docs: document std::pair/std::tuple serializing as an object for string-keyed pairs (#5442)

A std::pair or std::tuple whose every element is itself a two-element array
with a string first element (e.g. std::pair<std::string, int>) serializes to
a JSON object instead of a JSON array, because to_json builds the value with a
brace initializer and the initializer-list object-detection rule fires. The
resulting object cannot be read back into the original type and collapses
duplicate keys. Document this quirk in the conversions guide, together with the
unaffected cases and the idiom to force an array.


Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_016cwQq8WQRFzQcGQtbJTtJg

Signed-off-by: Claude <noreply@anthropic.com>
Co-authored-by: Claude <noreply@anthropic.com>
This commit is contained in:
Niels Lohmann
2026-08-28 13:26:01 +01:00
committed by GitHub
co-authored by Claude
parent 1876493f87
commit 3fa93dac65
+24
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@@ -54,6 +54,30 @@ json j = {1.0, "hello", 42};
auto t = j.get<std::tuple<double, std::string, int>>(); // {1.0, "hello", 42} auto t = j.get<std::tuple<double, std::string, int>>(); // {1.0, "hello", 42}
``` ```
!!! warning "Serializing a `std::pair`/`std::tuple` whose every element is a string-keyed pair"
When *every* element of a `#!cpp std::pair` or `#!cpp std::tuple` is itself a two-element array whose first
element is a string (for example `#!cpp std::pair<std::string, int>`), serializing it produces a JSON **object**
instead of the expected array:
```cpp
using kv = std::pair<std::string, int>;
json j = std::pair<kv, kv>{{"a", 1}, {"b", 2}}; // {"a":1,"b":2}, not [["a",1],["b",2]]
```
This is a consequence of the [brace-initializer object-detection rule](creating_values.md): the same rule that
lets `#!cpp json{{"a", 1}, {"b", 2}}` create an object also fires here. The resulting object cannot be read back
into the original type (`#!cpp get<std::pair<kv, kv>>()` throws [`type_error.302`](../home/exceptions.md#jsonexceptiontype_error302)),
and duplicate keys collapse into one, losing elements. This only affects `#!cpp std::pair`/`#!cpp std::tuple`
themselves; a `#!cpp std::vector<std::pair<std::string, int>>`, or a pair/tuple with at least one element that is
not a string-keyed pair, serializes to an array as expected. To force an array, build one explicitly from the
elements with [`array`](../api/basic_json/array.md):
```cpp
std::pair<kv, kv> p{{"a", 1}, {"b", 2}};
json a = json::array({p.first, p.second}); // [["a",1],["b",2]]
```
!!! info "Extracting references into a tuple" !!! info "Extracting references into a tuple"
A tuple type may also hold references (e.g. `#!cpp std::tuple<double&, std::string&>`) to avoid copying: `get` A tuple type may also hold references (e.g. `#!cpp std::tuple<double&, std::string&>`) to avoid copying: `get`