Prefab
Reusable Unity object saved as an asset
Also known as: Unity prefab · Prefab variant · Nested prefab · Prefab instance
Definition
A prefab is a saved GameObject, with its components, children and settings, that you can place many times in scenes. Edit the prefab and every instance updates, while an instance can still override individual values. Prefab Variants inherit from another prefab and change only some parts, and prefabs can be nested inside each other. For artists, a prefab is the finished, game-ready version of a model with its materials, collider and LODs set up.
In production
Build props as prefabs rather than dragging raw FBX files into scenes, so materials, colliders and scripts travel with them. Keep the pivot and scale correct inside the prefab, and use Variants for color or damage versions. Avoid unpacking prefabs in scenes, because the instance no longer follows the original. A clean prefab library is what makes modular environment kits fast to assemble.
