Merge branch 'develop' into claude/abi-tag-strict-nul-handling

Resolve the conflict with #5344, which added the _psp ABI tag: _snul now
follows _psp, NLOHMANN_JSON_ABI_TAGS_CONCAT takes six tags, and
nlohmann_json.natvis and the amalgamation are regenerated.

Signed-off-by: Niels Lohmann <mail@nlohmann.me>

include/nlohmann/detail/abi_macros.hpp

@@ -38,6 +38,10 @@
     #define JSON_BRACE_INIT_COPY_SEMANTICS 0
 #endif
 
+#ifndef JSON_PRECISE_STREAM_POSITION
+    #define JSON_PRECISE_STREAM_POSITION 0
+#endif
+
 #ifndef JSON_STRICT_NUL_HANDLING
     #define JSON_STRICT_NUL_HANDLING 0
 #endif
@@ -66,6 +70,12 @@
     #define NLOHMANN_JSON_ABI_TAG_BRACE_INIT_COPY_SEMANTICS
 #endif
 
+#if JSON_PRECISE_STREAM_POSITION
+    #define NLOHMANN_JSON_ABI_TAG_PRECISE_STREAM_POSITION _psp
+#else
+    #define NLOHMANN_JSON_ABI_TAG_PRECISE_STREAM_POSITION
+#endif
+
 #if JSON_STRICT_NUL_HANDLING
     #define NLOHMANN_JSON_ABI_TAG_STRICT_NUL_HANDLING _snul
 #else
@@ -77,9 +87,9 @@
 #endif
 
 // Construct the namespace ABI tags component
-#define NLOHMANN_JSON_ABI_TAGS_CONCAT_EX(a, b, c, d, e) json_abi ## a ## b ## c ## d ## e
-#define NLOHMANN_JSON_ABI_TAGS_CONCAT(a, b, c, d, e) \
-    NLOHMANN_JSON_ABI_TAGS_CONCAT_EX(a, b, c, d, e)
+#define NLOHMANN_JSON_ABI_TAGS_CONCAT_EX(a, b, c, d, e, f) json_abi ## a ## b ## c ## d ## e ## f
+#define NLOHMANN_JSON_ABI_TAGS_CONCAT(a, b, c, d, e, f) \
+    NLOHMANN_JSON_ABI_TAGS_CONCAT_EX(a, b, c, d, e, f)
 
 #define NLOHMANN_JSON_ABI_TAGS                                       \
     NLOHMANN_JSON_ABI_TAGS_CONCAT(                                   \
@@ -87,6 +97,7 @@
             NLOHMANN_JSON_ABI_TAG_LEGACY_DISCARDED_VALUE_COMPARISON, \
             NLOHMANN_JSON_ABI_TAG_DIAGNOSTIC_POSITIONS,              \
             NLOHMANN_JSON_ABI_TAG_BRACE_INIT_COPY_SEMANTICS,         \
+            NLOHMANN_JSON_ABI_TAG_PRECISE_STREAM_POSITION,           \
             NLOHMANN_JSON_ABI_TAG_STRICT_NUL_HANDLING)
 
 // Construct the namespace version component

include/nlohmann/detail/hash.hpp

@@ -11,8 +11,10 @@
 #include <cstdint> // uint8_t
 #include <cstddef> // size_t
 #include <functional> // hash
+#include <vector> // vector
 
 #include <nlohmann/detail/abi_macros.hpp>
+#include <nlohmann/detail/recursion_depth_limit.hpp>
 #include <nlohmann/detail/value_t.hpp>
 
 NLOHMANN_JSON_NAMESPACE_BEGIN
@@ -26,6 +28,9 @@ inline std::size_t combine(std::size_t seed, std::size_t h) noexcept
     return seed;
 }
 
+template<typename BasicJsonType>
+std::size_t hash_iteratively(const BasicJsonType& j);
+
 /*!
 @brief hash a JSON value
 
@@ -33,12 +38,21 @@ The hash function tries to rely on std::hash where possible. Furthermore, the
 type of the JSON value is taken into account to have different hash values for
 null, 0, 0U, and false, etc.
 
+Hashing an array or an object hashes its elements, which used to call this
+function again once per nesting level, so a value nested deeply enough
+exhausted the call stack and terminated the process. The descent is bounded
+here: once @ref recursion_depth_limit levels have been entered, @ref
+hash_iteratively hashes what is left without the call stack. A value nested
+less deeply than that - all but a vanishing minority - is hashed exactly as
+before, without allocating.
+
 @tparam BasicJsonType basic_json specialization
 @param j JSON value to hash
+@param depth nesting level of @a j, counted from the value passed by the caller
 @return hash value of j
 */
 template<typename BasicJsonType>
-std::size_t hash(const BasicJsonType& j)
+std::size_t hash(const BasicJsonType& j, const std::size_t depth = 0)
 {
     using string_t = typename BasicJsonType::string_t;
     using number_integer_t = typename BasicJsonType::number_integer_t;
@@ -56,22 +70,32 @@ std::size_t hash(const BasicJsonType& j)
 
         case BasicJsonType::value_t::object:
         {
+            if (JSON_HEDLEY_UNLIKELY(depth >= recursion_depth_limit()))
+            {
+                return hash_iteratively(j);
+            }
+
             auto seed = combine(type, j.size());
             for (const auto& element : j.items())
             {
                 const auto h = std::hash<string_t> {}(element.key());
                 seed = combine(seed, h);
-                seed = combine(seed, hash(element.value()));
+                seed = combine(seed, hash(element.value(), depth + 1));
             }
             return seed;
         }
 
         case BasicJsonType::value_t::array:
         {
+            if (JSON_HEDLEY_UNLIKELY(depth >= recursion_depth_limit()))
+            {
+                return hash_iteratively(j);
+            }
+
             auto seed = combine(type, j.size());
             for (const auto& element : j)
             {
-                seed = combine(seed, hash(element));
+                seed = combine(seed, hash(element, depth + 1));
             }
             return seed;
         }
@@ -127,5 +151,77 @@ std::size_t hash(const BasicJsonType& j)
     }
 }
 
+/// an array or object whose elements @ref hash_iteratively is hashing
+template<typename BasicJsonType>
+struct hash_frame
+{
+    hash_frame(const BasicJsonType* value_, std::size_t seed_) noexcept
+        : value(value_), position(value_->cbegin()), seed(seed_)
+    {}
+
+    const BasicJsonType* value;
+    typename BasicJsonType::const_iterator position;
+    std::size_t seed;
+};
+
+/*!
+@brief hash the array or object @a j without the call stack
+
+Computes the same value as @ref hash, keeping the arrays and objects it has
+entered on an explicit stack instead of descending into them. Only reached for
+values nested deeper than @ref recursion_depth_limit.
+
+@tparam BasicJsonType basic_json specialization
+@param j array or object to hash
+@return hash value of j
+*/
+template<typename BasicJsonType>
+std::size_t hash_iteratively(const BasicJsonType& j)
+{
+    using string_t = typename BasicJsonType::string_t;
+
+    std::vector<hash_frame<BasicJsonType>> stack;
+    stack.emplace_back(&j, combine(static_cast<std::size_t>(j.type()), j.size()));
+
+    while (true)
+    {
+        // a copy, as entering an element below can reallocate the stack; the
+        // frame itself is only changed through stack.back()
+        const hash_frame<BasicJsonType> frame = stack.back();
+
+        if (frame.position == frame.value->cend())
+        {
+            // all elements are hashed: fold this value's hash into its parent's
+            // seed, exactly where the recursive version returns it
+            const std::size_t h = frame.seed;
+            stack.pop_back();
+            if (stack.empty())
+            {
+                return h;
+            }
+            stack.back().seed = combine(stack.back().seed, h);
+            continue;
+        }
+
+        if (frame.value->is_object())
+        {
+            stack.back().seed = combine(stack.back().seed, std::hash<string_t> {}(frame.position.key()));
+        }
+
+        // advance before entering the element, which pushes onto the stack
+        const BasicJsonType& element = *frame.position;
+        ++stack.back().position;
+
+        if (element.is_structured())
+        {
+            stack.emplace_back(&element, combine(static_cast<std::size_t>(element.type()), element.size()));
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            stack.back().seed = combine(stack.back().seed, hash(element));
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 }  // namespace detail
 NLOHMANN_JSON_NAMESPACE_END

include/nlohmann/detail/input/input_adapters.hpp

@@ -101,6 +101,11 @@ class input_stream_adapter
         // maintain ifstream flags, except eof
         if (is != nullptr)
         {
+#if JSON_PRECISE_STREAM_POSITION
+            // consume the character last returned by get_character() unless it
+            // was given back with release_lookahead()
+            commit_lookahead();
+#endif
             is->clear(is->rdstate() & std::ios::eofbit);
         }
     }
@@ -114,6 +119,58 @@ class input_stream_adapter
     input_stream_adapter& operator=(input_stream_adapter&) = delete;
     input_stream_adapter& operator=(input_stream_adapter&&) = delete;
 
+#if JSON_PRECISE_STREAM_POSITION
+    input_stream_adapter(input_stream_adapter&& rhs) noexcept
+        : is(rhs.is), sb(rhs.sb), lookahead(rhs.lookahead)
+    {
+        rhs.is = nullptr;
+        rhs.sb = nullptr;
+        rhs.lookahead = false;
+    }
+
+    // Whether the character last returned by get_character() can be given back
+    // to the input with release_lookahead().
+    static constexpr bool supports_lookahead = true;
+
+    // std::istream/std::streambuf use std::char_traits<char>::to_int_type, to
+    // ensure that std::char_traits<char>::eof() and the character 0xFF do not
+    // end up as the same value, e.g., 0xFFFFFFFF.
+    //
+    // The character is peeked rather than consumed: it is only stepped over
+    // once the next character is requested, or when the adapter is destroyed.
+    // Until then, release_lookahead() can leave it in the input.
+    std::char_traits<char>::int_type get_character()
+    {
+        if (lookahead)
+        {
+            // step over the character returned by the previous call
+            sb->sbumpc();
+        }
+
+        auto res = sb->sgetc();
+        // set eof manually, as we don't use the istream interface.
+        if (JSON_HEDLEY_UNLIKELY(res == std::char_traits<char>::eof()))
+        {
+            // there is nothing to step over next time
+            lookahead = false;
+            is->clear(is->rdstate() | std::ios::eofbit);
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            lookahead = true;
+        }
+        return res;
+    }
+
+    // Leave the character last returned by get_character() in the input, so
+    // that the next read from the stream - by this adapter or by the caller
+    // once parsing is done - sees it again. Unlike putting a consumed
+    // character back, this cannot fail.
+    void release_lookahead() noexcept
+    {
+        lookahead = false;
+    }
+#else
     input_stream_adapter(input_stream_adapter&& rhs) noexcept
         : is(rhs.is), sb(rhs.sb)
     {
@@ -124,6 +181,9 @@ class input_stream_adapter
     // std::istream/std::streambuf use std::char_traits<char>::to_int_type, to
     // ensure that std::char_traits<char>::eof() and the character 0xFF do not
     // end up as the same value, e.g., 0xFFFFFFFF.
+    //
+    // The character is consumed, so the character that terminates a number
+    // stays consumed after parsing; see JSON_PRECISE_STREAM_POSITION.
     std::char_traits<char>::int_type get_character()
     {
         auto res = sb->sbumpc();
@@ -134,10 +194,14 @@ class input_stream_adapter
         }
         return res;
     }
+#endif
 
     template<class T>
     std::size_t get_elements(T* dest, std::size_t count = 1)
     {
+#if JSON_PRECISE_STREAM_POSITION
+        commit_lookahead();
+#endif
         auto res = static_cast<std::size_t>(sb->sgetn(reinterpret_cast<char*>(dest), static_cast<std::streamsize>(count * sizeof(T))));
         if (JSON_HEDLEY_UNLIKELY(res < count * sizeof(T)))
         {
@@ -147,9 +211,27 @@ class input_stream_adapter
     }
 
   private:
+#if JSON_PRECISE_STREAM_POSITION
+    // Step over the character last returned by get_character(). The character
+    // has already been peeked successfully, so for every streambuf with a get
+    // area this is a pointer increment that cannot fail.
+    void commit_lookahead()
+    {
+        if (lookahead)
+        {
+            lookahead = false;
+            sb->sbumpc();
+        }
+    }
+#endif
+
     /// the associated input stream
     std::istream* is = nullptr;
     std::streambuf* sb = nullptr;
+#if JSON_PRECISE_STREAM_POSITION
+    /// whether get_character() peeked a character that is not consumed yet
+    bool lookahead = false;
+#endif
 };
 #endif  // JSON_NO_IO
 

include/nlohmann/detail/input/lexer.hpp

@@ -127,6 +127,25 @@ constexpr bool input_adapter_supports_seek(std::false_type /*detected*/)
     return false;
 }
 
+// Detect whether an input adapter reads with one character of lookahead that
+// can be left in the input (see input_stream_adapter::supports_lookahead,
+// which is only defined with JSON_PRECISE_STREAM_POSITION), detected like
+// supports_seek above.
+template<typename InputAdapterType>
+using detect_supports_lookahead = decltype(InputAdapterType::supports_lookahead);
+
+template<typename InputAdapterType>
+constexpr bool input_adapter_supports_lookahead(std::true_type /*detected*/)
+{
+    return InputAdapterType::supports_lookahead;
+}
+
+template<typename InputAdapterType>
+constexpr bool input_adapter_supports_lookahead(std::false_type /*detected*/)
+{
+    return false;
+}
+
 // Detect whether an input adapter exposes a contiguous byte block that the
 // lexer can scan directly (see iterator_input_adapter::supports_bulk_scan).
 // Adapters without the flag - file, stream, wide-string, user-defined - fall
@@ -167,6 +186,12 @@ class lexer : public lexer_base<BasicJsonType>
     static constexpr bool lazy_token_string =
         input_adapter_supports_seek<InputAdapterType>(is_detected<detect_supports_seek, InputAdapterType> {});
 
+    /// whether a simulated unget can be passed on to the input adapter, which
+    /// then leaves the character in the input; see
+    /// input_adapter_supports_lookahead
+    static constexpr bool can_release_lookahead =
+        input_adapter_supports_lookahead<InputAdapterType>(is_detected<detect_supports_lookahead, InputAdapterType> {});
+
     /// whether string scanning may bulk-consume runs of ordinary characters
     /// directly from a contiguous input buffer (SWAR fast path). This requires
     /// the token to be reconstructible lazily (lazy_token_string), so bypassing
@@ -1898,6 +1923,21 @@ scan_number_done:
         uncapture_char(std::integral_constant<bool, lazy_token_string> {});
     }
 
+    /// adapter without lookahead: nothing to do (see release_lookahead)
+    void release_lookahead_impl(std::false_type /*can_release*/) const noexcept {}
+
+    /// adapter with lookahead: leave the character in the input instead
+    void release_lookahead_impl(std::true_type /*can_release*/)
+    {
+        if (next_unget)
+        {
+            // the character is read from the input again rather than replayed
+            // from current, so the adapter must not step over it
+            next_unget = false;
+            ia.release_lookahead();
+        }
+    }
+
     /// seekable adapter: nothing was captured, so nothing to undo
     void uncapture_char(std::true_type /*lazy*/) const noexcept {}
 
@@ -1961,6 +2001,31 @@ scan_number_done:
         return position;
     }
 
+    /*!
+    @brief pass a pending simulated unget on to the input
+
+    unget() only rewinds the lexer's own bookkeeping, so the character that
+    terminated the last token (e.g. the character after a number) would still
+    be stepped over when the input adapter is done. Callers that hand the
+    input back to the user afterwards - operator>> and non-strict sax_parse -
+    call this once when scanning is done, so that the input is positioned
+    right after the value.
+
+    Adapters without lookahead (see input_adapter_supports_lookahead) are not
+    handed back to the user, so this is a no-op for them. Without
+    JSON_PRECISE_STREAM_POSITION, no adapter has lookahead, so this is always a
+    no-op and the terminating character stays consumed.
+
+    Scanning may continue after this call: @a next_unget is cleared, and the
+    character is read from the input again instead of being replayed from
+    @a current. A pending unget of EOF needs no special case, because reaching
+    EOF leaves no lookahead to release.
+    */
+    void release_lookahead()
+    {
+        release_lookahead_impl(std::integral_constant<bool, can_release_lookahead> {});
+    }
+
 #if JSON_DIAGNOSTIC_POSITIONS
     /// return the offset of the first character of the last read token; unlike
     /// the token's parsed value, this accounts for escape sequences

include/nlohmann/detail/input/parser.hpp

@@ -100,13 +100,22 @@ class parser
             json_sax_dom_callback_parser<BasicJsonType, InputAdapterType> sdp(result, callback, allow_exceptions, &m_lexer);
             sax_parse_internal(&sdp);
 
-            // in strict mode, input must be completely read
-            if (strict && (get_token() != token_type::end_of_input))
+            if (strict)
             {
-                sdp.parse_error(m_lexer.get_position(),
-                                m_lexer.get_token_string(),
-                                parse_error::create(101, m_lexer.get_position(),
-                                                    exception_message(token_type::end_of_input, "value"), nullptr));
+                // in strict mode, input must be completely read
+                if (get_token() != token_type::end_of_input)
+                {
+                    sdp.parse_error(m_lexer.get_position(),
+                                    m_lexer.get_token_string(),
+                                    parse_error::create(101, m_lexer.get_position(),
+                                                        exception_message(token_type::end_of_input, "value"), nullptr));
+                }
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                // the caller keeps using the input: position it right after
+                // the value by leaving the character that terminated it
+                m_lexer.release_lookahead();
             }
 
             // in case of an error, return a discarded value
@@ -128,12 +137,20 @@ class parser
             json_sax_dom_parser<BasicJsonType, InputAdapterType> sdp(result, allow_exceptions, &m_lexer);
             sax_parse_internal(&sdp);
 
-            // in strict mode, input must be completely read
-            if (strict && (get_token() != token_type::end_of_input))
+            if (strict)
             {
-                sdp.parse_error(m_lexer.get_position(),
-                                m_lexer.get_token_string(),
-                                parse_error::create(101, m_lexer.get_position(), exception_message(token_type::end_of_input, "value"), nullptr));
+                // in strict mode, input must be completely read
+                if (get_token() != token_type::end_of_input)
+                {
+                    sdp.parse_error(m_lexer.get_position(),
+                                    m_lexer.get_token_string(),
+                                    parse_error::create(101, m_lexer.get_position(), exception_message(token_type::end_of_input, "value"), nullptr));
+                }
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                // see above
+                m_lexer.release_lookahead();
             }
 
             // in case of an error, return a discarded value
@@ -166,12 +183,24 @@ class parser
         (void)detail::is_sax_static_asserts<SAX, BasicJsonType> {};
         const bool result = sax_parse_internal(sax);
 
-        // strict mode: next byte must be EOF
-        if (result && strict && (get_token() != token_type::end_of_input))
+        if (result)
         {
-            return sax->parse_error(m_lexer.get_position(),
-                                    m_lexer.get_token_string(),
-                                    parse_error::create(101, m_lexer.get_position(), exception_message(token_type::end_of_input, "value"), nullptr));
+            if (strict)
+            {
+                // strict mode: next byte must be EOF
+                if (get_token() != token_type::end_of_input)
+                {
+                    return sax->parse_error(m_lexer.get_position(),
+                                            m_lexer.get_token_string(),
+                                            parse_error::create(101, m_lexer.get_position(), exception_message(token_type::end_of_input, "value"), nullptr));
+                }
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                // the caller keeps using the input: position it right after
+                // the value by leaving the character that terminated it
+                m_lexer.release_lookahead();
+            }
         }
 
         return result;

include/nlohmann/detail/macro_unscope.hpp

@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@
     #undef JSON_HAS_STATIC_RTTI
     #undef JSON_USE_LEGACY_DISCARDED_VALUE_COMPARISON
     #undef JSON_BRACE_INIT_COPY_SEMANTICS
+    #undef JSON_PRECISE_STREAM_POSITION
     #undef JSON_STRICT_NUL_HANDLING
 #endif
 

include/nlohmann/detail/output/serializer.hpp

@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 #include <nlohmann/detail/meta/cpp_future.hpp>
 #include <nlohmann/detail/output/binary_writer.hpp>
 #include <nlohmann/detail/output/output_adapters.hpp>
+#include <nlohmann/detail/recursion_depth_limit.hpp>
 #include <nlohmann/detail/string_concat.hpp>
 #include <nlohmann/detail/value_t.hpp>
 
@@ -133,7 +134,7 @@ class serializer
 
     Serializing a container descends into its elements, so a value nested deeply
     enough used to exhaust the call stack and terminate the process with no
-    exception to catch. The descent is bounded here: once @ref dump_depth_limit
+    exception to catch. The descent is bounded here: once @ref recursion_depth_limit
     levels have been entered, @ref dump_iteratively writes out what is left
     without the call stack. A value nested less deeply than that - all but a
     vanishing minority - is written by exactly the code that always wrote it.
@@ -148,7 +149,7 @@ class serializer
         {
             case value_t::object:
             {
-                if (JSON_HEDLEY_UNLIKELY(depth >= dump_depth_limit()))
+                if (JSON_HEDLEY_UNLIKELY(depth >= recursion_depth_limit()))
                 {
                     dump_iteratively(val, current_indent);
                     return;
@@ -223,7 +224,7 @@ class serializer
 
             case value_t::array:
             {
-                if (JSON_HEDLEY_UNLIKELY(depth >= dump_depth_limit()))
+                if (JSON_HEDLEY_UNLIKELY(depth >= recursion_depth_limit()))
                 {
                     dump_iteratively(val, current_indent);
                     return;
@@ -408,19 +409,12 @@ class serializer
     }
 
   private:
-    /// the number of levels @ref dump_internal descends into before it hands
-    /// over to @ref dump_iteratively
-    static constexpr std::size_t dump_depth_limit()
-    {
-        return 128;
-    }
-
     /*!
     @brief write out @a val and everything below it without the call stack
 
     Emits the same bytes as @ref dump_internal, keeping the containers it has
     entered on an explicit stack instead of descending into them. Only reached
-    for values nested deeper than @ref dump_depth_limit, which is why it is not
+    for values nested deeper than @ref recursion_depth_limit, which is why it is not
     written for speed: walking every value this way measured up to 20% slower on
     object-heavy documents than letting the compiler drive the descent.
     */

include/nlohmann/detail/recursion_depth_limit.hpp

@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+//     __ _____ _____ _____
+//  __|  |   __|     |   | |  JSON for Modern C++
+// |  |  |__   |  |  | | | |  version 3.12.0
+// |_____|_____|_____|_|___|  https://github.com/nlohmann/json
+//
+// SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2013-2026 Niels Lohmann <https://nlohmann.me>
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
+
+#pragma once
+
+#include <cstddef> // size_t
+
+#include <nlohmann/detail/abi_macros.hpp>
+
+NLOHMANN_JSON_NAMESPACE_BEGIN
+namespace detail
+{
+
+/*!
+@brief the number of nesting levels an operation recurses into
+
+Operations that walk a value (serializing, hashing, merging, ...) recurse once
+per nesting level, which is fastest, but a value nested deeply enough would
+exhaust the call stack. So they recurse only this many levels deep and finish
+whatever lies below with an explicit stack. All of them share this limit.
+
+@sa https://github.com/nlohmann/json/issues/5387
+*/
+constexpr std::size_t recursion_depth_limit() noexcept
+{
+    return 128;
+}
+
+}  // namespace detail
+NLOHMANN_JSON_NAMESPACE_END

include/nlohmann/json.hpp

@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@
 #include <nlohmann/detail/output/binary_writer.hpp>
 #include <nlohmann/detail/output/output_adapters.hpp>
 #include <nlohmann/detail/output/serializer.hpp>
+#include <nlohmann/detail/recursion_depth_limit.hpp>
 #include <nlohmann/detail/value_t.hpp>
 #include <nlohmann/json_fwd.hpp>
 #include <nlohmann/ordered_map.hpp>
@@ -923,6 +924,31 @@ class basic_json // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-special-member-functions,hicpp-spec
     }
 #endif
 
+    /*!
+    @brief whether a descent must stop here and finish without the call stack
+
+    @a may_descend says whether the operator descends at all; it is a constant
+    at every call site, and is passed rather than tested by the caller so that
+    the test does not become a constant condition there, which MSVC reports as
+    C4127.
+
+    The comparison operators use this rather than @ref nesting_depth_guard::okay,
+    because they are written as a macro and a macro cannot use the preprocessor
+    the way the guard's constructor does; @ref copy_structured, which can, asks
+    the guard instead and never calls this.
+    */
+    static bool nesting_depth_exhausted(bool may_descend = true) noexcept
+    {
+#ifdef JSON_NO_THREAD_LOCAL
+        // without a count of its own per thread, a descent cannot be bounded
+        // without racing another one, so none is made
+        static_cast<void>(may_descend);
+        return true;
+#else
+        return !may_descend || nesting_depth() >= nesting_depth_limit();
+#endif
+    }
+
     /*!
     @brief counts one level of a bounded descent for as long as it runs, and
            reports whether the descent was still within the limit when it began
@@ -1242,6 +1268,274 @@ class basic_json // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-special-member-functions,hicpp-spec
     }
 
 
+    /// the result of comparing two values, including values that cannot be
+    /// ordered at all, such as a discarded value or a NaN
+    enum class compare_result { less, equal, greater, unordered };
+
+#if JSON_HAS_THREE_WAY_COMPARISON
+    /// @brief the ordering that @a result stands for
+    static std::partial_ordering to_partial_ordering(compare_result result) noexcept // *NOPAD*
+    {
+        switch (result)
+        {
+            case compare_result::less:
+                return std::partial_ordering::less;
+            case compare_result::greater:
+                return std::partial_ordering::greater;
+            case compare_result::equal:
+                return std::partial_ordering::equivalent;
+            case compare_result::unordered:
+            default:
+                return std::partial_ordering::unordered;
+        }
+    }
+#endif
+
+    /*!
+    @brief compare two values that are not both an array or both an object
+
+    Such a pair is compared by the operators themselves, which cannot descend
+    into it and therefore cannot recurse.
+
+    That holds for a pair whose types differ as much as for a pair of leaves: an
+    array and an object are told apart by their types alone, because an operator
+    only ever descends into two values of the same type. So `==` reports them as
+    unequal without looking inside either, and an ordering falls back to the
+    order of the types - an object sorts before an array - exactly as it does
+    for a value that is not nested deeply enough to get here.
+    */
+    template<bool Ordered>
+    static compare_result compare_leaves(const_reference lhs, const_reference rhs) noexcept
+    {
+        if (lhs == rhs)
+        {
+            return compare_result::equal;
+        }
+
+        return order_leaves(lhs, rhs, std::integral_constant<bool, Ordered> {});
+    }
+
+    /*!
+    @brief compare two object keys
+
+    An object compares its entries as pairs of a key and a value, so its keys
+    are compared exactly as std::pair compares them: with < where the objects
+    are being ordered, and with == where they are only checked for equality.
+    Note that this is not the object's own comparator, which for a vector-backed
+    object type such as nlohmann::ordered_map tells equality rather than order.
+    */
+    static compare_result compare_keys(const typename object_t::key_type& lhs,
+                                       const typename object_t::key_type& rhs,
+                                       std::true_type /*ordered*/)
+    {
+        if (lhs < rhs)
+        {
+            return compare_result::less;
+        }
+
+        if (rhs < lhs)
+        {
+            return compare_result::greater;
+        }
+
+        return compare_result::equal;
+    }
+
+    /// @brief check two object keys for equality
+    static compare_result compare_keys(const typename object_t::key_type& lhs,
+                                       const typename object_t::key_type& rhs,
+                                       std::false_type /*ordered*/)
+    {
+        return lhs == rhs ? compare_result::equal : compare_result::unordered;
+    }
+
+    /// @brief tell apart two values that are not equal
+    /// @note only instantiated where the values are being ordered, as a key or
+    ///       string type is not required to be ordered to be compared for equality
+    static compare_result order_leaves(const_reference lhs, const_reference rhs, std::true_type /*ordered*/) noexcept
+    {
+        if (lhs < rhs)
+        {
+            return compare_result::less;
+        }
+
+        if (rhs < lhs)
+        {
+            return compare_result::greater;
+        }
+
+        return compare_result::unordered;
+    }
+
+    /// @brief report two values as not equal without ordering them
+    static compare_result order_leaves(const_reference /*lhs*/, const_reference /*rhs*/, std::false_type /*ordered*/) noexcept
+    {
+        return compare_result::unordered;
+    }
+
+    /*!
+    @brief compare @a lhs and @a rhs without descending into them
+
+    Reached once a comparison has descended @ref nesting_depth_limit levels, so
+    that comparing values cannot exhaust the call stack however deeply they are
+    nested. The two values are walked in lockstep on an explicit stack and
+    compared lexicographically, element by element in the order the containers
+    enumerate them - which is how the container types this library ships compare
+    themselves: a std::map enumerates its entries in key order, and
+    nlohmann::ordered_map in insertion order. An object type that enumerates its
+    entries in an unspecified order, such as std::unordered_map, compares them
+    pairwise instead; the difference could only ever show below the bound.
+
+    Note that the stack this walks with is allocated, while the comparison
+    operators are noexcept and the container comparison this replaces allocated
+    nothing. Failing that allocation therefore ends the process rather than
+    throwing. It only arises for values nested past the bound, and only when
+    memory has run out - where the same comparison used to exhaust the call
+    stack instead - but it is a way to fail that the operators did not have.
+    */
+    template<bool Ordered>
+    static compare_result compare_iteratively(const_reference lhs, const_reference rhs,
+            const bool unordered_compares_equal) noexcept
+    {
+        /// a pair of containers being compared in lockstep
+        struct frame
+        {
+            const basic_json* lhs_value{nullptr};
+            const basic_json* rhs_value{nullptr};
+            typename array_t::const_iterator lhs_array_it{};
+            typename array_t::const_iterator rhs_array_it{};
+            typename object_t::const_iterator lhs_object_it{};
+            typename object_t::const_iterator rhs_object_it{};
+        };
+
+        std::vector<frame> stack;
+        const basic_json* left = &lhs;
+        const basic_json* right = &rhs;
+
+        for (;;)
+        {
+            const auto type = left->m_data.m_type;
+
+            if (type == right->m_data.m_type && (type == value_t::array || type == value_t::object))
+            {
+                // descend: the elements decide, and are compared further down
+                stack.emplace_back();
+                frame& pushed = stack.back();
+                pushed.lhs_value = left;
+                pushed.rhs_value = right;
+
+                if (type == value_t::array)
+                {
+                    pushed.lhs_array_it = left->m_data.m_value.array->cbegin();
+                    pushed.rhs_array_it = right->m_data.m_value.array->cbegin();
+                }
+                else
+                {
+                    pushed.lhs_object_it = left->m_data.m_value.object->cbegin();
+                    pushed.rhs_object_it = right->m_data.m_value.object->cbegin();
+                }
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                const compare_result result = compare_leaves<Ordered>(*left, *right);
+
+                // Values that cannot be ordered - a NaN, say - end an ordered
+                // comparison for std::lexicographical_compare_three_way, but
+                // std::lexicographical_compare treats them as equivalent and
+                // carries on with the next element. Both are reproduced here,
+                // so that a value nested too deeply to descend into compares
+                // exactly as one that is not.
+                if (result != compare_result::equal &&
+                        !(unordered_compares_equal && result == compare_result::unordered))
+                {
+                    return result;
+                }
+            }
+
+            // walk back up past the containers that are exhausted, then take the
+            // next pair of elements from the innermost one that is not
+            for (;;)
+            {
+                if (stack.empty())
+                {
+                    return compare_result::equal;
+                }
+
+                frame& current = stack.back();
+                const bool is_object = current.lhs_value->m_data.m_type == value_t::object;
+
+                const bool lhs_done = is_object
+                                      ? current.lhs_object_it == current.lhs_value->m_data.m_value.object->cend()
+                                      : current.lhs_array_it == current.lhs_value->m_data.m_value.array->cend();
+                const bool rhs_done = is_object
+                                      ? current.rhs_object_it == current.rhs_value->m_data.m_value.object->cend()
+                                      : current.rhs_array_it == current.rhs_value->m_data.m_value.array->cend();
+
+                if (lhs_done || rhs_done)
+                {
+                    // whichever ran out first holds the smaller container; if
+                    // both did, they are equal and the container above decides
+                    if (lhs_done != rhs_done)
+                    {
+                        return lhs_done ? compare_result::less : compare_result::greater;
+                    }
+
+                    stack.pop_back();
+                    continue;
+                }
+
+                if (is_object)
+                {
+                    // an entry is a key and a value, and the key decides first
+                    const compare_result key_result =
+                        compare_keys(current.lhs_object_it->first, current.rhs_object_it->first,
+                                     std::integral_constant<bool, Ordered> {});
+
+                    if (key_result != compare_result::equal)
+                    {
+                        return key_result;
+                    }
+
+                    left = &(current.lhs_object_it->second);
+                    right = &(current.rhs_object_it->second);
+                    ++current.lhs_object_it;
+                    ++current.rhs_object_it;
+                }
+                else
+                {
+                    left = &(*current.lhs_array_it);
+                    right = &(*current.rhs_array_it);
+                    ++current.lhs_array_it;
+                    ++current.rhs_array_it;
+                }
+
+                break;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+
+    /// @brief restore the parent pointers after erasing from an object
+    /// ordered_json keeps its members in a vector, and erasing a member
+    /// re-constructs every member after it in place, which resets their
+    /// parent pointers
+    void set_parents_after_object_erase()
+    {
+#if JSON_DIAGNOSTICS
+#ifdef JSON_HEDLEY_MSVC_VERSION
+#pragma warning(push )
+#pragma warning(disable : 4127) // ignore warning to replace if with if constexpr
+#endif
+        if (detail::is_ordered_map<object_t>::value)
+        {
+            set_parents();
+        }
+#ifdef JSON_HEDLEY_MSVC_VERSION
+#pragma warning( pop )
+#endif
+#endif
+    }
+
   public:
     //////////////////////////
     // JSON parser callback //
@@ -2259,6 +2553,7 @@ class basic_json // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-special-member-functions,hicpp-spec
     ValueType & get_to(ValueType& v) const noexcept(noexcept(
                 JSONSerializer<ValueType>::from_json(std::declval<const basic_json_t&>(), v)))
     {
+        static_assert(!std::is_const<ValueType>::value, "get_to() cannot deserialize into a const value");
         JSONSerializer<ValueType>::from_json(*this, v);
         return v;
     }
@@ -2284,6 +2579,7 @@ class basic_json // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-special-member-functions,hicpp-spec
     noexcept(noexcept(JSONSerializer<Array>::from_json(
                           std::declval<const basic_json_t&>(), v)))
     {
+        static_assert(!std::is_const<T>::value, "get_to() cannot deserialize into a const value");
         JSONSerializer<Array>::from_json(*this, v);
         return v;
     }
@@ -2930,6 +3226,7 @@ class basic_json // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-special-member-functions,hicpp-spec
             case value_t::object:
             {
                 result.m_it.object_iterator = erase_from_object(pos.m_it.object_iterator);
+                set_parents_after_object_erase();
                 break;
             }
 
@@ -3002,6 +3299,7 @@ class basic_json // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-special-member-functions,hicpp-spec
             {
                 result.m_it.object_iterator = m_data.m_value.object->erase(first.m_it.object_iterator,
                                               last.m_it.object_iterator);
+                set_parents_after_object_erase();
                 break;
             }
 
@@ -3032,7 +3330,9 @@ class basic_json // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-special-member-functions,hicpp-spec
             JSON_THROW(type_error::create(307, detail::concat("cannot use erase() with ", type_name()), this));
         }
 
-        return m_data.m_value.object->erase(std::forward<KeyType>(key));
+        const auto erased = m_data.m_value.object->erase(std::forward<KeyType>(key));
+        set_parents_after_object_erase();
+        return erased;
     }
 
     template < typename KeyType, detail::enable_if_t <
@@ -3049,6 +3349,7 @@ class basic_json // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-special-member-functions,hicpp-spec
         if (it != m_data.m_value.object->end())
         {
             m_data.m_value.object->erase(it);
+            set_parents_after_object_erase();
             return 1;
         }
         return 0;
@@ -3912,30 +4213,117 @@ class basic_json // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-special-member-functions,hicpp-spec
             JSON_THROW(type_error::create(312, detail::concat("cannot use update() with ", first.m_object->type_name()), first.m_object));
         }
 
+        update_members(first, last, merge_objects, 0);
+    }
+
+  private:
+    /// @brief an object @ref update_members_iteratively or @ref
+    /// merge_patch_iteratively is merging into, and the members still to merge
+    struct merge_frame
+    {
+        merge_frame(basic_json* target_, const_iterator position_, const_iterator last_) noexcept
+            : target(target_), position(std::move(position_)), last(std::move(last_))
+        {}
+
+        basic_json* target;
+        const_iterator position;
+        const_iterator last;
+    };
+
+    /*!
+    @brief the members loop of @ref update, for this object and range
+
+    Merging a nested object calls this function again, once per nesting
+    level, so a value nested deeply enough used to exhaust the call stack and
+    terminate the process. The descent is bounded here: once @ref
+    detail::recursion_depth_limit levels have been entered, @ref
+    update_members_iteratively merges what is left without the call stack.
+
+    @param[in] depth  nesting level of this object, counted from the object
+                      @ref update was called on
+    */
+    void update_members(const const_iterator& first, const const_iterator& last, const bool merge_objects, const std::size_t depth)
+    {
+        if (JSON_HEDLEY_UNLIKELY(depth >= detail::recursion_depth_limit()))
+        {
+            update_members_iteratively(first, last);
+            return;
+        }
+
         for (auto it = first; it != last; ++it)
         {
             if (merge_objects && it.value().is_object())
             {
-                auto it2 = m_data.m_value.object->find(it.key());
+                const auto it2 = m_data.m_value.object->find(it.key());
                 // Only recurse when the existing value is itself an object.
                 // Otherwise overwrite, matching the documented "all other values
                 // are overwritten as usual" behavior (see #5402).
                 if (it2 != m_data.m_value.object->end() && it2->second.is_object())
                 {
-                    it2->second.update(it.value(), true);
-#if JSON_DIAGNOSTICS
-                    it2->second.set_parents();
-#endif
+                    it2->second.update_members(it.value().cbegin(), it.value().cend(), true, depth + 1);
                     continue;
                 }
             }
-            m_data.m_value.object->operator[](it.key()) = it.value();
-#if JSON_DIAGNOSTICS
-            m_data.m_value.object->operator[](it.key()).m_parent = this;
-#endif
+            // set_parent() also repairs the other members, which ordered_json
+            // relocates when adding a key makes its vector grow
+            set_parent(m_data.m_value.object->operator[](it.key()) = it.value());
         }
     }
 
+    /*!
+    @brief merge @a first to @a last into this object without the call stack
+
+    Does the same as @ref update_members with `merge_objects` set, keeping the
+    objects whose merge was interrupted by a nested one on an explicit stack
+    instead of descending into them. A nested object is still merged
+    completely before the next member, in the same order as the recursive
+    version. Only reached for values nested deeper than @ref
+    detail::recursion_depth_limit.
+    */
+    void update_members_iteratively(const_iterator first, const_iterator last)
+    {
+        std::vector<merge_frame> stack;
+
+        basic_json* target = this;
+        while (true)
+        {
+            if (first == last)
+            {
+                if (stack.empty())
+                {
+                    break;
+                }
+
+                // a nested object is merged: continue with its parent
+                target = stack.back().target;
+                first = stack.back().position;
+                last = stack.back().last;
+                stack.pop_back();
+                continue;
+            }
+
+            if (first.value().is_object())
+            {
+                const auto it2 = target->m_data.m_value.object->find(first.key());
+                if (it2 != target->m_data.m_value.object->end() && it2->second.is_object())
+                {
+                    const basic_json& source = first.value();
+                    ++first;
+                    stack.emplace_back(target, first, last);
+                    target = &it2->second;
+                    first = source.cbegin();
+                    last = source.cend();
+                    continue;
+                }
+            }
+            // set_parent() also repairs the other members, which ordered_json
+            // relocates when adding a key makes its vector grow
+            target->set_parent(target->m_data.m_value.object->operator[](first.key()) = first.value());
+            ++first;
+        }
+    }
+
+  public:
     /// @brief exchanges the values
     /// @sa https://json.nlohmann.me/api/basic_json/swap/
     void swap(reference other) noexcept (
@@ -4069,7 +4457,7 @@ class basic_json // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-special-member-functions,hicpp-spec
     // because any negative signed value is smaller than any unsigned value.
     // Otherwise, the non-negative signed value is cast to unsigned before the
     // comparison to avoid wraparound.
-#define JSON_IMPLEMENT_OPERATOR(op, null_result, unordered_result, default_result)                       \
+#define JSON_IMPLEMENT_OPERATOR(op, null_result, unordered_result, default_result, deep_result, may_descend) \
     const auto lhs_type = lhs.type();                                                                    \
     const auto rhs_type = rhs.type();                                                                    \
     \
@@ -4078,11 +4466,25 @@ class basic_json // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-special-member-functions,hicpp-spec
         switch (lhs_type)                                                                                \
         {                                                                                                \
             case value_t::array:                                                                         \
+            {                                                                                            \
+                if (JSON_HEDLEY_UNLIKELY(nesting_depth_exhausted(may_descend)))                        \
+                {                                                                                        \
+                    return (deep_result);                                                                \
+                }                                                                                        \
+                const nesting_depth_guard guard;                                                         \
                 return (*lhs.m_data.m_value.array) op (*rhs.m_data.m_value.array);                                     \
-                \
+            }                                                                                            \
+            \
             case value_t::object:                                                                        \
+            {                                                                                            \
+                if (JSON_HEDLEY_UNLIKELY(nesting_depth_exhausted(may_descend)))                        \
+                {                                                                                        \
+                    return (deep_result);                                                                \
+                }                                                                                        \
+                const nesting_depth_guard guard;                                                         \
                 return (*lhs.m_data.m_value.object) op (*rhs.m_data.m_value.object);                                   \
-                \
+            }                                                                                            \
+            \
             case value_t::null:                                                                          \
                 return (null_result);                                                                    \
                 \
@@ -4182,7 +4584,8 @@ class basic_json // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-special-member-functions,hicpp-spec
         JSON_HEDLEY_PRAGMA(GCC diagnostic ignored "-Wfloat-equal")
 #endif
         const_reference lhs = *this;
-        JSON_IMPLEMENT_OPERATOR( ==, true, false, false)
+        JSON_IMPLEMENT_OPERATOR( ==, true, false, false,
+                                 compare_iteratively<false>(lhs, rhs, false) == compare_result::equal, true)
 #ifdef __GNUC__
         JSON_HEDLEY_DIAGNOSTIC_POP
 #endif
@@ -4207,7 +4610,8 @@ class basic_json // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-special-member-functions,hicpp-spec
         JSON_IMPLEMENT_OPERATOR(<=>, // *NOPAD*
                                 std::partial_ordering::equivalent,
                                 std::partial_ordering::unordered,
-                                lhs_type <=> rhs_type) // *NOPAD*
+                                lhs_type <=> rhs_type, // *NOPAD*
+                                to_partial_ordering(compare_iteratively<true>(lhs, rhs, false)), true)
     }
 
     /// @brief comparison: 3-way
@@ -4274,7 +4678,8 @@ class basic_json // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-special-member-functions,hicpp-spec
         JSON_HEDLEY_DIAGNOSTIC_PUSH
         JSON_HEDLEY_PRAGMA(GCC diagnostic ignored "-Wfloat-equal")
 #endif
-        JSON_IMPLEMENT_OPERATOR( ==, true, false, false)
+        JSON_IMPLEMENT_OPERATOR( ==, true, false, false,
+                                 compare_iteratively<false>(lhs, rhs, false) == compare_result::equal, true)
 #ifdef __GNUC__
         JSON_HEDLEY_DIAGNOSTIC_POP
 #endif
@@ -4330,7 +4735,8 @@ class basic_json // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-special-member-functions,hicpp-spec
         // default_result is used if we cannot compare values. In that case,
         // we compare types. Note we have to call the operator explicitly,
         // because MSVC has problems otherwise.
-        JSON_IMPLEMENT_OPERATOR( <, false, false, operator<(lhs_type, rhs_type))
+        JSON_IMPLEMENT_OPERATOR( <, false, false, operator<(lhs_type, rhs_type),
+                                 compare_iteratively<true>(lhs, rhs, true) == compare_result::less, false)
     }
 
     /// @brief comparison: less than
@@ -5830,9 +6236,30 @@ class basic_json // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-special-member-functions,hicpp-spec
     /// @brief applies a JSON Merge Patch
     /// @sa https://json.nlohmann.me/api/basic_json/merge_patch/
     void merge_patch(const basic_json& apply_patch)
+    {
+        apply_merge_patch(apply_patch, 0);
+    }
+
+  private:
+    /*!
+    @brief @ref merge_patch, for a patch at nesting level @a depth
+
+    Applying a nested object calls this function again, once per nesting
+    level, so a patch nested deeply enough used to exhaust the call stack and
+    terminate the process. The descent is bounded here: once @ref
+    detail::recursion_depth_limit levels have been entered, @ref
+    merge_patch_iteratively applies what is left without the call stack.
+    */
+    void apply_merge_patch(const basic_json& apply_patch, const std::size_t depth)
     {
         if (apply_patch.is_object())
         {
+            if (JSON_HEDLEY_UNLIKELY(depth >= detail::recursion_depth_limit()))
+            {
+                merge_patch_iteratively(apply_patch);
+                return;
+            }
+
             if (!is_object())
             {
                 *this = object();
@@ -5845,7 +6272,7 @@ class basic_json // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-special-member-functions,hicpp-spec
                 }
                 else
                 {
-                    operator[](it.key()).merge_patch(it.value());
+                    operator[](it.key()).apply_merge_patch(it.value(), depth + 1);
                 }
             }
         }
@@ -5855,6 +6282,62 @@ class basic_json // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-special-member-functions,hicpp-spec
         }
     }
 
+    /*!
+    @brief apply @a apply_patch to this value without the call stack
+
+    Does the same as @ref merge_patch, keeping the objects being patched on an
+    explicit stack instead of descending into them. A nested object is still
+    patched completely before the next member, in the same order as the
+    recursive version. Only reached for patches nested deeper than @ref
+    detail::recursion_depth_limit.
+    */
+    void merge_patch_iteratively(const basic_json& apply_patch)
+    {
+        std::vector<merge_frame> stack;
+
+        // patch `target` with `patch`, or start patching it member by member
+        const auto apply = [&stack](basic_json & target, const basic_json & patch)
+        {
+            if (patch.is_object())
+            {
+                if (!target.is_object())
+                {
+                    target = basic_json::object();
+                }
+                stack.emplace_back(&target, patch.cbegin(), patch.cend());
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                target = patch;
+            }
+        };
+
+        apply(*this, apply_patch);
+        while (!stack.empty())
+        {
+            // a copy, as applying a member below can reallocate the stack;
+            // the frame itself is only changed through stack.back()
+            const merge_frame frame = stack.back();
+            if (frame.position == frame.last)
+            {
+                stack.pop_back();
+                continue;
+            }
+
+            const const_iterator member = frame.position;
+            ++stack.back().position;
+            if (member.value().is_null())
+            {
+                frame.target->erase(member.key());
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                apply(frame.target->operator[](member.key()), member.value());
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+  public:
     /// @}
 };