Please help me out with clone()

[Vasudhaiv Naresh]

Hi,
can anybody please let me know what this clone() method is? And what is it used for? Going through the API I found that it is used to return a copy of an object, what I'm unable to understand is - "what it is required for?"

Thanks,
Naresh

[Campbell Ritchie]

The idea is that a copy of an object can be manipulated and examined by other objects in the application with no risk of damaging the original object. The standard clone method returns a "shallow" clone; you may need a "deep" clone for real security.

Start reading in the Object class here and the Java Tutorial.

[Campbell Ritchie]

Click on the "Effective Java" link from the tutorial link I quoted, then "sample chapters" then "chapter 3."

[Vasudhaiv Naresh]

Thanks Ritchie, that was a real helpful one.