When should I use a shallow copy in programming?

What is a shallow copy and when should I use it?

A shallow copy creates a new object but inserts references to the original object's elements. Use it when you want to duplicate an object without deeply copying nested objects.

Can you give me an example of when a shallow copy is useful?

Sure! If you have a list of objects and you want to modify the list itself without affecting the original objects, a shallow copy is ideal.

Are there any drawbacks to using shallow copies?

Yes, if the original object contains nested objects, changes to those nested objects in the shallow copy will affect the original.

How does a shallow copy differ from a deep copy?

A shallow copy copies the top-level structure, while a deep copy duplicates everything, including nested objects.