Copies 

A content object can be a copy of another object. In contrast to the delta link, the copied object is an independent object that is no longer dependent or linked to the object from which it was copied. The copied objects (the new object instance) and the object from which it was copied have a sibling relationship and not a parent-child relationship, as is the case for the delta link.

The following diagram illustrates the difference between a copy and a delta link relationship.

There is a delta link relationship between objects 2 and 3, whereby object 3 references object 2. Object 2 is thus the source object of object 3. The two objects have a parent-child relationship.

Object 4 is a copy of object 2 and therefore no longer references object 2. Objects 2 and 4 have a sibling relationship and are linked to object 1 with a delta link. Object 1 is the common source object of objects 2 and 4.

A copied object is always a delta link. A copy does not reference the object from which it was copied. The source object is therefore the object that is one level higher in the object chain, and not the object on which it is based.