# Copy node/subflow by Reference

**URL:** <https://discourse.nodered.org/t/copy-node-subflow-by-reference/96730>\
**Category:** Feature Requests\
**Created:** [23 April 2025 21:48 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/copy-node-subflow-by-reference/96730 "2025-04-23T21:48:47Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 2

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![dceejay](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/dceejay/32/38_2.png) [@dceejay](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/dceejay)\
**Post date:** [24 April 2025 06:33 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/copy-node-subflow-by-reference/96730/2 "2025-04-24T06:33:54Z")

</div>

Each node is defined as an object. As soon as you make a copy several of the properties need to change - like x,y positions, id, and (as per your suggestion) the icon. So it is immediately not an exact copy so can’t be by reference. I don’t think it can be like overlay storage like docker uses that just stores differences. So not sure how this would ever work.

---

_[View the full topic](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/copy-node-subflow-by-reference/96730)._