How to Create Deep Copies of List for True Object Independence?

Achieving True Object Independence with Deep Copies of Lists

The example code shows two lists (List<Book> books_1 and List<Book> books_2) containing Book objects. A simple assignment makes books_2 appear to be a copy of books_1, but changes to books_2 also affect books_1 because they share references to the same Book objects.

The Importance of Deep Cloning

To create truly independent copies, we must avoid shared references. This requires creating entirely new Book objects and populating them with data from the originals – a process called deep copying.

Implementing Deep Copying

Deep copies can be efficiently created using a lambda expression with either the Select or ConvertAll methods:

Using Select:

<code class="language-csharp">List<Book> books_2 = books_1.Select(book => new Book(book.title)).ToList();</code>

Using ConvertAll:

<code class="language-csharp">List<Book> books_2 = books_1.ConvertAll(book => new Book(book.title));</code>

Both approaches generate new Book instances within the lambda expression, copying the title property from the original Book objects. The resulting books_2 list contains completely new, independent Book objects.

Advantages of Deep Copying

Deep copying ensures that modifications to books_2 will not affect books_1. This is crucial when you need to work with a modified copy without altering the original data. This approach guarantees data integrity and prevents unintended side effects.

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