CoW: Avoid tracking references in delete if not necessary

pandas/core/internals/blocks.py

@@ -315,15 +315,16 @@ def take_block_columns(self, indices: npt.NDArray[np.intp]) -> Self:
 
     @final
     def getitem_block_columns(
-        self, slicer: slice, new_mgr_locs: BlockPlacement
+        self, slicer: slice, new_mgr_locs: BlockPlacement, ref_inplace_op: bool = False
     ) -> Self:
         """
         Perform __getitem__-like, return result as block.
 
         Only supports slices that preserve dimensionality.
         """
         new_values = self._slice(slicer)
-        return type(self)(new_values, new_mgr_locs, self.ndim, refs=self.refs)
+        refs = self.refs if not ref_inplace_op or self.refs.has_reference() else None
+        return type(self)(new_values, new_mgr_locs, self.ndim, refs=refs)
 
     @final
     def _can_hold_element(self, element: Any) -> bool:

pandas/core/internals/managers.py

@@ -672,6 +672,7 @@ def _slice_take_blocks_ax0(
         only_slice: bool = False,
         *,
         use_na_proxy: bool = False,
+        ref_inplace_op: bool = False,
     ) -> list[Block]:
         """
         Slice/take blocks along axis=0.
@@ -717,7 +718,9 @@ def _slice_take_blocks_ax0(
                     #  views instead of copies
                     blocks = [
                         blk.getitem_block_columns(
-                            slice(ml, ml + 1), new_mgr_locs=BlockPlacement(i)
+                            slice(ml, ml + 1),
+                            new_mgr_locs=BlockPlacement(i),
+                            ref_inplace_op=ref_inplace_op,
                         )
                         for i, ml in enumerate(slobj)
                     ]
@@ -1377,7 +1380,7 @@ def idelete(self, indexer) -> BlockManager:
         is_deleted[indexer] = True
         taker = (~is_deleted).nonzero()[0]
 
-        nbs = self._slice_take_blocks_ax0(taker, only_slice=True)
+        nbs = self._slice_take_blocks_ax0(taker, only_slice=True, ref_inplace_op=True)
         new_columns = self.items[~is_deleted]
         axes = [new_columns, self.axes[1]]
         return type(self)(tuple(nbs), axes, verify_integrity=False)

pandas/tests/copy_view/test_core_functionalities.py

@@ -78,11 +78,19 @@ def test_delete(using_copy_on_write):
     df = DataFrame(np.random.randn(4, 3), columns=["a", "b", "c"])
     del df["b"]
     if using_copy_on_write:
-        # TODO: This should not have references, delete makes a shallow copy
-        # but keeps the blocks alive
-        assert df._mgr.blocks[0].refs.has_reference()
-        assert df._mgr.blocks[1].refs.has_reference()
+        assert not df._mgr.blocks[0].refs.has_reference()
+        assert not df._mgr.blocks[1].refs.has_reference()
 
     df = df[["a"]]
     if using_copy_on_write:
         assert not df._mgr.blocks[0].refs.has_reference()
+
+
+def test_delete_reference(using_copy_on_write):
+    df = DataFrame(np.random.randn(4, 3), columns=["a", "b", "c"])
+    x = df[:]
+    del df["b"]
+    if using_copy_on_write:
+        assert df._mgr.blocks[0].refs.has_reference()
+        assert df._mgr.blocks[1].refs.has_reference()
+        assert x._mgr.blocks[1].refs.has_reference()