[SOLVED] Deep copy, Shallow copy, and Copy in Python

Question

What is the difference between deep copy, shallow copy, and copy in Python, and in what scenarios would we use each type of copy operation?

Answer 1

https://realpython.com/copying-JUMP_LINK__&&__python__&&__JUMP_LINK-objects/
https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/copy-python-deep-copy-shallow-copy/
https://stackoverflow.com/questions/17246693/what-is-the-difference-between-shallow-copy-deepcopy-and-normal-assignment-oper
https://pythonsimplified.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-shallow-copy-and-deep-copy-in-python/

I suggest realpython or pythonsimplified

Answer 2

Lisa Thanks

Answer 3

нттp⁴⁰⁶ ,

The official docs on the copy module.

https://docs.python.org/3/library/copy.html#module-copy

Answer 4

Abiye Gebresilassie Enzo Emmanuel

Don't Post ChatGPT answer.

Answer 5

This is my research I am invested 😭

Answer 6

In Python, understanding the differences between deep copy, shallow copy, and the `copy` module is crucial for managing data structures effectively. Let's break down each:

1. Shallow Copy:
- Shallow copy creates a new object and inserts references to the original objects into it. It doesn't create copies of nested objects; instead, it copies only the references to them.
- Modifying the nested objects in the shallow copy will reflect those changes in both the shallow copy and the original.
- Shallow copy can be useful when you need a new object but don't want to duplicate the inner objects.
- You can perform shallow copy using the `copy()` method or the `copy.copy()` function from the `copy` module.

2. Deep Copy:
- Deep copy, on the other hand, creates a new object and recursively inserts copies of the objects found in the original.
- It ensures that changes made to the original won't affect the copy and vice versa, as they are entirely separate objects.
- Deep copy is essential when you want to modify the copied object without altering the original.
- You can perform a deep copy using the `copy.deepcopy()` function from the `copy` module.

3. Copy Module:
- The `copy` module provides a generic way to copy objects in Python.
- The `copy()` method in Python is equivalent to shallow copy. It creates a shallow copy of the object.
- The `copy.copy()` function from the `copy` module also performs shallow copy.
- The `copy.deepcopy()` function, as mentioned earlier, is used for deep copy.

Scenarios for Each Type of Copy:
- Use shallow copy when you have a simple data structure (like lists or dictionaries) and don't want to duplicate the contained objects. It's faster and more memory-efficient.
- Use deep copy when you have nested data structures or objects and need to modify them independently.
- The generic `copy` module functions are handy when you're dealing with more complex objects and need to explicitly specify the type of copy you want.

Answer 7

Abiye Gebresilassie Enzo Emmanuel ,

Dude. It's so obviously in the same format, grammar, and voice that AI uses, and not in the same style as the unpunctuated, run-on, emoji-fied sentence in your real voice, "This is my research I am invested 😭".

If you had written it, then you would be able to explain exactly what you meant by "The 'copy()' method in Python" as opposed to copy.copy().