docs: correct JSON Pointer documentation and add tests (#5937)

Fix inaccurate or missing statements about unflatten (third round-trip
failure, empty token, typo), value (type_error.306 before pointer lookup),
contains (pointer overload), parent_pointer and operator<< (bad_alloc),
out_of_range.410 example, template parameter requirements (resize(n)), and
document the URI fragment form and non-unique member names of RFC 6901.
Add tests for the unflatten and value() cases.

Signed-off-by: Niels Lohmann <mail@nlohmann.me>
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Niels Lohmann authored and GitHub committed 2026-10-26 17:11:46 +01:00
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@@ -61,11 +61,18 @@ Strong exception safety: if an exception occurs, the original value stays intact
## Complexity
Logarithmic in the size of the JSON object.
1. Logarithmic in the size of the JSON object.
2. Logarithmic in the size of the JSON object.
3. At most one lookup per reference token of `ptr`, each logarithmic in the size of the container at that level:
O(*n* log *m*) for *n* reference tokens and containers of size at most *m*.
4. Deleted; a call with an integral argument does not compile.
## Notes
- This method always returns `#!cpp false` when executed on a JSON type that is not an object.
- Overloads (1) and (2) always return `#!cpp false` when executed on a JSON type that is not an object. Overload (3)
also works on arrays and on primitive values: the empty JSON pointer resolves in every JSON value (so
`#!cpp json(1).contains(""_json_pointer)` returns `#!cpp true`), and `#!cpp json({1, 2}).contains("/1"_json_pointer)`
returns `#!cpp true`.
- This method can be executed on any JSON value type.
- Calling this function with an integer argument (for example, `#!cpp contains(0)`) does not compile: such an argument
would otherwise implicitly convert to a null `#!cpp const char*` and, from there, cause undefined behavior when
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@@ -36,9 +36,9 @@ The function can throw the following exceptions:
- Throws [`parse_error.109`](../../home/exceptions.md#jsonexceptionparse_error109) if an array index in a key is not a
number; example: `"array index 'one' is not a number"`
- Throws [`out_of_range.404`](../../home/exceptions.md#jsonexceptionout_of_range404) if a level becomes an array
(because one of its keys is `0`) and another key at that level begins with a digit but is not a valid array index
(such as `1a`), or is `-`; example:
`"unresolved reference token '-'"`
(because one of its keys is `0`) and another key at that level is empty (as in `/a/`), is `-`, or begins with a digit
but is not a valid array index (such as `1a`); examples: `"unresolved reference token '-'"`,
`"unresolved reference token ''"`
## Complexity
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ Linear in the size of the JSON value.
## Notes
Empty objects and arrays are flattened by [`flatten()`](flatten.md) to `#!json null` values and cannot unflattened to
Empty objects and arrays are flattened by [`flatten()`](flatten.md) to `#!json null` values and cannot be unflattened to
their original type.
A flattened array and a flattened object whose keys are array indices are indistinguishable, because both are
@@ -54,7 +54,12 @@ described by the same JSON pointers. A value is therefore restored as an array i
reference token `0`, and as an object otherwise: `#!json {"2": 1}` is restored unchanged, whereas `#!json {"0": 1}` is
restored as `#!json [1]`. This decision does not depend on the order in which the flattened object is iterated.
Apart from these two cases, for a JSON value `j`, the following is always true:
A third case is an object that has the key `0` next to a key that is not a valid array index: `#!json {"0": 1, "b": 2}`
is flattened to `#!json {"/0": 1, "/b": 2}`, and unflatten treats the level as an array and throws
[`parse_error.109`](../../home/exceptions.md#jsonexceptionparse_error109) because `b` is not a number. (For the keys
`-`, `1a`, or the empty key instead of `b`, it throws [`out_of_range.404`](../../home/exceptions.md#jsonexceptionout_of_range404).)
Apart from these three cases, for a JSON value `j`, the following is always true:
`#!cpp j == j.flatten().unflatten()`.
## Examples
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@@ -45,6 +45,9 @@ This is equivalent to Python's `dict.get(key, default)`.
return default_value;
}
```
with one exception: if the JSON value is neither an array nor an object, the function throws
[`type_error.306`](../../home/exceptions.md#jsonexceptiontype_error306) before looking at `ptr`, even for the empty
pointer, whereas `at` returns the value itself for the empty pointer.
!!! note "Differences to `at` and `operator[]`"
@@ -12,7 +12,8 @@ Parent of this JSON pointer; in case this JSON pointer is the root, the root its
## Exception safety
No-throw guarantee: this function never throws exceptions.
Strong exception safety: if an exception occurs, the original value stays intact. The function is not `#!cpp noexcept`
and allocates a new JSON pointer, so it can throw `#!cpp std::bad_alloc`; it throws no library exceptions.
## Complexity
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@@ -37,7 +37,8 @@ the stream `o`
1. Throws [`type_error.316`](../home/exceptions.md#jsonexceptiontype_error316) if a string stored inside the JSON
value is not UTF-8 encoded. Note that unlike the [`dump`](basic_json/dump.md) member functions, no `error_handler`
can be set.
2. None.
2. Throws no library exceptions. As the string representation is built with [`to_string`](json_pointer/to_string.md),
`#!cpp std::bad_alloc` is possible.
## Complexity