c# - What is the difference between copying and cloning?

Question

Is there a definitive reference on this in programming?

I see a lot of people refer to deep copying and cloning as the same thing. Is this true?

Is it language dependent?

A small point, but it was bothering me...

Answer 1

There's no formal definition of these concepts, atleast not one that spans all languages.

What's usually common though:

• clone - create something new based on something that exists.
• copying - copy from something that exists to something else (that also already exists).