# 
## Overview
The **`_.clone()` method** in Lodash creates and returns the shallow copy of a value.

**Shallow copy** means that all the top-level properties of both the values (original and cloned) are unique, but the nested properties share the same reference address. Thus, modifying any original nested values will automatically modify the cloned nested value and vice versa. 



## Syntax
```
_.clone(value)
```

## Parameter
This method accepts the following parameter.
* **`value`** : The value to be cloned

The following types can be used as the parameters:

* Objects
* Arrays
* Array buffers
* Typed arrays
* Sets
* Maps


* Booleans
* Strings
* Symbols
* Regex
* Date

## Return value
This method returns the shallow copy of the original value.

## Example
Let’s look at an example of the **`_.clone()` method** in the code snippet below:

// original value
const value = {
    'name': 'Shubham Singh Kshatriya',
    'number': {
        'home': 20,
        'office': 10
    }
}

// cloned value
const clonedValue = _.clone(value);

// print both the values on console
console.log("Original value before edit", value)
console.log("Cloned value before edit", clonedValue)

// editing the top level property of original value
value.name = "Shubham"

// again print both the values on console
console.log("Original value after top level property edit", value)
console.log("Cloned value after top level property edit", clonedValue)

// editing the nested property of original value
value.number.home = 50

// again print both the values on console
console.log("Original value after nested property edit", value)
console.log("Cloned value after nested property edit", clonedValue)

codemirror

console

## Explanation
In the HTML tab:
* **Line 5**: We import the `lodash` script.

In the JavaScript tab:
* **Lines 2 to 8**: We create an object `value` to clone.
* **Line 11**: We use the `_.clone()` method to create a clone of `value`.
* **Lines 14 to 15**: We print the original and cloned values to the console.
* **Line 18**: We edit a top-level property of the original value.
* **Lines 21 to 22**: We print the original and cloned values to the console again.
* **Line 25**: We edit a nested property of the original value.
* **Lines 28 to 29**: We print the original and cloned values to the console again.

## Output

* The `_.clone()` method creates a clone of value.
* The original and the cloned value have similar values.

After editing a top-level property of original value:
*  The top-level properties are unique in both the values.
* Thus, the `name` attribute is updated only in the original value. The cloned value won't get modified. It can be seen in the console.

After editing a nested property of original value:
*  The nested properties share reference addresses.
* Thus, the `number.home` attribute is updated only in both the values. It can be seen in the console.


What is the _.clone() method in Lodash?

The _.clone() method in Lodash creates a shallow copy of a value, sharing nested property references.