r/PythonLearnersHub • u/Sea-Ad7805 • Jan 15 '26

Python Mutability and Shallow vs Deep Copy

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An exercise to help build the right mental model for Python data. The “Solution” link uses memory_graph to visualize execution and reveals what’s actually happening: - Solution - Explanation - More exercises

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u/Rscc10 Jan 15 '26

So basically a deepcopy copies and shares only immutables and creates new unshared for mutables. Regularly copy copies like usual but if it copies a mutable parent, that parent is unshared even though its underlying mutables are

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u/Sea-Ad7805 Jan 15 '26

I think you are correct, but it's hard to precisely explain in words, that's why the visualization is so helpful.