What are some examples of shallow copy in programming?

What are some examples of shallow copy in programming?

A shallow copy creates a new object but inserts references into it to the objects found in the original. For example, in Python, you can use the copy() method on lists.

Can you show me a code example of that?

Sure! Here's a Python example:

import copy
original_list = [1, 2, [3, 4]]
shallow_copied_list = copy.copy(original_list)
shallow_copied_list[2][0] = 'Changed'
print(original_list)  # Output: [1, 2, ['Changed', 4]]

What happens if I modify the shallow copied list?

If you modify a mutable object within the shallow copied list, it will affect the original list because both share references to that object.

Are there any other languages that support shallow copy?

Yes, many programming languages support shallow copy, including JavaScript, Java, and C#. Each has its own methods for creating shallow copies.