pi-lens/rules/tree-sitter-queries/java/no-clone-override.yml

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# No Clone Override
# Detects classes that override the clone() method
id: no-clone-override
name: Clone Should Not Be Overridden
severity: warning
category: reliability
defect_class: correctness
inline_tier: blocking
language: java

message: "clone() should not be overridden — use copy constructor instead"

description: |
  Overriding clone() is error-prone due to shallow copy issues and 
  complex inheritance. Use copy constructors or factory methods instead.

  ✅ FIX: Implement a copy constructor

  ```java
  public class Person {
      private String name;
      
      public Person(Person other) {
          this.name = other.name;
      }
  }
  ```

query: |
  (method_declaration
    name: (identifier) @NAME (#eq? @NAME "clone")
    parameters: (formal_parameters) @PARAMS)

metavars:
  - NAME
  - PARAMS

tags:
  - reliability
  - java
  - cloning
  - best-practice

examples:
  bad: |
    class MyClass implements Cloneable {
        @Override
        public Object clone() {  // BAD - override
            // ...
        }
    }

  good: |
    class MyClass {
        public MyClass(MyClass other) {  // GOOD - copy constructor
            this.field = other.field;
        }
    }

has_fix: false