docs: state that NaN ordering inside containers depends on the standard

When the element-wise comparison of arrays or objects reaches a NaN and
a number (or another NaN) before any other difference, the result
depends on the language standard. Before C++20 the pair counts as
equivalent and the following elements (or the sizes) decide, so
[1] <= [NaN] is true. Since C++20 the comparison is unordered and
<, <=, >, >= all yield false. Document this on operator<, <=, >, >=
and <=>.

Signed-off-by: Niels Lohmann <mail@nlohmann.me>
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Niels Lohmann committed 2026-11-11 19:22:54 +01:00
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@@ -60,6 +60,14 @@ Linear.
2. Comparing a `NaN` with another `NaN`.
3. Comparing a `NaN` and any other number.
For arrays and objects, the elements are compared in order. If the comparison reaches a `NaN` and a number (or
another `NaN`) before any other difference, the result depends on the language standard. Before C++20, the pair
counts as equivalent and the following elements (or the sizes) decide: for instance, `[NaN] < [1, NaN]` and
`[1] <= [NaN]` are `#!cpp true`. Since C++20, the whole comparison is unordered, and `<`, `<=`, `>`, and `>=` all
yield `#!cpp false`. Otherwise (for example `[1, NaN] < [2, NaN]`, or objects whose keys differ), the result is the
same for all language standards. The same program can therefore order such values differently when it is compiled
with a different language standard.
!!! note "Operator overload resolution"
Since C++20 overload resolution will consider the _rewritten candidate_ generated from
@@ -60,6 +60,14 @@ Linear.
2. Comparing a `NaN` with another `NaN`.
3. Comparing a `NaN` and any other number.
For arrays and objects, the elements are compared in order. If the comparison reaches a `NaN` and a number (or
another `NaN`) before any other difference, the result depends on the language standard. Before C++20, the pair
counts as equivalent and the following elements (or the sizes) decide: for instance, `[NaN] < [1, NaN]` and
`[1] <= [NaN]` are `#!cpp true`. Since C++20, the whole comparison is unordered, and `<`, `<=`, `>`, and `>=` all
yield `#!cpp false`. Otherwise (for example `[1, NaN] < [2, NaN]`, or objects whose keys differ), the result is the
same for all language standards. The same program can therefore order such values differently when it is compiled
with a different language standard.
!!! note "Operator overload resolution"
Since C++20 overload resolution will consider the _rewritten candidate_ generated from
@@ -61,6 +61,14 @@ Linear.
2. Comparing a `NaN` with another `NaN`.
3. Comparing a `NaN` and any other number.
For arrays and objects, the elements are compared in order. If the comparison reaches a `NaN` and a number (or
another `NaN`) before any other difference, the result depends on the language standard. Before C++20, the pair
counts as equivalent and the following elements (or the sizes) decide: for instance, `[NaN] < [1, NaN]` and
`[1] <= [NaN]` are `#!cpp true`. Since C++20, the whole comparison is unordered, and `<`, `<=`, `>`, and `>=` all
yield `#!cpp false`. Otherwise (for example `[1, NaN] < [2, NaN]`, or objects whose keys differ), the result is the
same for all language standards. The same program can therefore order such values differently when it is compiled
with a different language standard.
!!! note "Operator overload resolution"
Since C++20 overload resolution will consider the _rewritten candidate_ generated from
@@ -71,6 +71,14 @@ Linear.
2. Comparing a `NaN` with another `NaN`.
3. Comparing a `NaN` and any other number.
For arrays and objects, the elements are compared in order. If the comparison reaches a `NaN` and a number (or
another `NaN`) before any other difference, the result depends on the language standard. Before C++20, the pair
counts as equivalent and the following elements (or the sizes) decide: for instance, `[NaN] < [1, NaN]` and
`[1] <= [NaN]` are `#!cpp true`. Since C++20, the whole comparison is unordered, and `<`, `<=`, `>`, and `>=` all
yield `#!cpp false`. Otherwise (for example `[1, NaN] < [2, NaN]`, or objects whose keys differ), the result is the
same for all language standards. The same program can therefore order such values differently when it is compiled
with a different language standard.
!!! note "Operator overload resolution"
Since C++20 overload resolution will consider the _rewritten candidate_ generated from
@@ -55,6 +55,10 @@ Linear.
1. Comparing a `NaN` with itself.
2. Comparing a `NaN` with another `NaN`.
3. Comparing a `NaN` and any other number.
- For arrays and objects, the elements are compared in order. If the comparison reaches a `NaN` and a number (or
another `NaN`) before any other difference, the result is `std::partial_ordering::unordered`. (Without C++20, the
comparison operators `<`, `<=`, `>`, and `>=` use the comparison of the containers, which treats such a pair as
equivalent; see [**operator<**](operator_lt.md).)
## Examples