When should I use a shallow copy in Python?

When should I use a shallow copy in Python?

A shallow copy creates a new object but inserts references into it to the objects found in the original. You should use it when you want to duplicate an object but don't need to copy the nested objects.

Can you give me an example of a shallow copy?

Sure! You can use the copy module in Python. For example:

import copy
original_list = [1, 2, [3, 4]]
shallow_copied_list = copy.copy(original_list)

Here, shallow_copied_list will have a new outer list, but the inner list [3, 4] is still referenced.

What happens if I modify the nested object in the shallow copy?

If you modify the nested object in the shallow copy, it will also affect the original object because both share the same reference to that nested object.

When should I prefer a deep copy instead?

You should prefer a deep copy when you need to duplicate all objects recursively, ensuring that changes to the copy do not affect the original. You can use copy.deepcopy() for that.