[c#] Deep cloning objects

I've just created CloneExtensions library project. It performs fast, deep clone using simple assignment operations generated by Expression Tree runtime code compilation.

How to use it?

Instead of writing your own Clone or Copy methods with a tone of assignments between fields and properties make the program do it for yourself, using Expression Tree. GetClone<T>() method marked as extension method allows you to simply call it on your instance:

var newInstance = source.GetClone();

You can choose what should be copied from source to newInstance using CloningFlags enum:

var newInstance 
    = source.GetClone(CloningFlags.Properties | CloningFlags.CollectionItems);

What can be cloned?

• Primitive (int, uint, byte, double, char, etc.), known immutable types (DateTime, TimeSpan, String) and delegates (including Action, Func, etc)
• Nullable
• T[] arrays
• Custom classes and structs, including generic classes and structs.

Following class/struct members are cloned internally:

• Values of public, not readonly fields
• Values of public properties with both get and set accessors
• Collection items for types implementing ICollection

How fast it is?

The solution is faster then reflection, because members information has to be gathered only once, before GetClone<T> is used for the first time for given type T.

It's also faster than serialization-based solution when you clone more then couple instances of the same type T.

and more...

Read more about generated expressions on documentation.

Sample expression debug listing for List<int>:

.Lambda #Lambda1<System.Func`4[System.Collections.Generic.List`1[System.Int32],CloneExtensions.CloningFlags,System.Collections.Generic.IDictionary`2[System.Type,System.Func`2[System.Object,System.Object]],System.Collections.Generic.List`1[System.Int32]]>(
    System.Collections.Generic.List`1[System.Int32] $source,
    CloneExtensions.CloningFlags $flags,
    System.Collections.Generic.IDictionary`2[System.Type,System.Func`2[System.Object,System.Object]] $initializers) {
    .Block(System.Collections.Generic.List`1[System.Int32] $target) {
        .If ($source == null) {
            .Return #Label1 { null }
        } .Else {
            .Default(System.Void)
        };
        .If (
            .Call $initializers.ContainsKey(.Constant<System.Type>(System.Collections.Generic.List`1[System.Int32]))
        ) {
            $target = (System.Collections.Generic.List`1[System.Int32]).Call ($initializers.Item[.Constant<System.Type>(System.Collections.Generic.List`1[System.Int32])]
            ).Invoke((System.Object)$source)
        } .Else {
            $target = .New System.Collections.Generic.List`1[System.Int32]()
        };
        .If (
            ((System.Byte)$flags & (System.Byte).Constant<CloneExtensions.CloningFlags>(Fields)) == (System.Byte).Constant<CloneExtensions.CloningFlags>(Fields)
        ) {
            .Default(System.Void)
        } .Else {
            .Default(System.Void)
        };
        .If (
            ((System.Byte)$flags & (System.Byte).Constant<CloneExtensions.CloningFlags>(Properties)) == (System.Byte).Constant<CloneExtensions.CloningFlags>(Properties)
        ) {
            .Block() {
                $target.Capacity = .Call CloneExtensions.CloneFactory.GetClone(
                    $source.Capacity,
                    $flags,
                    $initializers)
            }
        } .Else {
            .Default(System.Void)
        };
        .If (
            ((System.Byte)$flags & (System.Byte).Constant<CloneExtensions.CloningFlags>(CollectionItems)) == (System.Byte).Constant<CloneExtensions.CloningFlags>(CollectionItems)
        ) {
            .Block(
                System.Collections.Generic.IEnumerator`1[System.Int32] $var1,
                System.Collections.Generic.ICollection`1[System.Int32] $var2) {
                $var1 = (System.Collections.Generic.IEnumerator`1[System.Int32]).Call $source.GetEnumerator();
                $var2 = (System.Collections.Generic.ICollection`1[System.Int32])$target;
                .Loop  {
                    .If (.Call $var1.MoveNext() != False) {
                        .Call $var2.Add(.Call CloneExtensions.CloneFactory.GetClone(
                                $var1.Current,
                                $flags,


                         $initializers))
                } .Else {
                    .Break #Label2 { }
                }
            }
            .LabelTarget #Label2:
        }
    } .Else {
        .Default(System.Void)
    };
    .Label
        $target
    .LabelTarget #Label1:
}

}

what has the same meaning like following c# code:

(source, flags, initializers) =>
{
    if(source == null)
        return null;

    if(initializers.ContainsKey(typeof(List<int>))
        target = (List<int>)initializers[typeof(List<int>)].Invoke((object)source);
    else
        target = new List<int>();

    if((flags & CloningFlags.Properties) == CloningFlags.Properties)
    {
        target.Capacity = target.Capacity.GetClone(flags, initializers);
    }

    if((flags & CloningFlags.CollectionItems) == CloningFlags.CollectionItems)
    {
        var targetCollection = (ICollection<int>)target;
        foreach(var item in (ICollection<int>)source)
        {
            targetCollection.Add(item.Clone(flags, initializers));
        }
    }

    return target;
}

Isn't it quite like how you'd write your own Clone method for List<int>?