Editing Clone (computing) (section)

== Other uses of the term==
{{Unreferenced section|date=October 2014}}

===Databases===
A [[database]] clone is a complete and separate copy of a database system that includes the business data, the [[database management system]] software and any other application tiers that make up the environment. Cloning is a different kind of operation to [[Data replication|replicate]] and [[backup]], in that the cloned environment is both fully functional and separate in its own right. Additionally, the cloned environment may be modified at its inception due to configuration changes or data subsetting.

===Desktop===
{{see also|Remote desktop|Desktop virtualization}}
Since 2010, clone computing, in the sense of replicating a session on a host computer in a virtual instance in the [[Cloud (computing)|cloud]], has been introduced.  This allows the user to have access to a copy of their PC's desktop on any other computing device such as a [[tablet computer]], a personal computer running any operating system, WebOS, [[smartphone]]s, etc.

The clone computer replicates, runs, and is always available through a series of cloud servers.  Unlike remote management software, clone computing has no dependency on the host computer.

===Disk cloning software===
{{main|Disk cloning}}
Disk cloning is the process of copying the contents of one computer hard drive to another disk or to an "image" file. Typically, the contents of the first disk are written to an image file as an intermediate step, and the second disk is loaded with the contents of the image. A cloned drive can replace the original, rather than simply containing backup copies of files.

Cloning software replicates the operating system, drives, software and patches of one computer for a variety of purposes, including setting up multiple computers, hard drive upgrades, and system recovery in the event of disk failure or corruption.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Definition of cloning software |url=https://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia/term/cloning-software |access-date=2023-08-29 |website=PCMAG |language=en}}</ref>

===Programming===
{{main|Cloning (programming)}}
In [[computer programming]], particularly [[object-oriented programming]], ''cloning'' refers to [[object copying]] by a method or [[copy factory]] function, often called <code>clone</code> or <code>copy</code>, as opposed to by a [[copy constructor]]. Cloning is [[Polymorphism (computer science)|polymorphic]], in that the type of the object being cloned need not be specified, in contrast to using a copy constructor, which requires specifying the type (in the constructor call).