Cloning Data Structures Flashcards
What is cloning in the context of data structures?
Creating a duplicate copy of an object and its data.
What is the simple case for cloning objects?
For objects with only primitive data, create a new object of the same type and copy the instance variables.
In complex cases of cloning, what must be considered?
Should referenced objects also be cloned?
Define immutable objects.
Data cannot be changed after creation (e.g., Java wrapper classes like Integer, Double).
Define mutable objects.
Data can be changed after creation (e.g., LinkedNode280<i> and ListList280<i>).</i></i>
What is a shallow clone?
Creates a new object that is a direct copy of the original object.
What is the process of a shallow clone?
- Copies the object’s immediate instance variables into the new object. * Copies references to other objects without cloning them.
What is the result of a shallow clone?
The original and cloned objects share references to the same nested objects.
What issue arises from shallow cloning?
Changes to the nested objects in one list affect the other list.
Define deep clone.
Creates a fully independent copy of the object and all objects it references.
What is the process of a deep clone?
- Performs a shallow clone of the object itself. * Recursively clones every object referenced by the original object.
What is the result of a deep clone?
The original and cloned objects do not share any referenced objects.
What is a benefit of deep cloning?
Modifications to the cloned object do not affect the original object.
What is a tradeoff of deep cloning?
More time and memory are required to perform a deep clone.
What is the rule regarding immutable objects in deep cloning?
Immutable objects do not need to be cloned in a deep clone.
Why do immutable objects not need to be cloned?
Immutable objects cannot be modified, so sharing references does not cause issues.
What are the key differences between shallow and deep cloning?
- Shallow Clone: Copies the object but shares references to nested objects. * Deep Clone: Fully duplicates the object and all referenced objects.
What method in Java can create a shallow clone of an object?
The clone() method in the Object class.
What must objects implement to allow cloning in Java?
The Cloneable interface.
What happens if an object does not implement Cloneable when using clone()?
A CloneNotSupportedException is thrown.
What is the first line in the clone method of LinkedNode<i>?</i>
public LinkedNode<i> clone() { return (LinkedNode<i>) super.clone(); }</i></i>
What is the purpose of the try-catch block while cloning a list in Java?
To handle CloneNotSupportedException when cloning the list.
What is the expected behavior when a node is removed from a cloned list?
The original list should remain unchanged.
