What is the performance impact of using deepcopy in Python?

What is the performance impact of using deepcopy in Python?

Using deepcopy can be quite resource-intensive, especially for large objects. It creates a new object and recursively copies all nested objects, which can lead to significant overhead.

Are there any alternatives to deepcopy that are more efficient?

Yes, alternatives like shallow copy or using libraries like NumPy for arrays can be more efficient, depending on your use case.

When should I use deepcopy instead of shallow copy?

Use deepcopy when you need to create a completely independent copy of an object, especially if it contains mutable objects.

Can you give an example of when deepcopy is necessary?

Sure! If you have a list of lists and you modify a nested list, a shallow copy would still reference the original nested list, while deepcopy would create a separate copy.