Prototype Pattern

Kind: pattern

Layer: Design Patterns Core

Record: architecture:prototype-pattern

Severity: contextual

Scope: object_creation, runtime

Canonical: Ontology

A design pattern that creates new objects by cloning a prepared template and applying overrides.

Listed in Architecture principles, after Builder Pattern and before Singleton Pattern.

Requires

• Cloneable Template Object

Reinforces

• Runtime Extensibility

Enables

• Dynamic Object Creation

Conflicts with

• Complex Factory Hierarchies

In tension with

• Copy Semantics

Tensions

• Prototype Pattern / Copy Semantics

Violated by

• Repeated Expensive Setup

Severity

• contextual

Category

• Creational Patterns

Force

• Object creation

Linked from

• Runtime Discovery / Dynamic Binding
• Creational Patterns
• Severity levels
• The forces
• The resolutions