modulexcite / Cameronism.Ditto

.NET deep cloner and object comparer

.NET Deep Cloner and Object Comparer

important -- the following is not true (yet)

Features

• Supports
  • Deep cloning (full copies)
  • Object comparison
  • Hashcode
• Generates IEqualityComparer<T>

Usage

// static usage
var copy = Ditto.DeepClone(myObject);
Assert(!Object.ReferenceEquals(copy, myObject), "copy is not the same object");
Assert(Ditto.Equals(copy, myObject), "copy is equivalent");
Assert(Ditto.GetHashCode(copy) == Ditto.GetHashCode(myObject));

// instance usage
var comparer = Ditto.GetComparer<MyType>();
Assert(comparer is IEqualityComparer<MyType>);

var copy2 = comparer.DeepClone(myObject);
Assert(!Object.ReferenceEquals(copy2, myObject), "copy2 is not the same object");
Assert(comparer.Equals(copy2, myObject), "copy2 is equivalent");
Assert(comparer.GetHashCode(copy2) == Ditto.GetHashCode(myObject));

Future

• Customize behavior with DittoAttribute
• Provide a base class that automatically implements IEquatable<T>
• Support Ditto.DeepClone(sourceObject, destinationObject)

Documentation TODO

• Discuss value types
• Discuss immutable reference types (string, anonymous types)