ktsu.DeepClone

A lightweight .NET library providing a simple, generic interface for implementing deep cloning functionality in your classes.

Overview

The ktsu.DeepClone library defines the IDeepCloneable<T> interface, which allows you to create deep copies of objects. This is particularly useful in scenarios where you need to duplicate an object while ensuring that its references to other objects are also fully cloned, not just copied.

Inspired by and based on the ppy/osu! project's cloning utilities, this library is licensed under the MIT License. See the LICENSE file for more details.

Features

• Generic Interface: Works with any reference type (class).
• Deep Cloning: Ensures that the cloned object is a completely independent copy, including all nested references.
• Lightweight and easy to integrate into your project.

Getting Started

Installation

Install the library via NuGet (coming soon):

dotnet add package ktsu.DeepClone

Or, clone the repository and include the source code directly in your project.

Usage

To use ktsu.DeepClone, implement the IDeepCloneable<T> interface in your class:

using ktsu.DeepClone;

public class MyClass : IDeepCloneable<MyClass>
{
    public int Value { get; set; }
    public MyClass NestedObject { get; set; }

    public MyClass DeepClone()
    {
        return new MyClass
        {
            Value = this.Value,
            NestedObject = this.NestedObject?.DeepClone()
        };
    }
}

You can then create deep copies of your objects:

var original = new MyClass
{
    Value = 42,
    NestedObject = new MyClass { Value = 84 }
};

var copy = original.DeepClone();

// The copy is a completely independent object
copy.Value = 100;
copy.NestedObject.Value = 200;

// Original remains unchanged
Console.WriteLine(original.Value); // Outputs: 42
Console.WriteLine(original.NestedObject.Value); // Outputs: 84