Binary fission is a process of cell division that is commonly found in prokaryotes, where a single cell divides into two identical cells. There are numerous synonyms for binary fission, which include cell division, cell reproduction, asexual reproduction, and clonal reproduction. Other terms that can be used include mitosis, meiosis, and cell replication. Division by budding, fragmentation, and regeneration is also considered an example of binary fission. The process may also be referred to as splitting, dividing, duplicating, or splitting. Regardless of the term used, the process is vital to the survival of unicellular organisms and is a crucial mechanism for passing on genetic information from one generation to the next.