Prototyping Software Life Cycle Model - a type of SDLC Model

Prototyping model starts with requirements gathering.The basic idea here is that instead of freezing the requirements before a design or coding can proceed, a throwaway prototype is built to understand the requirements. Prototyping is an attractive idea for complicated and large systems for which there is no manual process or existing system to help determining the requirements.
- Prototype is generally developed at the cost of the developer and not at the cost of the client.
- A prototype is developed using prototyping tools such as scripting languages or Rapid Application Development.
- Prototyping is generally required to obtain user interface requirements.
- In hardware, prototyping is used to prove your design concepts.

Advantages of Prototyping Model

- It is good for developing software for users who are not IT-literate.
- Errors can be detected much earlier as the system is mode side by side.
- Quicker user feedback is available leading to better solutions.
- Reduced time and costs.
- An SRS will be frozen after obtaining the feedback from the user.

Disadvantages of Prototyping Model

- Development cost is borne by the developer.
- Customer could believe the prototype as the working version.
- Users can begin to think that a prototype, intended to be thrown away, is actually a final system that merely needs to be finished or polished.
- Excessive development time of the prototype.
- Expense of implementing prototyping.