Prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells are classified based on differences in their structure. Prokaryotic cells lack a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles, while eukaryotic cells have a nucleus enclosed within membranes and various membrane-bound organelles. Key differences include size, with eukaryotic cells generally being larger; complexity of metabolic reactions; presence of organelles like mitochondria and Golgi bodies in eukaryotes; and location of DNA, which is free-floating in prokaryotes but enclosed within the nucleus in eukaryotes. Common examples of prokaryotes are bacteria like E. coli, while eukaryotes include multicellular organisms as well as unicell