prefabs

Prefabs are standardized, pre-fabricated components manufactured off-site and assembled on-site. In construction, prefabrication involves producing elements such as wall panels, floor systems, roof trusses, or entire rooms in a factory and shipping them to the build site. The method aims to improve quality control, reduce on-site labor, shorten construction schedules, and minimize material waste. Prefab systems can be panelized, modular, or volumetric, each with different degrees of assembly completed before delivery.

In architectural practice, prefabrication supports modular construction, where modules are built to a specified size and later connected, and panelized construction, where flat components are joined on site. Benefits commonly cited include faster construction, better safety, less weather delay, and potential for factory-based customization. Challenges include transportation costs, the need for accurate logistics, limitations on site adaptability, and higher design upfront.

In software and game development, a prefab (short for pre-fabricated object) is a reusable template that stores a collection of objects, components, and properties. In Unity and similar engines, prefabs enable rapid instantiation of complex objects, ensuring consistency across scenes. Instances can inherit the prefab properties while still permitting local overrides. Prefabs facilitate collaboration, version control, and scalable scene assembly.

Across industries, prefabs are valued for repeatability and efficiency but require careful planning in design, supply chains, and integration with site constraints. They remain a central approach to scalable construction and to software engineering practices that favor reuse.