/* Copyright (c) 2008-2020, Nathan Sweet
 * All rights reserved.
 * 
 * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without modification, are permitted provided that the following
 * conditions are met:
 * 
 * - Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
 * - Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following
 * disclaimer in the documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
 * - Neither the name of Esoteric Software nor the names of its contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived
 * from this software without specific prior written permission.
 * 
 * THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING,
 * BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT
 * SHALL THE COPYRIGHT HOLDER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL
 * DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS
 * INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING
 * NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE. */

package com.esotericsoftware.kryo;

/** Allows implementing classes to perform their own copying. Hand written copying can be more efficient in some cases.
 * <p>
 * This method is used instead of the registered serializer's {@link Serializer#copy(Kryo, Object)} method.
 * @author Nathan Sweet */
public interface KryoCopyable<T> {
	/** Returns a copy that has the same values as this object. Before Kryo can be used to copy child objects,
	 * {@link Kryo#reference(Object)} must be called with the copy to ensure it can be referenced by the child objects.
	 * @see Serializer#copy(Kryo, Object) */
	public T copy (Kryo kryo);
}
