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Shallow Clone an Object

Certification: Basic Level Accuracy: 0% Submissions: 0 Points: 5

Write a JavaScript function to create a shallow clone of a given object. A shallow clone creates a new object with the same top-level properties, but nested objects are still referenced (not deeply copied). The function should return a new object that is independent at the first level.

Example 1
    
  
  • Input: obj = {name: "Alice", age: 30, city: "New York"}
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  • Output: {name: "Alice", age: 30, city: "New York"}
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  • Explanation: 
    • The input object has three properties: name, age, and city. 
    • A new object is created with the same property-value pairs. 
    • Modifying the cloned object's properties won't affect the original. 
    • Both objects have the same values but are different object references. 
    • The shallow clone is successfully created.
    •
Example 2
    
  
  • Input: obj = {user: "Bob", details: {email: "bob@example.com", phone: "123-456"}}
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  • Output: {user: "Bob", details: {email: "bob@example.com", phone: "123-456"}}
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  • Explanation: 
    • The input object has a nested object in the details property. 
    • The shallow clone copies the reference to the details object. 
    • The cloned object has the same structure as the original. 
    • Changes to nested properties will affect both objects (shallow behavior). 
    • The top-level properties are independent between original and clone.
    •
Constraints
    
  
  • The input will always be a valid object
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  • Handle primitive values, arrays, and nested objects
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  • Only create shallow copies, not deep copies
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  • Time Complexity: O(n) where n is the number of properties
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  • Space Complexity: O(n) for the new object
    •
Control StructuresPwCKPMG
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Hint
Solution

Solution Hints

    
  
  • Use Object.assign() method to copy properties
    • 
  
  • Alternative: use spread operator (...) for modern JavaScript
    • 
  
  • Iterate through object properties using for...in loop
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  • Copy each property value to the new object
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  • Remember that nested objects will share references
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  • Consider using Object.keys() with reduce method
    •

Steps to solve by this approach:

 Step 1: Create a new empty object as the target for cloning.
 Step 2: Use Object.assign() method with empty object as first parameter.
 Step 3: Pass the source object as second parameter to Object.assign().
 Step 4: Object.assign() copies all enumerable properties from source to target.
 Step 5: Return the new object which contains copied properties.
 Step 6: The result is a shallow clone where top-level properties are independent.
 Step 7: Nested objects still share references between original and clone.

Submitted Code :