What is the difference between angular.copy() and an assignment (=)?

Question

I want to assign some values when a button click event happens via event parameter:

$scope.update = function(context) {
    $scope.master = context;
};


        

Answer 1

In assignment we share the reference of the object. when we use angular.copy we create a new reference point with the same object details.

var user1={name:'hello'};

The object {name:'hello'} has a reference point(let's say 123, which is saved in user1; when we write

var user2=var user1; //reference point of user2 is also 123 
user2.name="world"; //we update the object in 123
console.log(user1.name); //answer is "world" because reference object is updated

In case you don't want to update user1 when you change something in user2 we have to create a copy. we can do it like

var user2=angular.copy(user1);

or

var user2=Object.assign({},user1);

Answer 2

Simply

angular.copy() is same as .clone() of jquery which create & returns same object copy with dept. (call by value)

= it does assign the value with its reference value(call by reference),

a = b in this a will be b value is assigned to a, but if both a & b are array then changes in a will reflect in b & vice versa.

Answer 3

= represents a reference whereas angular.copy() creates a new object as a deep copy.

Using = would mean that changing a property of contextwould change the corresponding property of $scope.master or vice versa.

Using angular.copy() the two objects would remain seperate and changes would not reflect on each other.

Answer 4

When you manipulate primitive types (like int) in Javascript, = and angular.copy are the same as any assignment results in copying the value of the variable.

When you manipulate objects in Javascript, = assign a reference to the existing object to the variable and angular.copy is copying, that means creating a new object with the same properties and values and assigning the new object's reference to the variable.

Answer 5

As can be read here angular.copy() performs a deep copy (cf. "clone") of the argument - essentially creating a new object - whereas using the assignment operator = just assigns reference's.

Thus in the latter case, if you we're to change something in $scope.master you would also change context.

Cheers,