Prototype

This is a common engineering term which means "The first example".

A prototype is not the finished thing, but it has all the most important features of the final product.

'hardware prototype'.

This means a physical object that represents the final item. For example a 'prototype' of a new car, or a prototype of a new printer.

'software prototype'

This is a piece of code that represents the final code but is not complete in all its detail. Engineers use a software prototype to decide if they are going in the right direction with the final code.

2020-10