The process of replicating a double-stranded DNA molecule into two identical DNA molecules is known as DNA replication.
Replication is essential because every time a cell divides, the two new daughter cells must contain the same genetic information, or DNA, like the parent cell.
Because DNA replication is such an important operation, the cell proofreads the freshly manufactured DNA to verify that no errors or mutations are added.
Each strand of DNA can serve as a template for duplication, which is how the replication process works.