What are object references in JavaScript?

What are object references in JavaScript?

In JavaScript, an object reference is a pointer to an object in memory. When you assign an object to a variable, you're actually assigning a reference to that object, not the object itself.

Can you explain how this affects variable assignment?

Sure! If you assign an object to another variable, both variables will reference the same object. Changes made through one variable will affect the other.

What happens if I copy an object using the spread operator?

Using the spread operator creates a shallow copy of the object. The new object will have its own reference, but nested objects will still reference the same original objects.

How can I create a deep copy of an object?

To create a deep copy, you can use methods like JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(obj)) or libraries like Lodash's cloneDeep.