diff --git a/python/core/qgsmaplayer.sip b/python/core/qgsmaplayer.sip
index 5704ff532a5..a664e875b09 100644
--- a/python/core/qgsmaplayer.sip
+++ b/python/core/qgsmaplayer.sip
@@ -67,6 +67,15 @@ class QgsMapLayer : QObject
     virtual ~QgsMapLayer();
 
 
+    virtual QgsMapLayer *clone( bool deep ) const = 0;
+%Docstring
+ Returns a new instance equivalent to this one.
+ \param deep If true, a deep copy is done
+ :return: a new layer instance
+.. versionadded:: 3.0
+ :rtype: QgsMapLayer
+%End
+
     QgsMapLayer::LayerType type() const;
 %Docstring
  Returns the type of the layer.
@@ -470,6 +479,13 @@ Invoked by QgsProject.read().
  :rtype: QVariant
 %End
 
+    void setCustomProperties( const QgsObjectCustomProperties &properties );
+%Docstring
+ Set custom properties for layer.
+ \param properties The custom properties to set.
+.. versionadded:: 3.0
+%End
+
     void removeCustomProperty( const QString &key );
 %Docstring
  Remove a custom property from layer. Properties are stored in a map and saved in project file.
@@ -1028,6 +1044,16 @@ Signal emitted when the blend mode is changed, through QgsMapLayer.setBlendMode(
 %End
 
   protected:
+
+    void clone( QgsMapLayer *layer, bool deep = false ) const;
+%Docstring
+ Copies attributes like name, short name, ... into another layer. The
+  unique ID is copied too if deep parameter is true.
+ \param layer The copy recipient
+ \param deep To copy the unique ID or not
+.. versionadded:: 3.0
+%End
+
     virtual void setExtent( const QgsRectangle &rect );
 %Docstring
 Set the extent
diff --git a/python/core/qgsmaplayerstylemanager.sip b/python/core/qgsmaplayerstylemanager.sip
index 070963b5ade..c1235f0ad71 100644
--- a/python/core/qgsmaplayerstylemanager.sip
+++ b/python/core/qgsmaplayerstylemanager.sip
@@ -133,6 +133,15 @@ Write configuration (for project saving)
 Return list of all defined style names
  :rtype: list of str
 %End
+
+    QMap<QString, QgsMapLayerStyle> mapLayerStyles() const;
+%Docstring
+ Gets available styles for the associated map layer.
+ :return: A map of map layer style by style name
+.. versionadded:: 3.0
+ :rtype: QMap<str, QgsMapLayerStyle>
+%End
+
     QgsMapLayerStyle style( const QString &name ) const;
 %Docstring
 Return data of a stored style - accessed by its unique name
diff --git a/python/core/qgspluginlayer.sip b/python/core/qgspluginlayer.sip
index 8cdb885af38..240d976c6d8 100644
--- a/python/core/qgspluginlayer.sip
+++ b/python/core/qgspluginlayer.sip
@@ -26,6 +26,15 @@ In order to be readable from project files, they should set these attributes in
     QgsPluginLayer( const QString &layerType, const QString &layerName = QString() );
     ~QgsPluginLayer();
 
+    virtual QgsPluginLayer *clone( bool deep ) const = 0;
+%Docstring
+ Returns a new instance equivalent to this one.
+ \param deep If true, a deep copy is done
+ :return: a new layer instance
+.. versionadded:: 3.0
+ :rtype: QgsPluginLayer
+%End
+
     QString pluginLayerType();
 %Docstring
 Return plugin layer type (the same as used in QgsPluginLayerRegistry)
diff --git a/python/core/qgsvectorlayer.sip b/python/core/qgsvectorlayer.sip
index 944b8727011..59063d1fd72 100644
--- a/python/core/qgsvectorlayer.sip
+++ b/python/core/qgsvectorlayer.sip
@@ -334,6 +334,18 @@ class QgsVectorLayer : QgsMapLayer, QgsExpressionContextGenerator, QgsFeatureSin
     virtual ~QgsVectorLayer();
 
 
+    virtual QgsVectorLayer *clone( bool deep = false ) const /Factory/;
+%Docstring
+ Returns a new instance equivalent to this one. A new provider is
+  created for the same data source and renderers for features and diagrams
+  are cloned too. Moreover, each attributes (transparency, extent, selected
+  features and so on) are identicals.
+ \param deep If true, a deep copy is done (unique ID is copied too)
+ :return: a new layer instance
+.. versionadded:: 3.0
+ :rtype: QgsVectorLayer
+%End
+
     QString storageType() const;
 %Docstring
 Returns the permanent storage type for this layer as a friendly name.
diff --git a/python/core/raster/qgsrasterlayer.sip b/python/core/raster/qgsrasterlayer.sip
index 06de0b41614..3cbe0bea192 100644
--- a/python/core/raster/qgsrasterlayer.sip
+++ b/python/core/raster/qgsrasterlayer.sip
@@ -41,6 +41,14 @@ class QgsRasterLayer : QgsMapLayer
     /** \brief The destructor */
     ~QgsRasterLayer();
 
+    /** Returns a new instance equivalent to this one. A new provider is
+     *  created for the same data source and renderer is cloned too.
+     * \param deep If true, a deep copy is done (unique ID is copy too)
+     * \returns a new layer instance
+     * \since QGIS 3.0
+     */
+    virtual QgsRasterLayer *clone( bool deep = true ) const /Factory/;
+
     /** \brief This enumerator describes the types of shading that can be used */
     enum ColorShadingAlgorithm
     {