mergeDeep

The mergeDeep function is a utility that merges and deep copies the values of all enumerable own properties from a source object to a target object, creating a new object with the merged and deeply copied properties. This ensures that changes made to the merged object do not affect the original target or source objects.

Usage

Import the mergeDeep function in your project and use it to merge and deep copy properties from a source object to a target object:

import { mergeDeep } from "./path-to-mergeDeep";
 
// Your code goes here
 
const targetObject = {
  name: "John Doe",
  address: {
    city: "Example City",
    country: "Example Country",
  },
};
 
const sourceObject = {
  address: {
    city: "New City",
  },
  age: 26,
};
 
const mergedObject = mergeDeep(targetObject, sourceObject);
 
// Make changes to the merged object without affecting the original target or source
mergedObject.age = 27;
mergedObject.address.city = "Another City";
 
// Log the original target, source, and merged objects to see the difference
console.log("Target Object:", targetObject);
console.log("Source Object:", sourceObject);
console.log("Merged Object:", mergedObject);

Parameters

The mergeDeep function takes two parameters:

• target (T): The target object to get properties from.
• source (S): The source object from which to copy properties.

Return Value

The function returns a new object that is a merged and deep copy of the target and source objects.

Example

import { mergeDeep } from "./path-to-mergeDeep";
 
const targetObject = {
  name: "Alice Wonderland",
  preferences: {
    color: "blue",
    theme: "dark",
  },
};
 
const sourceObject = {
  preferences: {
    theme: "light",
  },
  age: 30,
};
 
const mergedObject = mergeDeep(targetObject, sourceObject);
 
console.log("Target Object:", targetObject);
console.log("Source Object:", sourceObject);
console.log("Merged Object:", mergedObject);
 
// Output:
// Target Object: { name: 'Alice Wonderland', preferences: { color: 'blue', theme: 'dark' } }
// Source Object: { preferences: { theme: 'light' }, age: 30 }
// Merged Object: { name: 'Alice Wonderland', preferences: { color: 'blue', theme: 'light' }, age: 30 }

In this example, the mergeDeep function is used to create a new object by merging and deep copying properties from a target and source object. Changes to the merged object do not affect the original target or source objects.

Use Cases

1. State Management in React: When managing state in a React application, especially with complex and nested structures, mergeDeep can be used to ensure immutability and prevent unintended side effects.
2. Configuration Objects: If your application uses configuration objects with nested properties, mergeDeep ensures that modifications to one instance do not affect others.
3. Data Integration: When integrating data from multiple sources or APIs, mergeDeep can be employed to combine and transform data structures while maintaining isolation.

Pros and Cons

Integrate the mergeDeep function into your project to facilitate the merging and deep copying of objects, ensuring robust data handling and immutability where needed.