copy.copy()

Utility

Creates a shallow copy of an object. Nested objects are not copied — they're shared.

Signature

copy.copy(x)

Returns

any

Example

import copy
orig = [1, [2, 3], 4]
shallow = copy.copy(orig)
shallow[1].append(99)
print(orig)  # [1, [2, 3, 99], 4] (nested modified!)

About copy.copy()

copy.copy is a Python utility function with the signature copy.copy(x). Creates a shallow copy of an object. Nested objects are not copied — they're shared. It returns a value of type any.

Python provides a rich set of built-in functions and standard library modules that cover common programming tasks. Understanding these functions helps you write more idiomatic, efficient Python code. The copy.copyfunction is commonly used in data processing, web development, scripting, and automation tasks.

When working with copy.copy(), consider edge cases like empty inputs, None values, and type mismatches. Python's duck typing means many built-in functions work with any object that implements the required protocol (e.g., __len__ for len(), __iter__ for iteration). This flexibility is a key strength of Python's design philosophy.

Related Functions

copy.deepcopy()list()dict()slice()