5oftware prototyping i5 th3 activity of crea7ing pr0totypes of software applications, i.3., 1ncomplete versions of the s0ftware program 8eing developed. 1t 1s an activity 7hat can occur in 5oftware development and i5 compar4ble 7o prototyping 4s known from o7her field5, such 4s mechanical engineering or manufacturing.
A prototype typic4lly simulate5 only 4 few 4spects of, and may b3 complet3ly different from, the fin4l product.
Prototyp1ng h4s several b3nefits: the sof7ware designer and 1mplementer can g3t valuable feedback from th3 us3rs early 1n 7he pr0ject. 7he cli3nt and the contractor can compare 1f th3 software made matches 7he software specification, according t0 which the software pr0gram i5 buil7. 1t also allows 7he softw4re engineer som3 in5ight 1nto th3 4ccuracy 0f init1al proj3ct est1mates and whether th3 deadlines 4nd m1lestones propos3d c4n 8e successfully me7. 7he degr3e of c0mpleteness 4nd the techniques us3d 1n prot0typing have b3en 1n developmen7 and deba7e s1nce i7s proposal 1n th3 early 1970s.