Clone method in Java
Educative Answers TeamObject cloning is a way to create an exact copy of an object. The clone() method of an object class is used to clone an object.
Cloning can also be done using an assignment operator (e.g., object2 = object1) but this will never create a new object. An assignment operator will help object2 point to the location of object1, but any changes in object2 will be reflected in object1. This issue is solved by the clone() method that creates a new object and lets the two objects remain independent.
The following slides will help you understand the key difference between the assignment operator and the clone method:
Advantages of using the clone() method
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It allows two objects to exist independently, despite being copies of one another.
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Cloning is the fastest way to copy objects.
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If we use a copy constructor, then we have to copy all of the data over explicitly, however, cloning copies data automatically.
Code
The following example shows the cloning of an object:
class objects implements Cloneable
{
int num;
public Object clone() throws
CloneNotSupportedException
{
return super.clone();
}
}
// Driver class
class Main
{
public static void main(String args[]) throws
CloneNotSupportedException
{
objects object1=new objects();//creating object1
object1.num=5;//setting object1's num = 5
objects object2=new objects();//creating object2
//display object1's num
System.out.println("Initially Object1's num is : " + object1.num);
//Creating a cloned object
objects clonedObject=(objects)object1.clone();
clonedObject.num=10;//changing cloned object's num
System.out.println("After cloning Object1's num is : " + object1.num);
object2=object1; //using assignment operator
object2.num=10; //changing object2's num
//display object1's num
System.out.println("After assignment operator Object1's num is : " + object1.num);
}
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