Swift Classes Use Reference Types, Meaning Copies Share the Same Data

In Swift, classes are reference types, so assigning a class instance to a new variable does not create an independent copy of the data. Both variables point to the same memory location, meaning a change made through one variable is reflected in the other. This contrasts with structs, which are value types that produce fully independent copies when assigned. The reference-type behavior is intentional and useful for managing shared state across multiple parts of an app, such as a user profile displayed on several screens. Developers who need a true independent copy of a class instance must manually implement a copy method that initializes a new instance with the same values.