Add AST-based public API checker and fix documentation gaps it found (#3691)

Adds tools/api_checker/: extract_api.py derives the public API surface directly
from the libclang AST (independent of documentation status), check_docs.py flags
public entries missing @sa links (and @sa on non-public ones), diff_api.py does
an overload-aware breaking/feature diff between two refs, check_macros.py cross-
checks documented macros against #define sites, and snapshot_release.py backfills
immutable per-release surface snapshots into tools/api_checker/history/ (v3.1.0
through v3.12.0) so diff_api.py can compare releases without live extraction.
POLICY.md documents what counts as public API and what stability is guaranteed.

Running this tooling against the current tree found and fixed a real documentation
backlog: ~25 new API doc pages (ordered_map's methods, json_sax's ctor/dtor/
operator=, byte_container_with_subtype's comparison operators, several orphaned
type aliases), each with a compiled and output-verified example, plus missing
@sa comments and stale/incorrect Version History entries on several existing
pages (found by diffing consecutive release pairs and checking whether the
resulting change was actually reflected in the target page's history section).

Also adds docs/home/api_changes.md, a per-release, per-function reference of
public API changes (v3.1.0 through v3.12.0) generated from the history/
snapshots, complementing (not replacing) the existing release notes.

Along the way, found and fixed several extractor bugs by testing against real
release tags rather than trusting the algorithm in isolation -- most notably an
identity-key scheme based on libclang's USR that encoded the enclosing class
template's own arity, and a since-renamed ABI inline-namespace pattern
(json_v3_11_0 vs. today's json_abi_v3_11_2) that neither of two earlier regex
attempts stripped correctly. Both are documented in extract_api.py's docstrings
and tools/api_checker/history/README.md so the failure mode doesn't recur
silently.

.github/workflows/check_api_docs.yml runs extract_api.py + check_docs.py in CI,
advisory-only for now (documented backlog may not be at zero for entities this
PR didn't touch), plus a blocking drift check on the committed
tools/api_checker/api_surface.json.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Sonnet 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Signed-off-by: Niels Lohmann <mail@nlohmann.me>

include/nlohmann/json.hpp

@@ -192,22 +192,31 @@ class basic_json // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-special-member-functions,hicpp-spec
     using serializer = ::nlohmann::detail::serializer<basic_json>;
 
   public:
+    /// @brief the type of the JSON value
+    /// @sa https://json.nlohmann.me/api/basic_json/value_t/
     using value_t = detail::value_t;
     /// JSON Pointer, see @ref nlohmann::json_pointer
     using json_pointer = ::nlohmann::json_pointer<StringType>;
     template<typename T, typename SFINAE>
     using json_serializer = JSONSerializer<T, SFINAE>;
     /// how to treat decoding errors
+    /// @sa https://json.nlohmann.me/api/basic_json/error_handler_t/
     using error_handler_t = detail::error_handler_t;
     /// how to treat CBOR tags
+    /// @sa https://json.nlohmann.me/api/basic_json/cbor_tag_handler_t/
     using cbor_tag_handler_t = detail::cbor_tag_handler_t;
     /// how to encode BJData
+    /// @sa https://json.nlohmann.me/api/basic_json/bjdata_version_t/
     using bjdata_version_t = detail::bjdata_version_t;
     /// helper type for initializer lists of basic_json values
+    /// @sa https://json.nlohmann.me/api/basic_json/initializer_list_t/
     using initializer_list_t = std::initializer_list<detail::json_ref<basic_json>>;
 
+    /// @brief the type of the SAX interface used to parse and serialize the JSON value
+    /// @sa https://json.nlohmann.me/api/basic_json/input_format_t/
     using input_format_t = detail::input_format_t;
     /// SAX interface type, see @ref nlohmann::json_sax
+    /// @sa https://json.nlohmann.me/api/basic_json/json_sax_t/
     using json_sax_t = json_sax<basic_json>;
 
     ////////////////
@@ -349,15 +358,19 @@ class basic_json // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-special-member-functions,hicpp-spec
     /// the template arguments passed to class @ref basic_json.
     /// @{
 
+#if defined(JSON_HAS_CPP_14)
     /// @brief default object key comparator type
     /// The actual object key comparator type (@ref object_comparator_t) may be
     /// different.
     /// @sa https://json.nlohmann.me/api/basic_json/default_object_comparator_t/
-#if defined(JSON_HAS_CPP_14)
     // use of transparent comparator avoids unnecessary repeated construction of temporaries
     // in functions involving lookup by key with types other than object_t::key_type (aka. StringType)
     using default_object_comparator_t = std::less<>;
 #else
+    /// @brief default object key comparator type
+    /// The actual object key comparator type (@ref object_comparator_t) may be
+    /// different.
+    /// @sa https://json.nlohmann.me/api/basic_json/default_object_comparator_t/
     using default_object_comparator_t = std::less<StringType>;
 #endif
 
@@ -1182,6 +1195,7 @@ class basic_json // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-special-member-functions,hicpp-spec
     // other constructors and destructor //
     ///////////////////////////////////////
 
+    /// @sa https://json.nlohmann.me/api/basic_json/basic_json/
     template<typename JsonRef,
              detail::enable_if_t<detail::conjunction<detail::is_json_ref<JsonRef>,
                                  std::is_same<typename JsonRef::value_type, basic_json>>::value, int> = 0 >
@@ -1802,6 +1816,8 @@ class basic_json // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-special-member-functions,hicpp-spec
     @throw what @ref json_serializer<ValueType> `from_json()` method throws if conversion is required
 
     @since version 2.1.0
+
+    @sa https://json.nlohmann.me/api/basic_json/get/
     */
     template < typename ValueTypeCV, typename ValueType = detail::uncvref_t<ValueTypeCV>>
 #if defined(JSON_HAS_CPP_14)
@@ -1845,6 +1861,8 @@ class basic_json // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-special-member-functions,hicpp-spec
     @sa see @ref get_ptr() for explicit pointer-member access
 
     @since version 1.0.0
+
+    @sa https://json.nlohmann.me/api/basic_json/get/
     */
     template<typename PointerType, typename std::enable_if<
                  std::is_pointer<PointerType>::value, int>::type = 0>
@@ -1870,6 +1888,7 @@ class basic_json // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-special-member-functions,hicpp-spec
 
     // specialization to allow calling get_to with a basic_json value
     // see https://github.com/nlohmann/json/issues/2175
+    /// @sa https://json.nlohmann.me/api/basic_json/get_to/
     template<typename ValueType,
              detail::enable_if_t <
                  detail::is_basic_json<ValueType>::value,
@@ -1880,6 +1899,7 @@ class basic_json // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-special-member-functions,hicpp-spec
         return v;
     }
 
+    /// @sa https://json.nlohmann.me/api/basic_json/get_to/
     template <
         typename T, std::size_t N,
         typename Array = T (&)[N], // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-avoid-c-arrays,hicpp-avoid-c-arrays,modernize-avoid-c-arrays)
@@ -1943,6 +1963,7 @@ class basic_json // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-special-member-functions,hicpp-spec
 
     @since version 1.0.0
     */
+    /// @sa https://json.nlohmann.me/api/basic_json/operator_ValueType/
     template < typename ValueType, typename std::enable_if <
                    detail::conjunction <
                        detail::negation<std::is_pointer<ValueType>>,
@@ -2224,12 +2245,14 @@ class basic_json // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-special-member-functions,hicpp-spec
 
     // these two functions resolve a (const) char * ambiguity affecting Clang and MSVC
     // (they seemingly cannot be constrained to resolve the ambiguity)
+    /// @sa https://json.nlohmann.me/api/basic_json/operator[]/
     template<typename T>
     reference operator[](T* key)
     {
         return operator[](typename object_t::key_type(key));
     }
 
+    /// @sa https://json.nlohmann.me/api/basic_json/operator[]/
     template<typename T>
     const_reference operator[](T* key) const
     {
@@ -2439,6 +2462,7 @@ class basic_json // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-special-member-functions,hicpp-spec
         JSON_THROW(type_error::create(306, detail::concat("cannot use value() with ", type_name()), this));
     }
 
+    /// @sa https://json.nlohmann.me/api/basic_json/value/
     template < class ValueType, class BasicJsonType, detail::enable_if_t <
                    detail::is_basic_json<BasicJsonType>::value
                    && detail::is_getable<basic_json_t, ValueType>::value
@@ -2449,6 +2473,7 @@ class basic_json // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-special-member-functions,hicpp-spec
         return value(ptr.convert(), default_value);
     }
 
+    /// @sa https://json.nlohmann.me/api/basic_json/value/
     template < class ValueType, class BasicJsonType, class ReturnType = typename value_return_type<ValueType>::type,
                detail::enable_if_t <
                    detail::is_basic_json<BasicJsonType>::value
@@ -2818,6 +2843,7 @@ class basic_json // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-special-member-functions,hicpp-spec
         return ptr.contains(this);
     }
 
+    /// @sa https://json.nlohmann.me/api/basic_json/contains/
     template<typename BasicJsonType, detail::enable_if_t<detail::is_basic_json<BasicJsonType>::value, int> = 0>
     JSON_HEDLEY_DEPRECATED_FOR(3.11.0, basic_json::json_pointer or nlohmann::json_pointer<basic_json::string_t>) // NOLINT(readability/alt_tokens)
     bool contains(const typename ::nlohmann::json_pointer<BasicJsonType>& ptr) const
@@ -4099,6 +4125,7 @@ class basic_json // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-special-member-functions,hicpp-spec
         return result;
     }
 
+    /// @sa https://json.nlohmann.me/api/basic_json/parse/
     JSON_HEDLEY_WARN_UNUSED_RESULT
     JSON_HEDLEY_DEPRECATED_FOR(3.8.0, parse(ptr, ptr + len))
     static basic_json parse(detail::span_input_adapter&& i,
@@ -4132,6 +4159,7 @@ class basic_json // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-special-member-functions,hicpp-spec
         return parser(detail::input_adapter(std::move(first), std::move(last)), nullptr, false, ignore_comments, ignore_trailing_commas).accept(true);
     }
 
+    /// @sa https://json.nlohmann.me/api/basic_json/accept/
     JSON_HEDLEY_WARN_UNUSED_RESULT
     JSON_HEDLEY_DEPRECATED_FOR(3.8.0, accept(ptr, ptr + len))
     static bool accept(detail::span_input_adapter&& i,
@@ -4477,6 +4505,7 @@ class basic_json // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-special-member-functions,hicpp-spec
         return res ? result : basic_json(value_t::discarded);
     }
 
+    /// @sa https://json.nlohmann.me/api/basic_json/from_cbor/
     template<typename T>
     JSON_HEDLEY_WARN_UNUSED_RESULT
     JSON_HEDLEY_DEPRECATED_FOR(3.8.0, from_cbor(ptr, ptr + len))
@@ -4488,6 +4517,7 @@ class basic_json // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-special-member-functions,hicpp-spec
         return from_cbor(ptr, ptr + len, strict, allow_exceptions, tag_handler);
     }
 
+    /// @sa https://json.nlohmann.me/api/basic_json/from_cbor/
     JSON_HEDLEY_WARN_UNUSED_RESULT
     JSON_HEDLEY_DEPRECATED_FOR(3.8.0, from_cbor(ptr, ptr + len))
     static basic_json from_cbor(detail::span_input_adapter&& i,
@@ -4533,6 +4563,7 @@ class basic_json // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-special-member-functions,hicpp-spec
         return res ? result : basic_json(value_t::discarded);
     }
 
+    /// @sa https://json.nlohmann.me/api/basic_json/from_msgpack/
     template<typename T>
     JSON_HEDLEY_WARN_UNUSED_RESULT
     JSON_HEDLEY_DEPRECATED_FOR(3.8.0, from_msgpack(ptr, ptr + len))
@@ -4543,6 +4574,7 @@ class basic_json // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-special-member-functions,hicpp-spec
         return from_msgpack(ptr, ptr + len, strict, allow_exceptions);
     }
 
+    /// @sa https://json.nlohmann.me/api/basic_json/from_msgpack/
     JSON_HEDLEY_WARN_UNUSED_RESULT
     JSON_HEDLEY_DEPRECATED_FOR(3.8.0, from_msgpack(ptr, ptr + len))
     static basic_json from_msgpack(detail::span_input_adapter&& i,
@@ -4587,6 +4619,7 @@ class basic_json // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-special-member-functions,hicpp-spec
         return res ? result : basic_json(value_t::discarded);
     }
 
+    /// @sa https://json.nlohmann.me/api/basic_json/from_ubjson/
     template<typename T>
     JSON_HEDLEY_WARN_UNUSED_RESULT
     JSON_HEDLEY_DEPRECATED_FOR(3.8.0, from_ubjson(ptr, ptr + len))
@@ -4597,6 +4630,7 @@ class basic_json // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-special-member-functions,hicpp-spec
         return from_ubjson(ptr, ptr + len, strict, allow_exceptions);
     }
 
+    /// @sa https://json.nlohmann.me/api/basic_json/from_ubjson/
     JSON_HEDLEY_WARN_UNUSED_RESULT
     JSON_HEDLEY_DEPRECATED_FOR(3.8.0, from_ubjson(ptr, ptr + len))
     static basic_json from_ubjson(detail::span_input_adapter&& i,
@@ -4671,6 +4705,7 @@ class basic_json // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-special-member-functions,hicpp-spec
         return res ? result : basic_json(value_t::discarded);
     }
 
+    /// @sa https://json.nlohmann.me/api/basic_json/from_bson/
     template<typename T>
     JSON_HEDLEY_WARN_UNUSED_RESULT
     JSON_HEDLEY_DEPRECATED_FOR(3.8.0, from_bson(ptr, ptr + len))
@@ -4681,6 +4716,7 @@ class basic_json // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-special-member-functions,hicpp-spec
         return from_bson(ptr, ptr + len, strict, allow_exceptions);
     }
 
+    /// @sa https://json.nlohmann.me/api/basic_json/from_bson/
     JSON_HEDLEY_WARN_UNUSED_RESULT
     JSON_HEDLEY_DEPRECATED_FOR(3.8.0, from_bson(ptr, ptr + len))
     static basic_json from_bson(detail::span_input_adapter&& i,
@@ -4710,6 +4746,7 @@ class basic_json // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-special-member-functions,hicpp-spec
         return ptr.get_unchecked(this);
     }
 
+    /// @sa https://json.nlohmann.me/api/basic_json/operator%5B%5D/
     template<typename BasicJsonType, detail::enable_if_t<detail::is_basic_json<BasicJsonType>::value, int> = 0>
     JSON_HEDLEY_DEPRECATED_FOR(3.11.0, basic_json::json_pointer or nlohmann::json_pointer<basic_json::string_t>) // NOLINT(readability/alt_tokens)
     reference operator[](const ::nlohmann::json_pointer<BasicJsonType>& ptr)
@@ -4724,6 +4761,7 @@ class basic_json // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-special-member-functions,hicpp-spec
         return ptr.get_unchecked(this);
     }
 
+    /// @sa https://json.nlohmann.me/api/basic_json/operator%5B%5D/
     template<typename BasicJsonType, detail::enable_if_t<detail::is_basic_json<BasicJsonType>::value, int> = 0>
     JSON_HEDLEY_DEPRECATED_FOR(3.11.0, basic_json::json_pointer or nlohmann::json_pointer<basic_json::string_t>) // NOLINT(readability/alt_tokens)
     const_reference operator[](const ::nlohmann::json_pointer<BasicJsonType>& ptr) const
@@ -4738,6 +4776,7 @@ class basic_json // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-special-member-functions,hicpp-spec
         return ptr.get_checked(this);
     }
 
+    /// @sa https://json.nlohmann.me/api/basic_json/at/
     template<typename BasicJsonType, detail::enable_if_t<detail::is_basic_json<BasicJsonType>::value, int> = 0>
     JSON_HEDLEY_DEPRECATED_FOR(3.11.0, basic_json::json_pointer or nlohmann::json_pointer<basic_json::string_t>) // NOLINT(readability/alt_tokens)
     reference at(const ::nlohmann::json_pointer<BasicJsonType>& ptr)
@@ -4752,6 +4791,7 @@ class basic_json // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-special-member-functions,hicpp-spec
         return ptr.get_checked(this);
     }
 
+    /// @sa https://json.nlohmann.me/api/basic_json/at/
     template<typename BasicJsonType, detail::enable_if_t<detail::is_basic_json<BasicJsonType>::value, int> = 0>
     JSON_HEDLEY_DEPRECATED_FOR(3.11.0, basic_json::json_pointer or nlohmann::json_pointer<basic_json::string_t>) // NOLINT(readability/alt_tokens)
     const_reference at(const ::nlohmann::json_pointer<BasicJsonType>& ptr) const