Recursively evolve nested attrs classes

changelog.d/759.change.rst

@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+``attrs.evolve()`` now works recursively with nested ``attrs`` classes.

docs/examples.rst

@@ -618,6 +618,27 @@ In Clojure that function is called `assoc <https://clojuredocs.org/clojure.core/
    >>> i1 == i2
    False
 
+This functions also works for nested ``attrs`` classes.
+Pass a (possibly nested) dictionary with changes for an attribute:
+
+.. doctest::
+
+   >>> @attr.s(frozen=True)
+   ... class Child(object):
+   ...     x = attr.ib()
+   ...     y = attr.ib()
+   >>> @attr.s(frozen=True)
+   ... class Parent(object):
+   ...     child = attr.ib()
+   >>> i1 = Parent(Child(1, 2))
+   >>> i1
+   Parent(child=Child(x=1, y=2))
+   >>> i2 = attr.evolve(i1, child={"y": 3})
+   >>> i2
+   Parent(child=Child(x=1, y=3))
+   >>> i1 == i2, i1.child == i2.child
+   (False, False)
+
 
 Other Goodies
 -------------

src/attr/_funcs.py

@@ -319,7 +319,8 @@ def evolve(inst, **changes):
     Create a new instance, based on *inst* with *changes* applied.
 
     :param inst: Instance of a class with ``attrs`` attributes.
-    :param changes: Keyword changes in the new copy.
+    :param changes: Keyword changes in the new copy.  Nested ``attrs`` classes
+       can be updated by passing (nested) dicts of values.
 
     :return: A copy of inst with *changes* incorporated.
 
@@ -337,8 +338,13 @@ def evolve(inst, **changes):
             continue
         attr_name = a.name  # To deal with private attributes.
         init_name = attr_name if attr_name[0] != "_" else attr_name[1:]
+        value = getattr(inst, attr_name)
         if init_name not in changes:
-            changes[init_name] = getattr(inst, attr_name)
+            # Add original value to changes
+            changes[init_name] = value
+        elif has(value):
+            # Evolve nested attrs classes
+            changes[init_name] = evolve(value, **changes[init_name])
 
     return cls(**changes)
 

tests/test_funcs.py

@@ -597,3 +597,28 @@ class C(object):
             b = attr.ib(init=False, default=0)
 
         assert evolve(C(1), a=2).a == 2
+
+    def test_recursive(self):
+        """
+        evolve() recursively evolves nested attrs classes when a dict is
+        passed for an attribute.
+        """
+
+        @attr.s
+        class N2(object):
+            e = attr.ib(type=int)
+
+        @attr.s
+        class N1(object):
+            c = attr.ib(type=N2)
+            d = attr.ib(type=int)
+
+        @attr.s
+        class C(object):
+            a = attr.ib(type=N1)
+            b = attr.ib(type=int)
+
+        c1 = C(N1(N2(1), 2), 3)
+        c2 = evolve(c1, a={"c": {"e": 23}}, b=42)
+
+        assert c2 == C(N1(N2(23), 2), 42)