Eager Copying
Eager copying is a programming concept where a copy of an object or data structure is made immediately upon assignment or passing, creating a separate, independent instance. This contrasts with lazy copying, where copying is deferred until necessary, often to optimize performance. It is commonly used in languages with value semantics or to ensure data integrity by preventing unintended mutations.
Developers should use eager copying when they need to ensure that modifications to a copied object do not affect the original, such as in multi-threaded environments or when passing data between components that require isolation. It is particularly useful in functional programming paradigms or when working with immutable data structures to avoid side effects and bugs related to shared state.