Menu
Home
People
Places
Arts
History
Plants & Animals
Science
Life & Culture
Technology
Reference.org
clone (Java method)
open-in-new
<p>clone() is a <a href="/facts/Method_(computer_science)/8kAXxVYs">method</a> in the <a href="/facts/Java_(programming_language)/9ScgFyAL">Java programming language</a> for <a href="/facts/Object_copy/QbBS3suW">object duplication</a>. In Java, objects are manipulated through reference variables, and there is no operator for <i>copying</i> an object—the assignment operator duplicates the reference, not the object. The clone() method provides this missing functionality. </p>