A prototype is the theory behind your product made into form. Instead of having a vague idea of what you want to eventually build, you make something tangible.

Prototypes can vary in size and how much time and effort you put into them

The main benefit of a prototype is that it helps you to communicate with your design and engineering teams. Think of it as the packaging of an empty box. It shows you what’s inside and what it looks like, but there’s currently nothing going on underneath.

The meaning of MVP is Minimum Viable Product: the bare minimum version of your product that still solves the problem for your customers.