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The java.lang.Object.clone() creates and returns a copy of this object

Example Program

import java.util.GregorianCalendar;

public class Clone {
	public static void main(String[] args) throws CloneNotSupportedException {
		// create a gregorian calendar, which is an object
		GregorianCalendar cal = new GregorianCalendar();

		// clone object cal into object x
		GregorianCalendar x = (GregorianCalendar) cal.clone();

		// print both cal and x
		System.out.println("" + cal.getTime());
		System.out.println("" + x.getTime());

	}

}

Output

Mon Sep 22 11:54:14 IST 2014

Mon Sep 22 11:54:14 IST 2014

Description

The java.lang.Object.clone() creates and returns a copy of this object. The precise meaning of “copy” may depend on the class of the object. The general intent is that, for any object x, the expression:

x.clone() != x

will be true, and that the expression:

x.clone().getClass() == x.getClass()

will be true, but these are not absolute requirements. While it is typically the case that:

x.clone().equals(x)

will be true, this is not an absolute requirement.

Declaration

Following is the declaration for java.lang.Object.clone() method

protected Object clone()

Parameters

• NA

Return Value

This method returns a clone of this instance.

Exception

• CloneNotSupportedException — if the object’s class does not support the Cloneable interface. Subclasses that override the clone method can also throw this exception to indicate that an instance cannot be cloned.

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