cloneDeep In Lodash (Javascript Library)

Hey!, Since I started working on VueJs I have been learning new things from a big codebase. I hope I'll continue to share my learnings over here.

Have you ever tried to copy an object in JavaScript and discovered that changing the copy also changes the original? That’s because you made a shallow copy. Sometimes, you need a deep copy, and that's where cloneDeep from Lodash comes in handy

What is cloneDeep?

In short, cloneDeep is a function from Lodash, a cool JavaScript library, that allows you to copy objects without affecting the original state.

Why Do We Need cloneDeep ?

If you only make a shallow copy, the inner objects still point to the same place in memory. So, changes to the copy will affect the original. Deep copying avoids this problem.

Shallow Copy (as mentioned below in the code snippet)

const original = { a: 1, b: { c: 2 } };
const shallowCopy = { ...original };

shallowCopy.b.c = 3;

console.log(original.b.c); // Output: 3
                
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Deep Copy (as mentioned below in the code snippet)

const original = { a: 1, b: { c: 2 } };
const deepCopy = _.cloneDeep(original);

deepCopy.b.c = 3;

console.log(original.b.c); // Output: 2
console.log(deepCopy.b.c); // Output: 3


                
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How to Use cloneDeep

First, install Lodash using npm or yarn:

npm install lodash

or 

yarn add lodash

                
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Usage

import _ from 'lodash';

const original = { a: 1, b: { c: 2 } };
const deepCopy = _.cloneDeep(original);

deepCopy.b.c = 3;

console.log(original.b.c); // Output: 2
console.log(deepCopy.b.c); // Output: 3

                
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Things to Watch Out For

• Performance: Deep copying can be slow for huge objects.
• Circular References: cloneDeep handles circular references, but be aware of your data structure to avoid complexity.

Conclusion

cloneDeep is a lifesaver when you need a full, independent copy of an object in JavaScript. It’s easy to use and helps avoid many headaches with state management and data manipulation. Happy Coding! 😉