java-design-patterns/prototype/index.md

---
layout: pattern
title: Prototype
folder: prototype
permalink: /patterns/prototype/
categories: creational
tags: pattern_tag
---

**Intent:** Specify the kinds of objects to create using a prototypical
instance, and create new objects by copying this prototype.

![alt text](./etc/prototype_1.png "Prototype")

**Applicability:** Use the Prototype pattern when a system should be independent of how its products are created, composed and represented; and

* when the classes to instantiate are specified at run-time, for example, by dynamic loading; or
* to avoid building a class hierarchy of factories that parallels the class hierarchy of products; or
* when instances of a class can have one of only a few different combinations of state. It may be more convenient to install a corresponding number of prototypes and clone them rather than instantiating the class manually, each time with the appropriate state

**Real world examples:**

* [java.lang.Object#clone()](http://docs.oracle.com/javase/8/docs/api/java/lang/Object.html#clone%28%29)
Work towards #56: Splitting up the README I did the job and splitted up the readme, hopefully everything was splitted correctly... 2015-08-13 23:54:40 +02:00			`---`
			`layout: pattern`
			`title: Prototype`
			`folder: prototype`
Work towards #56: Add permalink to every pattern This makes cleaner URLs thanks to jekyll 2015-08-15 18:03:05 +02:00			`permalink: /patterns/prototype/`
Added categories to all patterns for website 2015-08-16 17:07:36 +05:30			`categories: creational`
Work towards #56: Splitting up the README I did the job and splitted up the readme, hopefully everything was splitted correctly... 2015-08-13 23:54:40 +02:00			`tags: pattern_tag`
			`---`

			`Intent: Specify the kinds of objects to create using a prototypical`
			`instance, and create new objects by copying this prototype.`

			`![alt text](./etc/prototype_1.png "Prototype")`

			`Applicability: Use the Prototype pattern when a system should be independent of how its products are created, composed and represented; and`

			`* when the classes to instantiate are specified at run-time, for example, by dynamic loading; or`
			`* to avoid building a class hierarchy of factories that parallels the class hierarchy of products; or`
			`* when instances of a class can have one of only a few different combinations of state. It may be more convenient to install a corresponding number of prototypes and clone them rather than instantiating the class manually, each time with the appropriate state`

			`Real world examples:`

Work towards #56: Add permalink to every pattern This makes cleaner URLs thanks to jekyll 2015-08-15 18:03:05 +02:00			`* [java.lang.Object#clone()](http://docs.oracle.com/javase/8/docs/api/java/lang/Object.html#clone%28%29)`