I am reading the documents for prototype pattern...
I am seeing some where in website(including questions asked in stackoverflow) it is mentioned prototype is used for duplication and also it is stating prototype is used for cloning operation...
what is fact about it???
when cloning need to do it has to return same object not new one(used in prototype pattern), if it returns new then duplication sentence is right.... and if it returns this(current object) then cloning sentence will be fine...
One more thing about this object
I have seen many examples and also their UML diagrams, in UML it is mentioned in clone method they are returning this object(current or same object), but in example they gave new object which will be completely new object.
check the links and see the structural diagram and the example link also see the description they gave about prototype
structural diagram link : https://sourcemaking.com/design_patterns/prototype example link : https://sourcemaking.com/design_patterns/prototype/cpp/1
Clarify my doubt about duplication of the object and cloning of the object as, as per my understanding both(duplication and clone) can not happen in the same examples given for prototype pattern.
Generally we use clone for caching things(adding something to the existing one and using existing one only) but in prototype it is completely returning new object so it is wrong to say that prototype is used for caching object by clone method.
Prototype is used for duplication, real life example is Sheep Dolly.