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What is the difference between deep copy and shallow copy?

Senior C#
Quick Answer Shallow copy copies only top-level values รขโ‚ฌโ€ reference fields still point to shared objects. Modify a shared nested object and both copies see the change. Deep copy duplicates the entire object graph รขโ‚ฌโ€ fully independent but costs more memory and time. C# has no built-in deep copy utility.

Answer

Shallow copy copies only top-level values; reference fields still point to shared objects.

Deep copy duplicates the full object graph, ensuring complete independence at the cost of extra memory and performance.

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This answer has been peer-reviewed by industry experts holding senior engineering roles to ensure technical accuracy and relevance for modern interview standards.

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