下面的代码演示了赋值、使用复制方法的浅复制、使用(slice)[:]的浅复制和深度复制之间的区别。下面的示例使用嵌套列表，使差异更加明显。

from copy import deepcopy

########"List assignment (does not create a copy) ############
l1 = [1,2,3, [4,5,6], [7,8,9]]
l1_assigned = l1

print(l1)
print(l1_assigned)

print(id(l1), id(l1_assigned))
print(id(l1[3]), id(l1_assigned[3]))
print(id(l1[3][0]), id(l1_assigned[3][0]))

l1[3][0] = 100
l1.pop(4)
l1.remove(1)


print(l1)
print(l1_assigned)
print("###################################")

########"List copy using copy method (shallow copy)############

l2 = [1,2,3, [4,5,6], [7,8,9]]
l2_copy = l2.copy()

print(l2)
print(l2_copy)

print(id(l2), id(l2_copy))
print(id(l2[3]), id(l2_copy[3]))
print(id(l2[3][0]), id(l2_copy[3][0]))
l2[3][0] = 100
l2.pop(4)
l2.remove(1)


print(l2)
print(l2_copy)

print("###################################")

########"List copy using slice (shallow copy)############

l3 = [1,2,3, [4,5,6], [7,8,9]]
l3_slice = l3[:]

print(l3)
print(l3_slice)

print(id(l3), id(l3_slice))
print(id(l3[3]), id(l3_slice[3]))
print(id(l3[3][0]), id(l3_slice[3][0]))

l3[3][0] = 100
l3.pop(4)
l3.remove(1)


print(l3)
print(l3_slice)

print("###################################")

########"List copy using deepcopy ############

l4 = [1,2,3, [4,5,6], [7,8,9]]
l4_deep = deepcopy(l4)

print(l4)
print(l4_deep)

print(id(l4), id(l4_deep))
print(id(l4[3]), id(l4_deep[3]))
print(id(l4[3][0]), id(l4_deep[3][0]))

l4[3][0] = 100
l4.pop(4)
l4.remove(1)

print(l4)
print(l4_deep)
print("##########################")
print(l4[2], id(l4[2]))
print(l4_deep[3], id(l4_deep[3]))

print(l4[2][0], id(l4[2][0]))
print(l4_deep[3][0], id(l4_deep[3][0]))

对于不可变对象，创建一个副本没有多大意义，因为它们不会改变。对于可变对象赋值，copy和deepcopy的行为不同。让我们用例子来讨论每一个。

赋值操作只是将源的引用赋值给目标，例如:

>>> i = [1,2,3]
>>> j=i
>>> hex(id(i)), hex(id(j))
>>> ('0x10296f908', '0x10296f908') #Both addresses are identical

现在i和j技术上指向同一个列表。i和j都有相同的内存地址。任何更新 其中一个会被另一个反射。例句:

>>> i.append(4)
>>> j
>>> [1,2,3,4] #Destination is updated

>>> j.append(5)
>>> i
>>> [1,2,3,4,5] #Source is updated

另一方面，copy和deepcopy会创建一个新的变量副本。所以现在对原始变量的更改将不会被反映 复制变量，反之亦然。但是复制(浅复制)，不创建嵌套对象的副本，而只是 复制嵌套对象的引用。Deepcopy递归复制所有嵌套对象。

一些演示copy和deepcopy行为的例子:

使用copy的平面列表示例:

>>> import copy
>>> i = [1,2,3]
>>> j = copy.copy(i)
>>> hex(id(i)), hex(id(j))
>>> ('0x102b9b7c8', '0x102971cc8') #Both addresses are different

>>> i.append(4)
>>> j
>>> [1,2,3] #Updation of original list didn't affected copied variable

使用copy的嵌套列表示例:

>>> import copy
>>> i = [1,2,3,[4,5]]
>>> j = copy.copy(i)

>>> hex(id(i)), hex(id(j))
>>> ('0x102b9b7c8', '0x102971cc8') #Both addresses are still different

>>> hex(id(i[3])), hex(id(j[3]))
>>> ('0x10296f908', '0x10296f908') #Nested lists have same address

>>> i[3].append(6)
>>> j
>>> [1,2,3,[4,5,6]] #Updation of original nested list updated the copy as well

使用deepcopy的平面列表示例:

>>> import copy
>>> i = [1,2,3]
>>> j = copy.deepcopy(i)
>>> hex(id(i)), hex(id(j))
>>> ('0x102b9b7c8', '0x102971cc8') #Both addresses are different

>>> i.append(4)
>>> j
>>> [1,2,3] #Updation of original list didn't affected copied variable

使用deepcopy的嵌套列表示例:

>>> import copy
>>> i = [1,2,3,[4,5]]
>>> j = copy.deepcopy(i)

>>> hex(id(i)), hex(id(j))
>>> ('0x102b9b7c8', '0x102971cc8') #Both addresses are still different

>>> hex(id(i[3])), hex(id(j[3]))
>>> ('0x10296f908', '0x102b9b7c8') #Nested lists have different addresses

>>> i[3].append(6)
>>> j
>>> [1,2,3,[4,5]] #Updation of original nested list didn't affected the copied variable    

下面的代码显示了底层地址在复制、深度复制和赋值时是如何受到影响的。这类似于Sohaib Farooqi用列表展示的东西，但是用类。

from copy import deepcopy, copy

class A(object):
    """docstring for A"""
    def __init__(self):
        super().__init__()

class B(object):
    """docstring for B"""
    def __init__(self):
        super().__init__()
        self.myA = A()

a = B()
print("a is", a)
print("a.myA is", a.myA)
print("After copy")
b = copy(a)
print("b is", b)
print("b.myA is", b.myA)
b.myA = A()
print("-- after changing value")
print("a is", a)
print("a.myA is", a.myA)
print("b is", b)
print("b.myA is", b.myA)

print("Resetting")
print("*"*40)
a = B()
print("a is", a)
print("a.myA is", a.myA)
print("After deepcopy")
b = deepcopy(a)
print("b is", b)
print("b.myA is", b.myA)
b.myA = A()
print("-- after changing value")
print("a is", a)
print("a.myA is", a.myA)
print("b is", b)
print("b.myA is", b.myA)

print("Resetting")
print("*"*40)
a = B()
print("a is", a)
print("a.myA is", a.myA)
print("After assignment")
b = a
print("b is", b)
print("b.myA is", b.myA)
b.myA = A()
print("-- after changing value")
print("a is", a)
print("a.myA is", a.myA)
print("b is", b)
print("b.myA is", b.myA)

这段代码的输出如下:

a is <__main__.B object at 0x7f1d8ff59760>
a.myA is <__main__.A object at 0x7f1d8fe8f970>
After copy
b is <__main__.B object at 0x7f1d8fe43280>
b.myA is <__main__.A object at 0x7f1d8fe8f970>
-- after changing value
a is <__main__.B object at 0x7f1d8ff59760>
a.myA is <__main__.A object at 0x7f1d8fe8f970>
b is <__main__.B object at 0x7f1d8fe43280>
b.myA is <__main__.A object at 0x7f1d8fe85820>
Resetting
****************************************
a is <__main__.B object at 0x7f1d8fe85370>
a.myA is <__main__.A object at 0x7f1d8fe43310>
After deepcopy
b is <__main__.B object at 0x7f1d8fde3040>
b.myA is <__main__.A object at 0x7f1d8fde30d0>
-- after changing value
a is <__main__.B object at 0x7f1d8fe85370>
a.myA is <__main__.A object at 0x7f1d8fe43310>
b is <__main__.B object at 0x7f1d8fde3040>
b.myA is <__main__.A object at 0x7f1d8fe43280>
Resetting
****************************************
a is <__main__.B object at 0x7f1d8fe432b0>
a.myA is <__main__.A object at 0x7f1d8fe85820>
After assignment
b is <__main__.B object at 0x7f1d8fe432b0>
b.myA is <__main__.A object at 0x7f1d8fe85820>
-- after changing value
a is <__main__.B object at 0x7f1d8fe432b0>
a.myA is <__main__.A object at 0x7f1d8fe85370>
b is <__main__.B object at 0x7f1d8fe432b0>
b.myA is <__main__.A object at 0x7f1d8fe85370>

The GIST to take is this: Dealing with shallow lists (no sub_lists, just single elements) using "normal assignment" rises a "side effect" when you create a shallow list and then you create a copy of this list using "normal assignment". This "side effect" is when you change any element of the copy list created, because it will automatically change the same elements of the original list. That is when copy comes in handy, as it won't change the original list elements when changing the copy elements.

On the other hand, copy does have a "side effect" as well, when you have a list that has lists in it (sub_lists), and deepcopy solves it. For instance if you create a big list that has nested lists in it (sub_lists), and you create a copy of this big list (the original list). The "side effect" would arise when you modify the sub_lists of the copy list which would automatically modify the sub_lists of the big list. Sometimes (in some projects) you want to keep the big list (your original list) as it is without modification, and all you want is to make a copy of its elements (sub_lists). For that, your solution is to use deepcopy which will take care of this "side effect" and makes a copy without modifying the original content.

复制和深度复制操作的不同行为只涉及复合对象(即:包含其他对象(如列表)的对象)。

下面是这个简单的代码示例中说明的差异:

第一个

让我们通过创建一个原始列表和这个列表的副本来检查copy (shallow)的行为:

import copy
original_list = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, ['a', 'b']]
copy_list = copy.copy(original_list)

现在，让我们运行一些打印测试，看看原始列表与它的复制列表相比表现如何:

Original_list和copy_list的地址不同

print(hex(id(original_list)), hex(id(copy_list))) # 0x1fb3030 0x1fb3328

original_list和copy_list中的元素有相同的地址

print(hex(id(original_list[1])), hex(id(copy_list[1]))) # 0x537ed440 0x537ed440

original_list和copy_list的Sub_elements有相同的地址

print(hex(id(original_list[5])), hex(id(copy_list[5]))) # 0x1faef08 0x1faef08

修改original_list元素不会修改copy_list元素

original_list.append(6)
print("original_list is:", original_list) # original_list is: [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, ['a', 'b'], 6]
print("copy_list is:", copy_list) # copy_list is: [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, ['a', 'b']]

修改copy_list元素不会修改original_list元素

copy_list.append(7)
print("original_list is:", original_list) # original_list is: [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, ['a', 'b'], 6]
print("copy_list is:", copy_list) # copy_list is: [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, ['a', 'b'], 7]

修改original_list sub_elements会自动修改copy_list sub_elements

original_list[5].append('c')
print("original_list is:", original_list) # original_list is: [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, ['a', 'b', 'c'], 6]
print("copy_list is:", copy_list) # copy_list is: [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, ['a', 'b', 'c'], 7]

修改copy_list sub_elements会自动修改original_list sub_elements

copy_list[5].append('d')
print("original_list is:", original_list) # original_list is: [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, ['a', 'b', 'c', 'd'], 6]
print("copy_list is:", copy_list) # copy_list is: [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, ['a', 'b', 'c', 'd'], 7]

第二个

让我们来检查deepcopy的行为，通过做和copy相同的事情(创建一个原始列表和这个列表的副本):

import copy
original_list = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, ['a', 'b']]
copy_list = copy.copy(original_list)

现在，让我们运行一些打印测试，看看原始列表与它的复制列表相比表现如何:

import copy
original_list = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, ['a', 'b']]
copy_list = copy.deepcopy(original_list)

Original_list和copy_list的地址不同

print(hex(id(original_list)), hex(id(copy_list))) # 0x1fb3030 0x1fb3328

original_list和copy_list中的元素有相同的地址

print(hex(id(original_list[1])), hex(id(copy_list[1]))) # 0x537ed440 0x537ed440

original_list和copy_list的Sub_elements有不同的地址

print(hex(id(original_list[5])), hex(id(copy_list[5]))) # 0x24eef08 0x24f3300

修改original_list元素不会修改copy_list元素

original_list.append(6)
print("original_list is:", original_list) # original_list is: [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, ['a', 'b'], 6]
print("copy_list is:", copy_list) # copy_list is: [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, ['a', 'b']]

修改copy_list元素不会修改original_list元素

copy_list.append(7)
print("original_list is:", original_list) # original_list is: [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, ['a', 'b'], 6]
print("copy_list is:", copy_list) # copy_list is: [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, ['a', 'b'], 7]

修改original_list sub_elements不会修改copy_list sub_elements

original_list[5].append('c')
print("original_list is:", original_list) # original_list is: [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, ['a', 'b', 'c'], 6]
print("copy_list is:", copy_list) # copy_list is: [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, ['a', 'b'], 7]

修改copy_list sub_elements不会修改original_list sub_elements

copy_list[5].append('d')
print("original_list is:", original_list) # original_list is: [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, ['a', 'b', 'c', 'd'], 6]
print("copy_list is:", copy_list) # copy_list is: [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, ['a', 'b', 'd'], 7]

>>lst=[1,2,3,4,5]

>>a=lst

>>b=lst[:]

>>> b
[1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

>>> a
[1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

>>> lst is b
False

>>> lst is a
True

>>> id(lst)
46263192

>>> id(a)
46263192 ------>  See here id of a and id of lst is same so its called deep copy and even boolean answer is true

>>> id(b)
46263512 ------>  See here id of b and id of lst is not same so its called shallow copy and even boolean answer is false although output looks same.

对于不可变对象，不需要复制，因为数据永远不会改变，所以Python使用相同的数据;id总是相同的。对于可变对象，因为它们可能会改变，[浅]复制创建一个新对象。

深度复制与嵌套结构有关。如果你有列表的列表，那么deepcopy也复制嵌套的列表，所以它是递归复制。通过复制，您有一个新的外部列表，但内部列表是引用。

赋值不复制。它只是将引用设置为旧数据。因此，您需要复制来创建一个具有相同内容的新列表。