwarding a request to a designated service capture the essence of aggregation, which emphasizes the necessity of synthesizing multiple responses into one.