Fix destroy() for ObjectTypes without reverse iteration

The non-recursive destroy walk from #5762 picked an object's last child
via object_t::rbegin() and std::prev(end()). Neither is available for
every ObjectType: no_key_compare_map in unit-custom-object-type.cpp has
no rbegin(), so develop no longer compiles that test, and hash maps such
as std::unordered_map only have forward iterators.

The walk can take an object's children in any order, as long as it
finds the same child again while the object is not modified in between.
So objects with bidirectional iterators keep using their last child
(O(1) to remove from vector-based maps like ordered_map), and objects
with forward-only iterators use begin() instead. No reverse iteration
or rbegin() is needed any more, and the walk stays allocation-free.

Adds a forward-only ObjectType to the tests, destroyed both with mixed
nesting and 100000 levels deep.

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

.github/workflows/macos.yml

@@ -17,11 +17,11 @@ permissions:
   contents: read
 
 jobs:
-  macos-14:
+  macos-15:
-    runs-on: macos-14 # https://github.com/actions/runner-images/blob/main/images/macos/macos-14-Readme.md
+    runs-on: macos-15 # https://github.com/actions/runner-images/blob/main/images/macos/macos-15-Readme.md
     strategy:
       matrix:
-        xcode: ['15.0.1', '15.1', '15.2', '15.3', '15.4']
+        xcode: ['16.0', '16.1', '16.2', '16.3', '16.4', '26.0.1', '26.1.1', '26.2', '26.3']
     env:
       DEVELOPER_DIR: /Applications/Xcode_${{ matrix.xcode }}.app/Contents/Developer
 
@@ -36,11 +36,11 @@ jobs:
       - name: Test
         run: cd build ; ctest -j 10 --output-on-failure
 
-  macos-15:
+  macos-26:
-    runs-on: macos-15 # https://github.com/actions/runner-images/blob/main/images/macos/macos-15-Readme.md
+    runs-on: macos-26 # https://github.com/actions/runner-images/blob/main/images/macos/macos-26-arm64-Readme.md
     strategy:
       matrix:
-        xcode: ['16.0', '16.1', '16.2', '16.3', '16.4', '26.0.1']
+        xcode: ['26.4.1', '26.5', '26.6']
     env:
       DEVELOPER_DIR: /Applications/Xcode_${{ matrix.xcode }}.app/Contents/Developer
 

.github/workflows/ubuntu.yml

@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ jobs:
     strategy:
       matrix:
         # older GCC docker images (4, 5, 6) fail to check out code
-        compiler: ['7', '8', '9', '10', '11', '12', '13', '14', '15', 'latest']
+        compiler: ['7', '8', '9', '10', '11', '12', '13', '14', '15', '16', 'latest']
     container: gcc:${{ matrix.compiler }}
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1 # v7.0.1

docs/mkdocs/docs/api/basic_json/to_bjdata.md

@@ -68,6 +68,8 @@ Strong guarantee: if an exception is thrown, there are no changes in the JSON va
 - Throws [type_error.316](../../home/exceptions.md#jsonexceptiontype_error316) if a string or object key in `j` is
   not valid UTF-8 and `error_handler` is `strict` (the default only if
   [`JSON_STRICT_BINARY_UTF8`](../macros/json_strict_binary_utf8.md) is enabled)
+- Throws [type_error.321](../../home/exceptions.md#jsonexceptiontype_error321) if `j` or a value nested in it is
+  discarded; example: `"cannot serialize discarded value to BJData"`
 
 ## Complexity
 
@@ -119,4 +121,6 @@ Linear in the size of the JSON value `j`.
 - BJData version parameter (for draft3 binary encoding) added in version 3.12.0.
 - Added `error_handler` parameter in version 3.13.0. Its default, `keep`, writes the bytes of a string or object key
   that is not valid UTF-8 unchanged, as before; `strict` (the default if
-  [`JSON_STRICT_BINARY_UTF8`](../macros/json_strict_binary_utf8.md) is enabled) throws `type_error.316`.
+  [`JSON_STRICT_BINARY_UTF8`](../macros/json_strict_binary_utf8.md) is enabled) throws `type_error.316`.
+- Throws `type_error.321` for a discarded value since version 3.13.0; previously, a discarded value nested in an
+  array or object was silently skipped, producing invalid BJData.

docs/mkdocs/docs/api/basic_json/to_bson.md

@@ -58,6 +58,9 @@ Strong guarantee: if an exception is thrown, there are no changes in the JSON va
 - Throws [type_error.316](../../home/exceptions.md#jsonexceptiontype_error316) if a string or object key is
   not valid UTF-8 and `error_handler` is `strict` (the default only if
   [`JSON_STRICT_BINARY_UTF8`](../macros/json_strict_binary_utf8.md) is enabled)
+- Throws [type_error.321](../../home/exceptions.md#jsonexceptiontype_error321) if a value nested in `j` is discarded
+  (the top-level value itself is covered by `type_error.317` above, since it must be an object); example:
+  `"cannot serialize discarded value to BSON"`
 
 ## Complexity
 
@@ -110,6 +113,8 @@ pass before anything is written.
 - Throws `out_of_range.412` and `out_of_range.415` since version 3.13.0.
 - Linear in the size of `j`, and no longer limited by the call stack for deeply nested values, since version 3.13.0.
 - `out_of_range.415` is now detected before anything is written, like the other exceptions above, since version 3.13.0.
+- Throws `type_error.321` for a discarded value nested in `j` since version 3.13.0; previously, it was silently
+  skipped, producing a document whose declared size did not match what was actually written.
 - Added `error_handler` parameter in version 3.13.0. Its default, `keep`, writes the bytes of a string or object key
   that is not valid UTF-8 unchanged, as before; `strict` (the default if
   [`JSON_STRICT_BINARY_UTF8`](../macros/json_strict_binary_utf8.md) is enabled) throws `type_error.316` before anything

docs/mkdocs/docs/api/basic_json/to_cbor.md

@@ -49,6 +49,8 @@ Strong guarantee: if an exception is thrown, there are no changes in the JSON va
 - Throws [type_error.316](../../home/exceptions.md#jsonexceptiontype_error316) if a string or object key in `j` is
   not valid UTF-8 and `error_handler` is `strict` (the default only if
   [`JSON_STRICT_BINARY_UTF8`](../macros/json_strict_binary_utf8.md) is enabled)
+- Throws [type_error.321](../../home/exceptions.md#jsonexceptiontype_error321) if `j` or a value nested in it is
+  discarded; example: `"cannot serialize discarded value to CBOR"`
 
 ## Complexity
 
@@ -86,3 +88,5 @@ Linear in the size of the JSON value `j`.
 - Added `error_handler` parameter in version 3.13.0. Its default, `keep`, writes the bytes of a string or object key
   that is not valid UTF-8 unchanged, as before; `strict` (the default if
   [`JSON_STRICT_BINARY_UTF8`](../macros/json_strict_binary_utf8.md) is enabled) throws `type_error.316`.
+- Throws `type_error.321` for a discarded value since version 3.13.0; previously, a discarded value nested in an
+  array or object was silently skipped, producing invalid CBOR.

docs/mkdocs/docs/api/basic_json/to_msgpack.md

@@ -54,6 +54,8 @@ Strong guarantee: if an exception is thrown, there are no changes in the JSON va
   `"subtype 70000 is too large for the MessagePack ext type (max 255)"`
 - Throws [type_error.316](../../home/exceptions.md#jsonexceptiontype_error316) if a string or object key in `j` is
   not valid UTF-8 and `error_handler` is `strict`
+- Throws [type_error.321](../../home/exceptions.md#jsonexceptiontype_error321) if `j` or a value nested in it is
+  discarded; example: `"cannot serialize discarded value to MessagePack"`
 
 ## Complexity
 
@@ -108,3 +110,5 @@ Linear in the size of the JSON value `j`.
 - Fixed in version 3.13.0 to serialize `number_integer_t`/`number_unsigned_t` pairs of different width correctly;
   before, integers could be serialized with the wrong value if `number_integer_t` was narrower than
   `number_unsigned_t`.
+- Throws `type_error.321` for a discarded value since version 3.13.0; previously, a discarded value nested in an
+  array or object was silently skipped, producing invalid MessagePack.

docs/mkdocs/docs/api/basic_json/to_ubjson.md

@@ -61,6 +61,8 @@ Strong guarantee: if an exception is thrown, there are no changes in the JSON va
 - Throws [type_error.316](../../home/exceptions.md#jsonexceptiontype_error316) if a string or object key in `j` is
   not valid UTF-8 and `error_handler` is `strict` (the default only if
   [`JSON_STRICT_BINARY_UTF8`](../macros/json_strict_binary_utf8.md) is enabled)
+- Throws [type_error.321](../../home/exceptions.md#jsonexceptiontype_error321) if `j` or a value nested in it is
+  discarded; example: `"cannot serialize discarded value to UBJSON"`
 
 ## Complexity
 
@@ -112,3 +114,5 @@ Linear in the size of the JSON value `j`.
 - Added `error_handler` parameter in version 3.13.0. Its default, `keep`, writes the bytes of a string or object key
   that is not valid UTF-8 unchanged, as before; `strict` (the default if
   [`JSON_STRICT_BINARY_UTF8`](../macros/json_strict_binary_utf8.md) is enabled) throws `type_error.316`.
+- Throws `type_error.321` for a discarded value since version 3.13.0; previously, a discarded value nested in an
+  array or object was silently skipped, producing invalid UBJSON.

docs/mkdocs/docs/community/quality_assurance.md

@@ -21,17 +21,18 @@ Note: Some modern features (like C++20 ranges or filesystem support) may be disa
       
         | Compiler                                     | Architecture | Operating System                  | CI        |
         |----------------------------------------------|--------------|-----------------------------------|-----------|
-        | AppleClang 15.0.0.15000040; Xcode 15.0.1     | arm64        | macOS 14.7.2 (Sonoma)             | GitHub    |
-        | AppleClang 15.0.0.15000100; Xcode 15.1       | arm64        | macOS 14.7.2 (Sonoma)             | GitHub    |
-        | AppleClang 15.0.0.15000100; Xcode 15.2       | arm64        | macOS 14.7.2 (Sonoma)             | GitHub    |
-        | AppleClang 15.0.0.15000309; Xcode 15.3       | arm64        | macOS 14.7.2 (Sonoma)             | GitHub    |
-        | AppleClang 15.0.0.15000309; Xcode 15.4       | arm64        | macOS 14.7.2 (Sonoma)             | GitHub    |
         | AppleClang 16.0.0.16000026; Xcode 16         | arm64        | macOS 15.2 (Sequoia)              | GitHub    |
         | AppleClang 16.0.0.16000026; Xcode 16.1       | arm64        | macOS 15.2 (Sequoia)              | GitHub    |
         | AppleClang 16.0.0.16000026; Xcode 16.2       | arm64        | macOS 15.2 (Sequoia)              | GitHub    |
         | AppleClang 17.0.0.17000013; Xcode 16.3       | arm64        | macOS 15.5 (Sequoia)              | GitHub    |
         | AppleClang 17.0.0.17000013; Xcode 16.4       | arm64        | macOS 15.5 (Sequoia)              | GitHub    |
         | AppleClang 17.0.0.17000319; Xcode 26.0.1     | arm64        | macOS 15.5 (Sequoia)              | GitHub    |
+        | AppleClang 17.0.0.17000404; Xcode 26.1.1     | arm64        | macOS 15.7.9 (Sequoia)            | GitHub    |
+        | AppleClang 17.0.0.17000603; Xcode 26.2       | arm64        | macOS 15.7.9 (Sequoia)            | GitHub    |
+        | AppleClang 17.0.0.17000604; Xcode 26.3       | arm64        | macOS 15.7.9 (Sequoia)            | GitHub    |
+        | AppleClang 21.0.0.21000099; Xcode 26.4.1     | arm64        | macOS 26.6.2 (Tahoe)              | GitHub    |
+        | AppleClang 21.0.0.21000101; Xcode 26.5       | arm64        | macOS 26.6.2 (Tahoe)              | GitHub    |
+        | AppleClang 21.0.0.21000101; Xcode 26.6       | arm64        | macOS 26.6.2 (Tahoe)              | GitHub    |
         | Clang 3.4.2                                  | x86_64       | Ubuntu 22.04.1 LTS                | GitHub    |
         | Clang 3.5.2                                  | x86_64       | Ubuntu 22.04.1 LTS                | GitHub    |
         | Clang 3.6.2                                  | x86_64       | Ubuntu 22.04.1 LTS                | GitHub    |
@@ -89,7 +90,7 @@ Note: Some modern features (like C++20 ranges or filesystem support) may be disa
         | GNU 13.3.0                                   | x86_64       | Ubuntu 22.04.1 LTS                | GitHub    |
         | GNU 14.2.0                                   | x86_64       | Ubuntu 22.04.1 LTS                | GitHub    |
         | GNU 15.1.0                                   | x86_64       | Ubuntu 22.04.1 LTS                | GitHub    |
-        | GNU 16.1.0                                   | x86_64       | Ubuntu 22.04.1 LTS                | GitHub    |
+        | GNU 16.2.0                                   | x86_64       | Ubuntu 22.04.1 LTS                | GitHub    |
         | GNU 16.1.0                                   | arm64        | Ubuntu 24.04                      | GitHub    |
         | icpc (ICC) 2021.10.0 20230609                | x86_64       | Ubuntu 22.04 LTS                  | GitHub    |
         | icpx (Intel oneAPI DPC++/C++) 2025.3.2       | x86_64       | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS                  | GitHub    |

docs/mkdocs/docs/home/exceptions.md

@@ -804,6 +804,20 @@ does not list an enumerator and it is therefore converted like the first listed
     [json.exception.type_error.318] duplicate object key 'red'
     ```
 
+### json.exception.type_error.321
+
+A discarded value (one created by [`parse()`](../api/basic_json/parse.md) with a callback that returns `false` for the
+value, or by default-constructing a [`basic_json`](../api/basic_json/index.md) with
+[`value_t::discarded`](../api/basic_json/value_t.md)) was passed to a binary serialization function, either directly or
+nested in an array or object. There is no way to represent a discarded value in CBOR, MessagePack, UBJSON, BJData, or BSON.
+
+!!! failure "Example message"
+
+    Serializing `#!json [1, 2]` to CBOR, where the second element was discarded by a parser callback:
+    ```
+    [json.exception.type_error.321] cannot serialize discarded value to CBOR
+    ```
+
 ## Out of range
 
 This exception is thrown in case a library function is called on an input parameter that exceeds the expected range, for instance, in the case of array indices or nonexisting object keys.

include/nlohmann/detail/input/lexer.hpp

@@ -2021,6 +2021,39 @@ scan_number_done:
         // read the next character and ignore whitespace
         skip_whitespace();
 
+        return scan_after_whitespace();
+    }
+
+    /*!
+    @brief scan the next token when the caller expects a separator (':' or
+           ',') most of the time
+
+    After an object key the next token is almost always ':', after a value
+    inside an object or array almost always ','. Testing for that character
+    first is a compare and a well-predicted branch, where the switch in
+    scan_after_whitespace() is an indirect jump through a table. Anything else
+    goes through the switch, so the result is the same as scan()'s.
+
+    May only be called after scan() has run once (the BOM check is skipped).
+    */
+    token_type scan_expecting(token_type expected_type)
+    {
+        JSON_ASSERT(expected_type == token_type::name_separator || expected_type == token_type::value_separator);
+        JSON_ASSERT(position.chars_read_total > 0);
+        const char_int_type expected_char = static_cast<unsigned char>((expected_type == token_type::name_separator) ? ':' : ',');
+        skip_whitespace();
+        if (JSON_HEDLEY_LIKELY(current == expected_char))
+        {
+            return expected_type;
+        }
+        return scan_after_whitespace();
+    }
+
+  private:
+    /// the part of scan() after the leading whitespace: skip comments and
+    /// scan the token that starts with current
+    token_type scan_after_whitespace()
+    {
         // ignore comments
         while (ignore_comments && current == '/')
         {
@@ -2100,7 +2133,6 @@ scan_number_done:
         }
     }
 
-  private:
     /// input adapter
     InputAdapterType ia;
 

include/nlohmann/detail/input/parser.hpp

@@ -260,7 +260,7 @@ class parser
                         }
 
                         // parse separator (:)
-                        if (JSON_HEDLEY_UNLIKELY(get_token() != token_type::name_separator))
+                        if (JSON_HEDLEY_UNLIKELY(!get_token_expecting(token_type::name_separator)))
                         {
                             return sax->parse_error(m_lexer.get_position(),
                                                     m_lexer.get_token_string(),
@@ -423,7 +423,7 @@ class parser
             {
                 // comma -> next value
                 // or end of array (ignore_trailing_commas = true)
-                if (get_token() == token_type::value_separator)
+                if (get_token_expecting(token_type::value_separator))
                 {
                     // parse a new value
                     get_token();
@@ -463,7 +463,7 @@ class parser
 
             // comma -> next value
             // or end of object (ignore_trailing_commas = true)
-            if (get_token() == token_type::value_separator)
+            if (get_token_expecting(token_type::value_separator))
             {
                 get_token();
 
@@ -484,7 +484,7 @@ class parser
                     }
 
                     // parse separator (:)
-                    if (JSON_HEDLEY_UNLIKELY(get_token() != token_type::name_separator))
+                    if (JSON_HEDLEY_UNLIKELY(!get_token_expecting(token_type::name_separator)))
                     {
                         return sax->parse_error(m_lexer.get_position(),
                                                 m_lexer.get_token_string(),
@@ -528,6 +528,13 @@ class parser
         return last_token = m_lexer.scan();
     }
 
+    /// get next token from lexer; true if it is the separator @a expected_type
+    /// (name_separator or value_separator), which it usually is
+    bool get_token_expecting(token_type expected_type)
+    {
+        return (last_token = m_lexer.scan_expecting(expected_type)) == expected_type;
+    }
+
     std::string exception_message(const token_type expected, const std::string& context)
     {
         std::string error_msg = "syntax error ";

include/nlohmann/detail/output/binary_writer.hpp

@@ -127,6 +127,7 @@ class binary_writer
     @throw type_error.316 if a string value or an object key is not valid
            UTF-8
     @throw type_error.317 if @a j is not an object
+    @throw type_error.321 if a value nested in @a j is discarded
     */
     void write_bson(const BasicJsonType& j)
     {
@@ -158,6 +159,7 @@ class binary_writer
     @param[in] j  JSON value to serialize
     @throw type_error.316 if a string value or an object key is not valid
            UTF-8
+    @throw type_error.321 if @a j or a value nested in it is discarded
     */
     void write_cbor(const BasicJsonType& j)
     {
@@ -322,7 +324,7 @@ class binary_writer
 
             case value_t::discarded:
             default:
-                break;
+                throw_on_discarded(j, "CBOR");
         }
     }
 
@@ -382,6 +384,7 @@ class binary_writer
 
     /*!
     @param[in] j  JSON value to serialize
+    @throw type_error.321 if @a j or a value nested in it is discarded
     */
     void write_msgpack(const BasicJsonType& j)
     {
@@ -655,7 +658,7 @@ class binary_writer
 
             case value_t::discarded:
             default:
-                break;
+                throw_on_discarded(j, "MessagePack");
         }
     }
 
@@ -668,6 +671,7 @@ class binary_writer
     @param[in] bjdata_version  which BJData version to use, default is draft2
     @throw type_error.316 if a string value or an object key is not valid
            UTF-8
+    @throw type_error.321 if @a j or a value nested in it is discarded
     */
     void write_ubjson(const BasicJsonType& j, const bool use_count,
                       const bool use_type, const bool add_prefix = true,
@@ -901,7 +905,7 @@ class binary_writer
 
             case value_t::discarded:
             default:
-                break;
+                throw_on_discarded(j, use_bjdata ? "BJData" : "UBJSON");
         }
     }
 
@@ -921,6 +925,15 @@ class binary_writer
     }
 
   private:
+    /*!
+    @brief throws because @a j is discarded and cannot be serialized
+    @throw type_error.321 always
+    */
+    JSON_HEDLEY_NO_RETURN static void throw_on_discarded(const BasicJsonType& j, const char* format_name)
+    {
+        JSON_THROW(type_error::create(321, concat("cannot serialize discarded value to ", format_name), &j));
+    }
+
     //////////
     // BSON //
     //////////
@@ -1172,6 +1185,7 @@ class binary_writer
            into a byte, before anything is written
     @throw type_error.316 if @a j is a string that is not valid UTF-8, before
            anything is written
+    @throw type_error.321 if @a j is discarded
     */
     std::size_t calc_bson_value_size(const BasicJsonType& j)
     {
@@ -1198,10 +1212,12 @@ class binary_writer
             case value_t::null:
                 return 0ul;
 
+            case value_t::discarded:
+                throw_on_discarded(j, "BSON");
+
             // LCOV_EXCL_START
             case value_t::object:
             case value_t::array:
-            case value_t::discarded:
             default:
                 JSON_ASSERT(false); // NOLINT(cert-dcl03-c,hicpp-static-assert,misc-static-assert)
                 return 0ul;
@@ -1238,10 +1254,12 @@ class binary_writer
             case value_t::null:
                 return write_bson_null(name);
 
+            case value_t::discarded:
+                throw_on_discarded(j, "BSON");
+
             // LCOV_EXCL_START
             case value_t::object:
             case value_t::array:
-            case value_t::discarded:
             default:
                 JSON_ASSERT(false); // NOLINT(cert-dcl03-c,hicpp-static-assert,misc-static-assert)
                 return;
@@ -1308,6 +1326,8 @@ class binary_writer
            byte, before anything is written
     @throw type_error.316 if a string value or a key is not valid UTF-8,
            before anything is written
+    @throw type_error.321 if a value nested in @a document is discarded,
+           before anything is written
     */
     std::size_t calc_bson_sizes(const BasicJsonType& document, std::vector<std::size_t>& nested_sizes)
     {

include/nlohmann/json.hpp

@@ -612,100 +612,239 @@ class basic_json // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-special-member-functions,hicpp-spec
         /// constructor for rvalue binary arrays (internal type)
         json_value(binary_t&& value) : binary(create<binary_t>(std::move(value))) {}
 
-        void destroy(value_t t)
+private:
+        // raw, allocation-free transfer of m_data from src to dst: no
+        // set_parents()/assert_invariant() (the former is O(#children) per
+        // call under JSON_DIAGNOSTICS, which would make the walk below
+        // quadratic); dst takes ownership, src is left as value_t::null.
+        static void take(basic_json& dst, basic_json& src) noexcept
+        {
+            dst.m_data.m_type = src.m_data.m_type;
+            dst.m_data.m_value = src.m_data.m_value;
+            src.m_data.m_type = value_t::null;
+        }
+
+        // true if v is not an array/object, or is an already-empty one
+        static bool has_no_children(const basic_json& v) noexcept
+        {
+            switch (v.m_data.m_type)
+            {
+                case value_t::array:
+                    return v.m_data.m_value.array->empty();
+                case value_t::object:
+                    return v.m_data.m_value.object->empty();
+                default:
+                    return true;
+            }
+        }
+
+        // The walk in destroy_container() may take the children of a
+        // container in any order, as long as it picks the same child again
+        // while that container is not modified in between. Arrays and
+        // objects with bidirectional iterators (std::map, ordered_map, ...)
+        // use their last child, which a vector-based container can remove
+        // in O(1). ObjectType only needs forward iterators, though (e.g.
+        // std::unordered_map), so other objects use their first child.
+        template<typename ObjectType_>
+        static typename ObjectType_::iterator walk_child_it(ObjectType_& o, std::bidirectional_iterator_tag /*unused*/)
+        {
+            return std::prev(o.end());
+        }
+
+        template<typename ObjectType_>
+        static typename ObjectType_::iterator walk_child_it(ObjectType_& o, std::forward_iterator_tag /*unused*/)
+        {
+            return o.begin();
+        }
+
+        template<typename ObjectType_>
+        static typename ObjectType_::iterator walk_child_it(ObjectType_& o)
+        {
+            JSON_ASSERT(!o.empty());
+            return walk_child_it(o, typename std::iterator_traits<typename ObjectType_::iterator>::iterator_category());
+        }
+
+        // the child of a non-empty array/object v that the walk in
+        // destroy_container() continues with (see walk_child_it() above)
+        static basic_json& walk_child(basic_json& v)
+        {
+            if (v.m_data.m_type == value_t::array)
+            {
+                return v.m_data.m_value.array->back();
+            }
+            JSON_ASSERT(v.m_data.m_type == value_t::object);
+            return walk_child_it(*v.m_data.m_value.object)->second;
+        }
+
+        // removes walk_child(v) from a non-empty array/object v; this never
+        // allocates, and since it is only ever called when that child is a
+        // scalar or an already-empty array/object, destroying it never
+        // recurses more than one level deep (see destroy() below)
+        static void pop_walk_child(basic_json& v)
+        {
+            if (v.m_data.m_type == value_t::array)
+            {
+                v.m_data.m_value.array->pop_back();
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                JSON_ASSERT(v.m_data.m_type == value_t::object);
+                v.m_data.m_value.object->erase(walk_child_it(*v.m_data.m_value.object));
+            }
+        }
+
+        // deallocates the (already empty) array/object held by v; this is
+        // the same allocator-based free the old recursive implementation
+        // used, just factored out so every level of the walk in destroy()
+        // can share it
+        static void free_container(basic_json& v) noexcept
+        {
+            if (v.m_data.m_type == value_t::array)
+            {
+                JSON_ASSERT(v.m_data.m_value.array->empty());
+                AllocatorType<array_t> alloc;
+                std::allocator_traits<decltype(alloc)>::destroy(alloc, v.m_data.m_value.array);
+                std::allocator_traits<decltype(alloc)>::deallocate(alloc, v.m_data.m_value.array, 1);
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                JSON_ASSERT(v.m_data.m_type == value_t::object);
+                JSON_ASSERT(v.m_data.m_value.object->empty());
+                AllocatorType<object_t> alloc;
+                std::allocator_traits<decltype(alloc)>::destroy(alloc, v.m_data.m_value.object);
+                std::allocator_traits<decltype(alloc)>::deallocate(alloc, v.m_data.m_value.object, 1);
+            }
+            v.m_data.m_type = value_t::null; // avoid a double free if v is later destructed
+        }
+
+public:
+        void destroy_string() noexcept
+        {
+            if (string == nullptr)
+            {
+                // not initialized (e.g., due to exception in the ctor)
+                return;
+            }
+            AllocatorType<string_t> alloc;
+            std::allocator_traits<decltype(alloc)>::destroy(alloc, string);
+            std::allocator_traits<decltype(alloc)>::deallocate(alloc, string, 1);
+        }
+
+        void destroy_binary() noexcept
+        {
+            if (binary == nullptr)
+            {
+                // not initialized (e.g., due to exception in the ctor)
+                return;
+            }
+            AllocatorType<binary_t> alloc;
+            std::allocator_traits<decltype(alloc)>::destroy(alloc, binary);
+            std::allocator_traits<decltype(alloc)>::deallocate(alloc, binary, 1);
+        }
+
+        // t must be value_t::array or value_t::object
+        void destroy_container(value_t t) noexcept
         {
             if (
                 (t == value_t::object && object == nullptr) ||
-                (t == value_t::array && array == nullptr) ||
+                (t == value_t::array && array == nullptr)
-                (t == value_t::string && string == nullptr) ||
-                (t == value_t::binary && binary == nullptr)
             )
             {
                 // not initialized (e.g., due to exception in the ctor)
                 return;
             }
-            if (t == value_t::array || t == value_t::object)
+
+            // Destroy the tree without recursing per nesting level and
+            // without any heap allocation: a heap-allocated flattening
+            // stack (the previous implementation) can itself throw
+            // bad_alloc, which would escape this noexcept destructor and
+            // terminate the program (#5135).
+            //
+            // Instead, walk down a chain of children (always the one
+            // walk_child() picks), reversing links as we go: cur is the
+            // container currently being emptied, and prev is its parent
+            // (value_t::null when there is none). Each parent's
+            // walk_child() slot doubles as storage for that parent's own
+            // parent link while we are below it, so no extra memory is
+            // needed; the parent is not modified meanwhile, so
+            // walk_child() finds that same slot again on the way up. We
+            // only ever remove a child once it is a scalar or an empty
+            // array/object, which neither allocates nor recurses more
+            // than one level deep.
+            //
+            // This json_value is not itself a basic_json, so the
+            // top-level container is first moved into a local stand-in
+            // ("cur"); a default-constructed basic_json has a null
+            // pointer in its m_value (see data::m_value's initializer),
+            // so swapping it with *this leaves this union's own pointer
+            // null, and it is never looked at or freed a second time.
+            basic_json cur;
+            cur.m_data.m_type = t;
+            using std::swap;
+            swap(cur.m_data.m_value, *this);
+
+            basic_json prev; // value_t::null: no parent
+
+            while (true)
             {
-                // flatten the current json_value to a heap-allocated stack
+                if (has_no_children(cur))
-                std::vector<basic_json> stack;
-
-                // move the top-level items to stack
-                if (t == value_t::array)
                 {
-                    stack.reserve(array->size());
+                    if (prev.m_data.m_type == value_t::null)
-                    std::move(array->begin(), array->end(), std::back_inserter(stack));
-                }
-                else
-                {
-                    stack.reserve(object->size());
-                    for (auto&& it : *object)
                     {
-                        stack.push_back(std::move(it.second));
+                        free_container(cur);
-                    }
+                        return; // back at the top with nothing left to do
-                }
-
-                while (!stack.empty())
-                {
-                    // move the last item to a local variable to be processed
-                    basic_json current_item(std::move(stack.back()));
-                    stack.pop_back();
-
-                    // if current_item is array/object, move
-                    // its children to the stack to be processed later
-                    if (current_item.is_array())
-                    {
-                        std::move(current_item.m_data.m_value.array->begin(), current_item.m_data.m_value.array->end(), std::back_inserter(stack));
-
-                        current_item.m_data.m_value.array->clear();
-                    }
-                    else if (current_item.is_object())
-                    {
-                        for (auto&& it : *current_item.m_data.m_value.object)
-                        {
-                            stack.push_back(std::move(it.second));
-                        }
-
-                        current_item.m_data.m_value.object->clear();
                     }
 
-                    // it's now safe that current_item gets destructed
+                    // ascend: detach the grandparent link from prev's
-                    // since it doesn't have any children
+                    // walk_child() slot, drop that (now null) slot, free cur
+                    // (it is empty), then move up one level
+                    basic_json gp;
+                    take(gp, walk_child(prev));
+                    pop_walk_child(prev);
+
+                    free_container(cur);
+
+                    take(cur, prev);
+                    take(prev, gp);
+                    continue;
                 }
+
+                basic_json& cur_child_ref = walk_child(cur);
+
+                if (has_no_children(cur_child_ref))
+                {
+                    // scalar, or already-empty array/object
+                    pop_walk_child(cur);
+                    continue;
+                }
+
+                // descend into the non-empty child, reversing the
+                // link: its slot takes over prev, and the child becomes
+                // the new cur
+                basic_json tmp;
+                take(tmp, cur_child_ref);
+                take(cur_child_ref, prev);
+                take(prev, cur);
+                take(cur, tmp);
             }
+        }
 
+        void destroy(value_t t)
+        {
             switch (t)
             {
-                case value_t::object:
-                {
-                    AllocatorType<object_t> alloc;
-                    std::allocator_traits<decltype(alloc)>::destroy(alloc, object);
-                    std::allocator_traits<decltype(alloc)>::deallocate(alloc, object, 1);
-                    break;
-                }
-
-                case value_t::array:
-                {
-                    AllocatorType<array_t> alloc;
-                    std::allocator_traits<decltype(alloc)>::destroy(alloc, array);
-                    std::allocator_traits<decltype(alloc)>::deallocate(alloc, array, 1);
-                    break;
-                }
-
                 case value_t::string:
-                {
+                    destroy_string();
-                    AllocatorType<string_t> alloc;
-                    std::allocator_traits<decltype(alloc)>::destroy(alloc, string);
-                    std::allocator_traits<decltype(alloc)>::deallocate(alloc, string, 1);
                     break;
-                }
 
                 case value_t::binary:
-                {
+                    destroy_binary();
-                    AllocatorType<binary_t> alloc;
+                    break;
-                    std::allocator_traits<decltype(alloc)>::destroy(alloc, binary);
+
-                    std::allocator_traits<decltype(alloc)>::deallocate(alloc, binary, 1);
+                case value_t::object:
+                case value_t::array:
+                    destroy_container(t);
                     break;
-                }
 
                 case value_t::null:
                 case value_t::boolean:
@@ -714,9 +853,7 @@ class basic_json // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-special-member-functions,hicpp-spec
                 case value_t::number_float:
                 case value_t::discarded:
                 default:
-                {
                     break;
-                }
             }
         }
     };

single_include/nlohmann/json.hpp

@@ -12313,6 +12313,39 @@ scan_number_done:
         // read the next character and ignore whitespace
         skip_whitespace();
 
+        return scan_after_whitespace();
+    }
+
+    /*!
+    @brief scan the next token when the caller expects a separator (':' or
+           ',') most of the time
+
+    After an object key the next token is almost always ':', after a value
+    inside an object or array almost always ','. Testing for that character
+    first is a compare and a well-predicted branch, where the switch in
+    scan_after_whitespace() is an indirect jump through a table. Anything else
+    goes through the switch, so the result is the same as scan()'s.
+
+    May only be called after scan() has run once (the BOM check is skipped).
+    */
+    token_type scan_expecting(token_type expected_type)
+    {
+        JSON_ASSERT(expected_type == token_type::name_separator || expected_type == token_type::value_separator);
+        JSON_ASSERT(position.chars_read_total > 0);
+        const char_int_type expected_char = static_cast<unsigned char>((expected_type == token_type::name_separator) ? ':' : ',');
+        skip_whitespace();
+        if (JSON_HEDLEY_LIKELY(current == expected_char))
+        {
+            return expected_type;
+        }
+        return scan_after_whitespace();
+    }
+
+  private:
+    /// the part of scan() after the leading whitespace: skip comments and
+    /// scan the token that starts with current
+    token_type scan_after_whitespace()
+    {
         // ignore comments
         while (ignore_comments && current == '/')
         {
@@ -12392,7 +12425,6 @@ scan_number_done:
         }
     }
 
-  private:
     /// input adapter
     InputAdapterType ia;
 
@@ -18422,7 +18454,7 @@ class parser
                         }
 
                         // parse separator (:)
-                        if (JSON_HEDLEY_UNLIKELY(get_token() != token_type::name_separator))
+                        if (JSON_HEDLEY_UNLIKELY(!get_token_expecting(token_type::name_separator)))
                         {
                             return sax->parse_error(m_lexer.get_position(),
                                                     m_lexer.get_token_string(),
@@ -18585,7 +18617,7 @@ class parser
             {
                 // comma -> next value
                 // or end of array (ignore_trailing_commas = true)
-                if (get_token() == token_type::value_separator)
+                if (get_token_expecting(token_type::value_separator))
                 {
                     // parse a new value
                     get_token();
@@ -18625,7 +18657,7 @@ class parser
 
             // comma -> next value
             // or end of object (ignore_trailing_commas = true)
-            if (get_token() == token_type::value_separator)
+            if (get_token_expecting(token_type::value_separator))
             {
                 get_token();
 
@@ -18646,7 +18678,7 @@ class parser
                     }
 
                     // parse separator (:)
-                    if (JSON_HEDLEY_UNLIKELY(get_token() != token_type::name_separator))
+                    if (JSON_HEDLEY_UNLIKELY(!get_token_expecting(token_type::name_separator)))
                     {
                         return sax->parse_error(m_lexer.get_position(),
                                                 m_lexer.get_token_string(),
@@ -18690,6 +18722,13 @@ class parser
         return last_token = m_lexer.scan();
     }
 
+    /// get next token from lexer; true if it is the separator @a expected_type
+    /// (name_separator or value_separator), which it usually is
+    bool get_token_expecting(token_type expected_type)
+    {
+        return (last_token = m_lexer.scan_expecting(expected_type)) == expected_type;
+    }
+
     std::string exception_message(const token_type expected, const std::string& context)
     {
         std::string error_msg = "syntax error ";
@@ -21587,6 +21626,7 @@ class binary_writer
     @throw type_error.316 if a string value or an object key is not valid
            UTF-8
     @throw type_error.317 if @a j is not an object
+    @throw type_error.321 if a value nested in @a j is discarded
     */
     void write_bson(const BasicJsonType& j)
     {
@@ -21618,6 +21658,7 @@ class binary_writer
     @param[in] j  JSON value to serialize
     @throw type_error.316 if a string value or an object key is not valid
            UTF-8
+    @throw type_error.321 if @a j or a value nested in it is discarded
     */
     void write_cbor(const BasicJsonType& j)
     {
@@ -21782,7 +21823,7 @@ class binary_writer
 
             case value_t::discarded:
             default:
-                break;
+                throw_on_discarded(j, "CBOR");
         }
     }
 
@@ -21842,6 +21883,7 @@ class binary_writer
 
     /*!
     @param[in] j  JSON value to serialize
+    @throw type_error.321 if @a j or a value nested in it is discarded
     */
     void write_msgpack(const BasicJsonType& j)
     {
@@ -22115,7 +22157,7 @@ class binary_writer
 
             case value_t::discarded:
             default:
-                break;
+                throw_on_discarded(j, "MessagePack");
         }
     }
 
@@ -22128,6 +22170,7 @@ class binary_writer
     @param[in] bjdata_version  which BJData version to use, default is draft2
     @throw type_error.316 if a string value or an object key is not valid
            UTF-8
+    @throw type_error.321 if @a j or a value nested in it is discarded
     */
     void write_ubjson(const BasicJsonType& j, const bool use_count,
                       const bool use_type, const bool add_prefix = true,
@@ -22361,7 +22404,7 @@ class binary_writer
 
             case value_t::discarded:
             default:
-                break;
+                throw_on_discarded(j, use_bjdata ? "BJData" : "UBJSON");
         }
     }
 
@@ -22381,6 +22424,15 @@ class binary_writer
     }
 
   private:
+    /*!
+    @brief throws because @a j is discarded and cannot be serialized
+    @throw type_error.321 always
+    */
+    JSON_HEDLEY_NO_RETURN static void throw_on_discarded(const BasicJsonType& j, const char* format_name)
+    {
+        JSON_THROW(type_error::create(321, concat("cannot serialize discarded value to ", format_name), &j));
+    }
+
     //////////
     // BSON //
     //////////
@@ -22632,6 +22684,7 @@ class binary_writer
            into a byte, before anything is written
     @throw type_error.316 if @a j is a string that is not valid UTF-8, before
            anything is written
+    @throw type_error.321 if @a j is discarded
     */
     std::size_t calc_bson_value_size(const BasicJsonType& j)
     {
@@ -22658,10 +22711,12 @@ class binary_writer
             case value_t::null:
                 return 0ul;
 
+            case value_t::discarded:
+                throw_on_discarded(j, "BSON");
+
             // LCOV_EXCL_START
             case value_t::object:
             case value_t::array:
-            case value_t::discarded:
             default:
                 JSON_ASSERT(false); // NOLINT(cert-dcl03-c,hicpp-static-assert,misc-static-assert)
                 return 0ul;
@@ -22698,10 +22753,12 @@ class binary_writer
             case value_t::null:
                 return write_bson_null(name);
 
+            case value_t::discarded:
+                throw_on_discarded(j, "BSON");
+
             // LCOV_EXCL_START
             case value_t::object:
             case value_t::array:
-            case value_t::discarded:
             default:
                 JSON_ASSERT(false); // NOLINT(cert-dcl03-c,hicpp-static-assert,misc-static-assert)
                 return;
@@ -22768,6 +22825,8 @@ class binary_writer
            byte, before anything is written
     @throw type_error.316 if a string value or a key is not valid UTF-8,
            before anything is written
+    @throw type_error.321 if a value nested in @a document is discarded,
+           before anything is written
     */
     std::size_t calc_bson_sizes(const BasicJsonType& document, std::vector<std::size_t>& nested_sizes)
     {
@@ -27792,100 +27851,239 @@ class basic_json // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-special-member-functions,hicpp-spec
         /// constructor for rvalue binary arrays (internal type)
         json_value(binary_t&& value) : binary(create<binary_t>(std::move(value))) {}
 
-        void destroy(value_t t)
+private:
+        // raw, allocation-free transfer of m_data from src to dst: no
+        // set_parents()/assert_invariant() (the former is O(#children) per
+        // call under JSON_DIAGNOSTICS, which would make the walk below
+        // quadratic); dst takes ownership, src is left as value_t::null.
+        static void take(basic_json& dst, basic_json& src) noexcept
+        {
+            dst.m_data.m_type = src.m_data.m_type;
+            dst.m_data.m_value = src.m_data.m_value;
+            src.m_data.m_type = value_t::null;
+        }
+
+        // true if v is not an array/object, or is an already-empty one
+        static bool has_no_children(const basic_json& v) noexcept
+        {
+            switch (v.m_data.m_type)
+            {
+                case value_t::array:
+                    return v.m_data.m_value.array->empty();
+                case value_t::object:
+                    return v.m_data.m_value.object->empty();
+                default:
+                    return true;
+            }
+        }
+
+        // The walk in destroy_container() may take the children of a
+        // container in any order, as long as it picks the same child again
+        // while that container is not modified in between. Arrays and
+        // objects with bidirectional iterators (std::map, ordered_map, ...)
+        // use their last child, which a vector-based container can remove
+        // in O(1). ObjectType only needs forward iterators, though (e.g.
+        // std::unordered_map), so other objects use their first child.
+        template<typename ObjectType_>
+        static typename ObjectType_::iterator walk_child_it(ObjectType_& o, std::bidirectional_iterator_tag /*unused*/)
+        {
+            return std::prev(o.end());
+        }
+
+        template<typename ObjectType_>
+        static typename ObjectType_::iterator walk_child_it(ObjectType_& o, std::forward_iterator_tag /*unused*/)
+        {
+            return o.begin();
+        }
+
+        template<typename ObjectType_>
+        static typename ObjectType_::iterator walk_child_it(ObjectType_& o)
+        {
+            JSON_ASSERT(!o.empty());
+            return walk_child_it(o, typename std::iterator_traits<typename ObjectType_::iterator>::iterator_category());
+        }
+
+        // the child of a non-empty array/object v that the walk in
+        // destroy_container() continues with (see walk_child_it() above)
+        static basic_json& walk_child(basic_json& v)
+        {
+            if (v.m_data.m_type == value_t::array)
+            {
+                return v.m_data.m_value.array->back();
+            }
+            JSON_ASSERT(v.m_data.m_type == value_t::object);
+            return walk_child_it(*v.m_data.m_value.object)->second;
+        }
+
+        // removes walk_child(v) from a non-empty array/object v; this never
+        // allocates, and since it is only ever called when that child is a
+        // scalar or an already-empty array/object, destroying it never
+        // recurses more than one level deep (see destroy() below)
+        static void pop_walk_child(basic_json& v)
+        {
+            if (v.m_data.m_type == value_t::array)
+            {
+                v.m_data.m_value.array->pop_back();
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                JSON_ASSERT(v.m_data.m_type == value_t::object);
+                v.m_data.m_value.object->erase(walk_child_it(*v.m_data.m_value.object));
+            }
+        }
+
+        // deallocates the (already empty) array/object held by v; this is
+        // the same allocator-based free the old recursive implementation
+        // used, just factored out so every level of the walk in destroy()
+        // can share it
+        static void free_container(basic_json& v) noexcept
+        {
+            if (v.m_data.m_type == value_t::array)
+            {
+                JSON_ASSERT(v.m_data.m_value.array->empty());
+                AllocatorType<array_t> alloc;
+                std::allocator_traits<decltype(alloc)>::destroy(alloc, v.m_data.m_value.array);
+                std::allocator_traits<decltype(alloc)>::deallocate(alloc, v.m_data.m_value.array, 1);
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                JSON_ASSERT(v.m_data.m_type == value_t::object);
+                JSON_ASSERT(v.m_data.m_value.object->empty());
+                AllocatorType<object_t> alloc;
+                std::allocator_traits<decltype(alloc)>::destroy(alloc, v.m_data.m_value.object);
+                std::allocator_traits<decltype(alloc)>::deallocate(alloc, v.m_data.m_value.object, 1);
+            }
+            v.m_data.m_type = value_t::null; // avoid a double free if v is later destructed
+        }
+
+public:
+        void destroy_string() noexcept
+        {
+            if (string == nullptr)
+            {
+                // not initialized (e.g., due to exception in the ctor)
+                return;
+            }
+            AllocatorType<string_t> alloc;
+            std::allocator_traits<decltype(alloc)>::destroy(alloc, string);
+            std::allocator_traits<decltype(alloc)>::deallocate(alloc, string, 1);
+        }
+
+        void destroy_binary() noexcept
+        {
+            if (binary == nullptr)
+            {
+                // not initialized (e.g., due to exception in the ctor)
+                return;
+            }
+            AllocatorType<binary_t> alloc;
+            std::allocator_traits<decltype(alloc)>::destroy(alloc, binary);
+            std::allocator_traits<decltype(alloc)>::deallocate(alloc, binary, 1);
+        }
+
+        // t must be value_t::array or value_t::object
+        void destroy_container(value_t t) noexcept
         {
             if (
                 (t == value_t::object && object == nullptr) ||
-                (t == value_t::array && array == nullptr) ||
+                (t == value_t::array && array == nullptr)
-                (t == value_t::string && string == nullptr) ||
-                (t == value_t::binary && binary == nullptr)
             )
             {
                 // not initialized (e.g., due to exception in the ctor)
                 return;
             }
-            if (t == value_t::array || t == value_t::object)
+
+            // Destroy the tree without recursing per nesting level and
+            // without any heap allocation: a heap-allocated flattening
+            // stack (the previous implementation) can itself throw
+            // bad_alloc, which would escape this noexcept destructor and
+            // terminate the program (#5135).
+            //
+            // Instead, walk down a chain of children (always the one
+            // walk_child() picks), reversing links as we go: cur is the
+            // container currently being emptied, and prev is its parent
+            // (value_t::null when there is none). Each parent's
+            // walk_child() slot doubles as storage for that parent's own
+            // parent link while we are below it, so no extra memory is
+            // needed; the parent is not modified meanwhile, so
+            // walk_child() finds that same slot again on the way up. We
+            // only ever remove a child once it is a scalar or an empty
+            // array/object, which neither allocates nor recurses more
+            // than one level deep.
+            //
+            // This json_value is not itself a basic_json, so the
+            // top-level container is first moved into a local stand-in
+            // ("cur"); a default-constructed basic_json has a null
+            // pointer in its m_value (see data::m_value's initializer),
+            // so swapping it with *this leaves this union's own pointer
+            // null, and it is never looked at or freed a second time.
+            basic_json cur;
+            cur.m_data.m_type = t;
+            using std::swap;
+            swap(cur.m_data.m_value, *this);
+
+            basic_json prev; // value_t::null: no parent
+
+            while (true)
             {
-                // flatten the current json_value to a heap-allocated stack
+                if (has_no_children(cur))
-                std::vector<basic_json> stack;
-
-                // move the top-level items to stack
-                if (t == value_t::array)
                 {
-                    stack.reserve(array->size());
+                    if (prev.m_data.m_type == value_t::null)
-                    std::move(array->begin(), array->end(), std::back_inserter(stack));
-                }
-                else
-                {
-                    stack.reserve(object->size());
-                    for (auto&& it : *object)
                     {
-                        stack.push_back(std::move(it.second));
+                        free_container(cur);
-                    }
+                        return; // back at the top with nothing left to do
-                }
-
-                while (!stack.empty())
-                {
-                    // move the last item to a local variable to be processed
-                    basic_json current_item(std::move(stack.back()));
-                    stack.pop_back();
-
-                    // if current_item is array/object, move
-                    // its children to the stack to be processed later
-                    if (current_item.is_array())
-                    {
-                        std::move(current_item.m_data.m_value.array->begin(), current_item.m_data.m_value.array->end(), std::back_inserter(stack));
-
-                        current_item.m_data.m_value.array->clear();
-                    }
-                    else if (current_item.is_object())
-                    {
-                        for (auto&& it : *current_item.m_data.m_value.object)
-                        {
-                            stack.push_back(std::move(it.second));
-                        }
-
-                        current_item.m_data.m_value.object->clear();
                     }
 
-                    // it's now safe that current_item gets destructed
+                    // ascend: detach the grandparent link from prev's
-                    // since it doesn't have any children
+                    // walk_child() slot, drop that (now null) slot, free cur
+                    // (it is empty), then move up one level
+                    basic_json gp;
+                    take(gp, walk_child(prev));
+                    pop_walk_child(prev);
+
+                    free_container(cur);
+
+                    take(cur, prev);
+                    take(prev, gp);
+                    continue;
                 }
+
+                basic_json& cur_child_ref = walk_child(cur);
+
+                if (has_no_children(cur_child_ref))
+                {
+                    // scalar, or already-empty array/object
+                    pop_walk_child(cur);
+                    continue;
+                }
+
+                // descend into the non-empty child, reversing the
+                // link: its slot takes over prev, and the child becomes
+                // the new cur
+                basic_json tmp;
+                take(tmp, cur_child_ref);
+                take(cur_child_ref, prev);
+                take(prev, cur);
+                take(cur, tmp);
             }
+        }
 
+        void destroy(value_t t)
+        {
             switch (t)
             {
-                case value_t::object:
-                {
-                    AllocatorType<object_t> alloc;
-                    std::allocator_traits<decltype(alloc)>::destroy(alloc, object);
-                    std::allocator_traits<decltype(alloc)>::deallocate(alloc, object, 1);
-                    break;
-                }
-
-                case value_t::array:
-                {
-                    AllocatorType<array_t> alloc;
-                    std::allocator_traits<decltype(alloc)>::destroy(alloc, array);
-                    std::allocator_traits<decltype(alloc)>::deallocate(alloc, array, 1);
-                    break;
-                }
-
                 case value_t::string:
-                {
+                    destroy_string();
-                    AllocatorType<string_t> alloc;
-                    std::allocator_traits<decltype(alloc)>::destroy(alloc, string);
-                    std::allocator_traits<decltype(alloc)>::deallocate(alloc, string, 1);
                     break;
-                }
 
                 case value_t::binary:
-                {
+                    destroy_binary();
-                    AllocatorType<binary_t> alloc;
+                    break;
-                    std::allocator_traits<decltype(alloc)>::destroy(alloc, binary);
+
-                    std::allocator_traits<decltype(alloc)>::deallocate(alloc, binary, 1);
+                case value_t::object:
+                case value_t::array:
+                    destroy_container(t);
                     break;
-                }
 
                 case value_t::null:
                 case value_t::boolean:
@@ -27894,9 +28092,7 @@ class basic_json // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-special-member-functions,hicpp-spec
                 case value_t::number_float:
                 case value_t::discarded:
                 default:
-                {
                     break;
-                }
             }
         }
     };

tests/src/unit-allocator.cpp

@@ -607,3 +607,88 @@ TEST_CASE("bad my_allocator::construct")
         j["test"].push_back("should not leak");
     }
 }
+
+namespace
+{
+std::size_t counting_allocator_allocations = 0;
+std::size_t counting_allocator_deallocations = 0;
+
+template<class T>
+struct counting_allocator : std::allocator<T>
+{
+    using std::allocator<T>::allocator;
+
+    T* allocate(std::size_t n)
+    {
+        ++counting_allocator_allocations;
+        return std::allocator<T>::allocate(n);
+    }
+
+    void deallocate(T* p, std::size_t n)
+    {
+        ++counting_allocator_deallocations;
+        std::allocator<T>::deallocate(p, n);
+    }
+
+    template <class U>
+    struct rebind
+    {
+        using other = counting_allocator<U>;
+    };
+};
+} // namespace
+
+TEST_CASE("destructor performs no allocation, only deallocation")
+{
+    // see https://github.com/nlohmann/json/issues/4842 and
+    // https://github.com/nlohmann/json/issues/5135: destroying nested
+    // arrays/objects used to allocate a temporary stack (first with
+    // std::allocator, later - after #4842 - with the provided allocator).
+    // Since that stack could itself throw bad_alloc from inside the
+    // noexcept destructor (#5135), destroy() no longer allocates anything:
+    // it only ever frees what is already there.
+    using counting_json = nlohmann::basic_json<std::map,
+          std::vector,
+          std::string,
+          bool,
+          std::int64_t,
+          std::uint64_t,
+          double,
+          counting_allocator>;
+
+    SECTION("array")
+    {
+        auto* j = new counting_json({1, {2, {3, 4}}, 5}); // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-owning-memory)
+        const auto allocations_before = counting_allocator_allocations;
+        const auto deallocations_before = counting_allocator_deallocations;
+        delete j; // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-owning-memory)
+        CHECK(counting_allocator_allocations == allocations_before);
+        CHECK(counting_allocator_deallocations > deallocations_before);
+    }
+
+    SECTION("object")
+    {
+        auto* j = new counting_json({{"a", {{"b", {1, 2}}}}, {"c", 3}}); // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-owning-memory)
+        const auto allocations_before = counting_allocator_allocations;
+        const auto deallocations_before = counting_allocator_deallocations;
+        delete j; // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-owning-memory)
+        CHECK(counting_allocator_allocations == allocations_before);
+        CHECK(counting_allocator_deallocations > deallocations_before);
+    }
+
+    SECTION("mixed tree of empty/non-empty arrays and objects")
+    {
+        auto* j = new counting_json( // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-owning-memory)
+        {
+            {"empty_obj", counting_json::object()},
+            {"empty_arr", counting_json::array()},
+            {"nested", {{"a", counting_json::array({1, 2, counting_json::object()})}, {"b", 3}}},
+            {"tail", counting_json::array({counting_json::array({1}), 2, counting_json::array({3})})}
+        });
+        const auto allocations_before = counting_allocator_allocations;
+        const auto deallocations_before = counting_allocator_deallocations;
+        delete j; // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-owning-memory)
+        CHECK(counting_allocator_allocations == allocations_before);
+        CHECK(counting_allocator_deallocations > deallocations_before);
+    }
+}

tests/src/unit-bjdata.cpp

@@ -114,10 +114,59 @@ TEST_CASE("BJData")
     {
         SECTION("discarded")
         {
-            // discarded values are not serialized
+            // a discarded value cannot be serialized to BJData
             json const j = json::value_t::discarded;
-            const auto result = json::to_bjdata(j);
+            CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(json::to_bjdata(j), "[json.exception.type_error.321] cannot serialize discarded value to BJData", json::type_error&);
-            CHECK(result.empty());
+        }
+
+        SECTION("discarded values nested in a container")
+        {
+            json const discarded = json::value_t::discarded;
+
+            SECTION("in an array")
+            {
+                json const j = {1, discarded, 2};
+#if JSON_DIAGNOSTICS
+                CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(json::to_bjdata(j), "[json.exception.type_error.321] (/1) cannot serialize discarded value to BJData", json::type_error&);
+#else
+                CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(json::to_bjdata(j), "[json.exception.type_error.321] cannot serialize discarded value to BJData", json::type_error&);
+#endif
+            }
+
+            SECTION("as an object value")
+            {
+                json j;
+                j["a"] = 1;
+                j["b"] = discarded;
+#if JSON_DIAGNOSTICS
+                CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(json::to_bjdata(j), "[json.exception.type_error.321] (/b) cannot serialize discarded value to BJData", json::type_error&);
+#else
+                CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(json::to_bjdata(j), "[json.exception.type_error.321] cannot serialize discarded value to BJData", json::type_error&);
+#endif
+            }
+
+            SECTION("nested deeper (array in object in array)")
+            {
+                json inner_array = {1, discarded};
+                json middle_object;
+                middle_object["x"] = inner_array;
+                json const j = {middle_object};
+#if JSON_DIAGNOSTICS
+                CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(json::to_bjdata(j), "[json.exception.type_error.321] (/0/x/1) cannot serialize discarded value to BJData", json::type_error&);
+#else
+                CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(json::to_bjdata(j), "[json.exception.type_error.321] cannot serialize discarded value to BJData", json::type_error&);
+#endif
+            }
+
+            SECTION("optimized array of all-discarded elements")
+            {
+                json const j = {discarded, discarded};
+#if JSON_DIAGNOSTICS
+                CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(json::to_bjdata(j, true, true), "[json.exception.type_error.321] (/0) cannot serialize discarded value to BJData", json::type_error&);
+#else
+                CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(json::to_bjdata(j, true, true), "[json.exception.type_error.321] cannot serialize discarded value to BJData", json::type_error&);
+#endif
+            }
         }
 
         SECTION("null")

tests/src/unit-bson.cpp

@@ -149,6 +149,54 @@ TEST_CASE("BSON")
             json const j = std::vector<int> {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7};
             CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(json::to_bson(j), "[json.exception.type_error.317] to serialize to BSON, top-level type must be object, but is array", json::type_error&);
         }
+
+        SECTION("discarded")
+        {
+            json const j = json::value_t::discarded;
+            CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(json::to_bson(j), "[json.exception.type_error.317] to serialize to BSON, top-level type must be object, but is discarded", json::type_error&);
+        }
+    }
+
+    SECTION("discarded values nested in a container cannot be serialized to BSON")
+    {
+        json const discarded = json::value_t::discarded;
+
+        SECTION("as an object value")
+        {
+            json j;
+            j["a"] = 1;
+            j["b"] = discarded;
+#if JSON_DIAGNOSTICS
+            CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(json::to_bson(j), "[json.exception.type_error.321] (/b) cannot serialize discarded value to BSON", json::type_error&);
+#else
+            CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(json::to_bson(j), "[json.exception.type_error.321] cannot serialize discarded value to BSON", json::type_error&);
+#endif
+        }
+
+        SECTION("in an array that is an object value")
+        {
+            json j;
+            j["a"] = json::array({1, discarded, 2});
+#if JSON_DIAGNOSTICS
+            CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(json::to_bson(j), "[json.exception.type_error.321] (/a/1) cannot serialize discarded value to BSON", json::type_error&);
+#else
+            CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(json::to_bson(j), "[json.exception.type_error.321] cannot serialize discarded value to BSON", json::type_error&);
+#endif
+        }
+
+        SECTION("nested deeper (array in object in object)")
+        {
+            json inner_array = {1, discarded};
+            json middle_object;
+            middle_object["x"] = inner_array;
+            json j;
+            j["outer"] = middle_object;
+#if JSON_DIAGNOSTICS
+            CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(json::to_bson(j), "[json.exception.type_error.321] (/outer/x/1) cannot serialize discarded value to BSON", json::type_error&);
+#else
+            CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(json::to_bson(j), "[json.exception.type_error.321] cannot serialize discarded value to BSON", json::type_error&);
+#endif
+        }
     }
 
     SECTION("keys containing code-point U+0000 cannot be serialized to BSON")

tests/src/unit-cbor.cpp

@@ -38,10 +38,49 @@ TEST_CASE("CBOR")
     {
         SECTION("discarded")
         {
-            // discarded values are not serialized
+            // a discarded value cannot be serialized to CBOR
             json const j = json::value_t::discarded;
-            const auto result = json::to_cbor(j);
+            CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(json::to_cbor(j), "[json.exception.type_error.321] cannot serialize discarded value to CBOR", json::type_error&);
-            CHECK(result.empty());
+        }
+
+        SECTION("discarded values nested in a container")
+        {
+            json const discarded = json::value_t::discarded;
+
+            SECTION("in an array")
+            {
+                json const j = {1, discarded, 2};
+#if JSON_DIAGNOSTICS
+                CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(json::to_cbor(j), "[json.exception.type_error.321] (/1) cannot serialize discarded value to CBOR", json::type_error&);
+#else
+                CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(json::to_cbor(j), "[json.exception.type_error.321] cannot serialize discarded value to CBOR", json::type_error&);
+#endif
+            }
+
+            SECTION("as an object value")
+            {
+                json j;
+                j["a"] = 1;
+                j["b"] = discarded;
+#if JSON_DIAGNOSTICS
+                CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(json::to_cbor(j), "[json.exception.type_error.321] (/b) cannot serialize discarded value to CBOR", json::type_error&);
+#else
+                CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(json::to_cbor(j), "[json.exception.type_error.321] cannot serialize discarded value to CBOR", json::type_error&);
+#endif
+            }
+
+            SECTION("nested deeper (array in object in array)")
+            {
+                json inner_array = {1, discarded};
+                json middle_object;
+                middle_object["x"] = inner_array;
+                json const j = {middle_object};
+#if JSON_DIAGNOSTICS
+                CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(json::to_cbor(j), "[json.exception.type_error.321] (/0/x/1) cannot serialize discarded value to CBOR", json::type_error&);
+#else
+                CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(json::to_cbor(j), "[json.exception.type_error.321] cannot serialize discarded value to CBOR", json::type_error&);
+#endif
+            }
         }
 
         SECTION("NaN")

tests/src/unit-class_parser.cpp

@@ -2317,6 +2317,58 @@ TEST_CASE("parser class")
 #endif
     }
 
+    SECTION("comments before separators")
+    {
+        // The parser first checks for the expected ':' or ',' and only then
+        // falls back to the full token switch, which skips comments. A comment
+        // directly before a separator takes that fallback.
+        json _;
+
+        SECTION("ignored")
+        {
+            const std::vector<std::pair<std::string, json>> inputs =
+            {
+                {"{\"a\" /* c */ : 1}", {{"a", 1}}},
+                {"{\"a\" // c\n: 1}", {{"a", 1}}},
+                {R"({"a": 1, "b" /* c */ : 2})", {{"a", 1}, {"b", 2}}},
+                {R"({"a": 1 /* c */ , "b": 2})", {{"a", 1}, {"b", 2}}},
+                {"{\"a\": 1 // c\n, \"b\": 2}", {{"a", 1}, {"b", 2}}},
+                {"[1 /* c */ , 2]", {1, 2}},
+                {"[1 // c\n, 2]", {1, 2}},
+                {"{\"a\" /* c */ /* d */ : [1 // c\n , 2 /**/ ] /**/ , \"b\" : 3}", {{"a", {1, 2}}, {"b", 3}}}
+            };
+            for (const auto& input : inputs)
+            {
+                CAPTURE(input.first)
+                CHECK(json::parse(input.first, nullptr, true, true) == input.second);
+                CHECK(json::accept(input.first, true));
+            }
+        }
+
+        SECTION("ignored, with trailing commas")
+        {
+            CHECK(json::parse(std::string("[1 /* c */ , ]"), nullptr, true, true, true) == json({1}));
+            CHECK(json::parse(std::string("{\"a\": 1 /* c */ , }"), nullptr, true, true, true) == json({{"a", 1}}));
+            CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(_ = json::parse(std::string("[1 /* c */ , ]"), nullptr, true, true),
+                                 "[json.exception.parse_error.101] parse error at line 1, column 14: syntax error while parsing value - unexpected ']'; expected '[', '{', or a literal", json::parse_error);
+            CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(_ = json::parse(std::string("{\"a\": 1 /* c */ , }"), nullptr, true, true),
+                                 "[json.exception.parse_error.101] parse error at line 1, column 19: syntax error while parsing object key - unexpected '}'; expected string literal", json::parse_error);
+        }
+
+        SECTION("not ignored")
+        {
+            CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(_ = json::parse(std::string("{\"a\" /* c */ : 1}")),
+                                 "[json.exception.parse_error.101] parse error at line 1, column 6: syntax error while parsing object separator - invalid literal; last read: '\"a\" /'; expected ':'", json::parse_error);
+            CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(_ = json::parse(std::string("{\"a\": 1, \"b\" /* c */ : 2}")),
+                                 "[json.exception.parse_error.101] parse error at line 1, column 14: syntax error while parsing object separator - invalid literal; last read: '\"b\" /'; expected ':'", json::parse_error);
+            CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(_ = json::parse(std::string("{\"a\": 1 /* c */ , \"b\": 2}")),
+                                 "[json.exception.parse_error.101] parse error at line 1, column 9: syntax error while parsing object - invalid literal; last read: '1 /'; expected '}'", json::parse_error);
+            CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(_ = json::parse(std::string("[1 /* c */ , 2]")),
+                                 "[json.exception.parse_error.101] parse error at line 1, column 4: syntax error while parsing array - invalid literal; last read: '1 /'; expected ']'", json::parse_error);
+            CHECK(!json::accept(std::string("[1 /* c */ , 2]")));
+        }
+    }
+
 #if JSON_DIAGNOSTIC_POSITIONS
     // Macro for all test cases for start_pos and end_pos
 #define SETUP_TESTCASES() \

tests/src/unit-custom-object-type.cpp

@@ -10,7 +10,9 @@
 
 #include <nlohmann/json.hpp>
 
+#include <cstddef>
 #include <cstdint>
+#include <iterator>
 #include <map>
 #include <string>
 #include <type_traits>
@@ -196,6 +198,198 @@ struct void_erase_map : std::map<Key, T, Compare, Allocator>
 
 using void_erase_json = nlohmann::basic_json<void_erase_map>;
 
+// wraps an iterator, but only offers the LegacyForwardIterator operations,
+// like the iterators of std::unordered_map and other hash maps
+template<class BaseIterator>
+class forward_only_iterator
+{
+    BaseIterator m_it{};
+
+  public:
+    using iterator_category = std::forward_iterator_tag;
+    using value_type = typename std::iterator_traits<BaseIterator>::value_type;
+    using difference_type = typename std::iterator_traits<BaseIterator>::difference_type;
+    using pointer = typename std::iterator_traits<BaseIterator>::pointer;
+    using reference = typename std::iterator_traits<BaseIterator>::reference;
+
+    forward_only_iterator() = default;
+    explicit forward_only_iterator(BaseIterator it) : m_it(it) {}
+
+    BaseIterator base() const
+    {
+        return m_it;
+    }
+
+    reference operator*() const
+    {
+        return *m_it;
+    }
+    pointer operator->() const
+    {
+        return &*m_it;
+    }
+    forward_only_iterator& operator++()
+    {
+        ++m_it;
+        return *this;
+    }
+    forward_only_iterator operator++(int)
+    {
+        auto result = *this;
+        ++m_it;
+        return result;
+    }
+
+    friend bool operator==(const forward_only_iterator& lhs, const forward_only_iterator& rhs)
+    {
+        return lhs.m_it == rhs.m_it;
+    }
+    friend bool operator!=(const forward_only_iterator& lhs, const forward_only_iterator& rhs)
+    {
+        return lhs.m_it != rhs.m_it;
+    }
+};
+
+// An ObjectType whose iterators are forward-only, as those of hash maps are;
+// it has no rbegin() and its iterators no operator--. A hash map is not used
+// directly for the same reason as in no_key_compare_map above.
+template<class Key, class T, class Compare, class Allocator>
+class forward_only_map
+{
+    using map_t = std::map<Key, T, Compare, Allocator>;
+    map_t data;
+
+  public:
+    using key_type = typename map_t::key_type;
+    using mapped_type = typename map_t::mapped_type;
+    using value_type = typename map_t::value_type;
+    using size_type = typename map_t::size_type;
+    using allocator_type = typename map_t::allocator_type;
+    using iterator = forward_only_iterator<typename map_t::iterator>;
+    using const_iterator = forward_only_iterator<typename map_t::const_iterator>;
+
+    forward_only_map() noexcept(std::is_nothrow_default_constructible<map_t>::value) : data() {}
+
+    template<class InputIt>
+    forward_only_map(InputIt first, InputIt last) : data(first, last) {}
+
+    iterator begin() noexcept
+    {
+        return iterator(data.begin());
+    }
+    iterator end() noexcept
+    {
+        return iterator(data.end());
+    }
+    const_iterator begin() const noexcept
+    {
+        return const_iterator(data.begin());
+    }
+    const_iterator end() const noexcept
+    {
+        return const_iterator(data.end());
+    }
+    const_iterator cbegin() const noexcept
+    {
+        return const_iterator(data.cbegin());
+    }
+    const_iterator cend() const noexcept
+    {
+        return const_iterator(data.cend());
+    }
+
+    bool empty() const noexcept
+    {
+        return data.empty();
+    }
+    size_type size() const noexcept
+    {
+        return data.size();
+    }
+    size_type max_size() const noexcept
+    {
+        return data.max_size();
+    }
+    void clear() noexcept
+    {
+        data.clear();
+    }
+
+    iterator find(const key_type& key)
+    {
+        return iterator(data.find(key));
+    }
+    const_iterator find(const key_type& key) const
+    {
+        return const_iterator(data.find(key));
+    }
+    size_type count(const key_type& key) const
+    {
+        return data.count(key);
+    }
+
+    std::pair<iterator, bool> emplace(const key_type& key, const mapped_type& value)
+    {
+        const auto result = data.emplace(key, value);
+        return {iterator(result.first), result.second};
+    }
+
+    std::pair<iterator, bool> insert(const value_type& value)
+    {
+        const auto result = data.insert(value);
+        return {iterator(result.first), result.second};
+    }
+
+    template<class InputIt>
+    void insert(InputIt first, InputIt last)
+    {
+        data.insert(first, last);
+    }
+
+    mapped_type& operator[](const key_type& key)
+    {
+        return data[key];
+    }
+
+    mapped_type& at(const key_type& key)
+    {
+        return data.at(key);
+    }
+    const mapped_type& at(const key_type& key) const
+    {
+        return data.at(key);
+    }
+
+    iterator erase(iterator pos)
+    {
+        return iterator(data.erase(pos.base()));
+    }
+    iterator erase(iterator first, iterator last)
+    {
+        return iterator(data.erase(first.base(), last.base()));
+    }
+    size_type erase(const key_type& key)
+    {
+        return data.erase(key);
+    }
+
+    void swap(forward_only_map& other) noexcept(noexcept(data.swap(other.data)))
+    {
+        data.swap(other.data);
+    }
+
+    friend bool operator==(const forward_only_map& lhs, const forward_only_map& rhs)
+    {
+        return lhs.data == rhs.data;
+    }
+    friend bool operator<(const forward_only_map& lhs, const forward_only_map& rhs)
+    {
+        return lhs.data < rhs.data;
+    }
+};
+
+using forward_only_json = nlohmann::basic_json<forward_only_map>;
+
 } // namespace
 
 TEST_CASE("object type whose erase() returns void")
@@ -322,3 +516,46 @@ TEST_CASE("object type without key_compare")
     }
 }
 
+
+TEST_CASE("object type with forward-only iterators")
+{
+    CHECK(std::is_same<std::iterator_traits<forward_only_json::object_t::iterator>::iterator_category,
+          std::forward_iterator_tag>::value);
+
+    SECTION("destroying nested objects and arrays")
+    {
+        forward_only_json j;
+        j["a"] = 1;
+        j["b"]["c"] = "x";
+        j["b"]["d"] = forward_only_json::array();
+        j["b"]["d"].push_back(forward_only_json::object());
+        j["b"]["d"].push_back(true);
+        j["b"]["e"]["f"]["g"] = nullptr;
+        j["h"] = forward_only_json::object();
+        j["i"]["j"] = 2;
+
+        CHECK(j.size() == 4);
+        CHECK(j["b"].size() == 3);
+        CHECK(j["b"]["d"].size() == 2);
+        CHECK(j["b"]["e"]["f"]["g"].is_null());
+
+        CHECK(j.erase("b") == 1);
+        CHECK(j.size() == 3);
+        j = 42;
+        CHECK(j == 42);
+    }
+
+    SECTION("destroying a deeply nested object")
+    {
+        constexpr std::size_t depth = 100000;
+        forward_only_json j;
+        forward_only_json* cur = &j;
+        for (std::size_t i = 0; i < depth; ++i)
+        {
+            (*cur)["s"] = i;
+            cur = &(*cur)["o"];
+        }
+        CHECK(j["o"]["o"]["s"] == 2);
+        // destroyed at the end of scope without recursing per level
+    }
+}

tests/src/unit-msgpack.cpp

@@ -41,10 +41,49 @@ TEST_CASE("MessagePack")
     {
         SECTION("discarded")
         {
-            // discarded values are not serialized
+            // a discarded value cannot be serialized to MessagePack
             json const j = json::value_t::discarded;
-            const auto result = json::to_msgpack(j);
+            CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(json::to_msgpack(j), "[json.exception.type_error.321] cannot serialize discarded value to MessagePack", json::type_error&);
-            CHECK(result.empty());
+        }
+
+        SECTION("discarded values nested in a container")
+        {
+            json const discarded = json::value_t::discarded;
+
+            SECTION("in an array")
+            {
+                json const j = {1, discarded, 2};
+#if JSON_DIAGNOSTICS
+                CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(json::to_msgpack(j), "[json.exception.type_error.321] (/1) cannot serialize discarded value to MessagePack", json::type_error&);
+#else
+                CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(json::to_msgpack(j), "[json.exception.type_error.321] cannot serialize discarded value to MessagePack", json::type_error&);
+#endif
+            }
+
+            SECTION("as an object value")
+            {
+                json j;
+                j["a"] = 1;
+                j["b"] = discarded;
+#if JSON_DIAGNOSTICS
+                CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(json::to_msgpack(j), "[json.exception.type_error.321] (/b) cannot serialize discarded value to MessagePack", json::type_error&);
+#else
+                CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(json::to_msgpack(j), "[json.exception.type_error.321] cannot serialize discarded value to MessagePack", json::type_error&);
+#endif
+            }
+
+            SECTION("nested deeper (array in object in array)")
+            {
+                json inner_array = {1, discarded};
+                json middle_object;
+                middle_object["x"] = inner_array;
+                json const j = {middle_object};
+#if JSON_DIAGNOSTICS
+                CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(json::to_msgpack(j), "[json.exception.type_error.321] (/0/x/1) cannot serialize discarded value to MessagePack", json::type_error&);
+#else
+                CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(json::to_msgpack(j), "[json.exception.type_error.321] cannot serialize discarded value to MessagePack", json::type_error&);
+#endif
+            }
         }
 
         SECTION("null")

tests/src/unit-regression2.cpp

@@ -40,7 +40,9 @@ using ordered_json = nlohmann::ordered_json;
 #endif
 
 #include <cstdio>
+#include <cstdlib>
 #include <list>
+#include <new>
 #include <tuple>
 #include <type_traits>
 #include <utility>
@@ -107,6 +109,84 @@ DOCTEST_CLANG_SUPPRESS_WARNING("-Wexit-time-destructors")
 
 using float_json = nlohmann::basic_json<std::map, std::vector, std::string, bool, std::int64_t, std::uint64_t, float>;
 
+#if (defined(__cpp_exceptions) || defined(__EXCEPTIONS) || defined(_CPPUNWIND)) && !defined(JSON_NOEXCEPTION)
+namespace
+{
+// An allocator whose allocate() can be told to fail on demand, so tests can
+// check that ~basic_json() tolerates - in fact, after #5135, never even
+// triggers - an allocation failure. This replaces an earlier version of
+// this test that overrode the process-wide ::operator new/::operator
+// delete, which affected every allocation in the whole unit-regression2
+// binary rather than just the values under test.
+std::size_t failing_allocator_allocations = 0;
+std::size_t failing_allocator_deallocations = 0;
+bool fail_next_allocation = false;
+
+template<class T>
+struct failing_allocator : std::allocator<T>
+{
+    using std::allocator<T>::allocator;
+
+    failing_allocator() noexcept = default;
+    template<class U>
+    failing_allocator(const failing_allocator<U>& /*unused*/) noexcept {} // NOLINT(google-explicit-constructor)
+
+    T* allocate(std::size_t n)
+    {
+        if (fail_next_allocation)
+        {
+            fail_next_allocation = false;
+            throw std::bad_alloc();
+        }
+        ++failing_allocator_allocations;
+        return std::allocator<T>::allocate(n);
+    }
+
+    void deallocate(T* p, std::size_t n)
+    {
+        ++failing_allocator_deallocations;
+        std::allocator<T>::deallocate(p, n);
+    }
+
+    template<class U>
+    struct rebind
+    {
+        using other = failing_allocator<U>;
+    };
+};
+
+using failing_json = nlohmann::basic_json<std::map, std::vector, std::string, bool,
+      std::int64_t, std::uint64_t, double, failing_allocator>;
+using failing_ordered_json = nlohmann::basic_json<nlohmann::ordered_map, std::vector, std::string, bool,
+      std::int64_t, std::uint64_t, double, failing_allocator>;
+
+// builds `depth` levels of nesting around a scalar, iteratively (never
+// recursing: each wrap only moves the previous, already-built value, which
+// is O(1)), each level an array or an object depending on `nest_objects`
+template<class BasicJsonType>
+BasicJsonType make_deep_nest(std::size_t depth, bool nest_objects)
+{
+    BasicJsonType v = 0;
+    for (std::size_t i = 0; i < depth; ++i)
+    {
+        if (nest_objects)
+        {
+            BasicJsonType wrapper = BasicJsonType::object();
+            wrapper["x"] = std::move(v);
+            v = std::move(wrapper);
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            BasicJsonType wrapper = BasicJsonType::array();
+            wrapper.push_back(std::move(v));
+            v = std::move(wrapper);
+        }
+    }
+    return v;
+}
+} // namespace
+#endif
+
 /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 // for #1647
 /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
@@ -940,4 +1020,211 @@ TEST_CASE("regression test - excessive binary container size honors allow_except
     CHECK(json::from_cbor(std::vector<std::uint8_t> {0x9b, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0x02}, true, false).is_discarded());
 }
 
+#if (defined(__cpp_exceptions) || defined(__EXCEPTIONS) || defined(_CPPUNWIND)) && !defined(JSON_NOEXCEPTION)
+TEST_CASE("regression test #5135 - destructor never allocates, even under memory pressure")
+{
+    // Before the fix, ~basic_json() flattened a nested array/object into a
+    // heap-allocated std::vector to avoid recursing; that allocation could
+    // itself throw bad_alloc, which escapes a noexcept destructor and
+    // terminates the program. destroy() no longer allocates anything, so
+    // none of the sections below ever observe fail_next_allocation being
+    // consumed: CHECK(fail_next_allocation) confirms it was never touched.
+
+    SECTION("the original report: a small, mixed array/object nest")
+    {
+        failing_allocator_allocations = 0;
+        failing_allocator_deallocations = 0;
+        {
+            failing_json j = failing_json::array(
+            {
+                failing_json::array({1, 2}),
+                failing_json::object({{"key", failing_json::array({3})}})
+            });
+            fail_next_allocation = true;
+        } // j is destroyed here, with every further allocation set to fail
+
+        CHECK(fail_next_allocation);
+        fail_next_allocation = false;
+        CHECK(failing_allocator_deallocations > 0);
+    }
+
+    SECTION("100000-deep nested array")
+    {
+        std::size_t allocations_before = 0;
+        {
+            failing_json j = make_deep_nest<failing_json>(100000, false);
+            allocations_before = failing_allocator_allocations;
+            fail_next_allocation = true;
+        }
+
+        CHECK(fail_next_allocation);
+        fail_next_allocation = false;
+        CHECK(failing_allocator_allocations == allocations_before);
+    }
+
+    SECTION("100000-deep nested object")
+    {
+        std::size_t allocations_before = 0;
+        {
+            failing_json j = make_deep_nest<failing_json>(100000, true);
+            allocations_before = failing_allocator_allocations;
+            fail_next_allocation = true;
+        }
+
+        CHECK(fail_next_allocation);
+        fail_next_allocation = false;
+        CHECK(failing_allocator_allocations == allocations_before);
+    }
+
+    SECTION("100000-deep nested ordered_json")
+    {
+        std::size_t allocations_before = 0;
+        {
+            failing_ordered_json j = make_deep_nest<failing_ordered_json>(100000, true);
+            allocations_before = failing_allocator_allocations;
+            fail_next_allocation = true;
+        }
+
+        CHECK(fail_next_allocation);
+        fail_next_allocation = false;
+        CHECK(failing_allocator_allocations == allocations_before);
+    }
+
+    SECTION("wide and deep: 1000 arrays of 1000 elements, each a small nested object")
+    {
+        std::size_t allocations_before = 0;
+        {
+            failing_json wide = failing_json::array();
+            for (std::size_t i = 0; i < 1000; ++i)
+            {
+                failing_json inner = failing_json::array();
+                for (std::size_t k = 0; k < 1000; ++k)
+                {
+                    inner.push_back(failing_json::object({{"a", 1}, {"b", failing_json::array({1, 2, 3})}}));
+                }
+                wide.push_back(std::move(inner));
+            }
+
+            allocations_before = failing_allocator_allocations;
+            fail_next_allocation = true;
+        }
+
+        CHECK(fail_next_allocation);
+        fail_next_allocation = false;
+        CHECK(failing_allocator_allocations == allocations_before);
+    }
+}
+#endif
+
+namespace
+{
+// a single-element chain of `depth` arrays, built iteratively (never
+// recursing: each wrap only moves the previous, already-built value)
+template<class BasicJsonType>
+BasicJsonType make_single_chain(std::size_t depth)
+{
+    BasicJsonType v = 1;
+    for (std::size_t i = 0; i < depth; ++i)
+    {
+        BasicJsonType wrapper = BasicJsonType::array();
+        wrapper.push_back(std::move(v));
+        v = std::move(wrapper);
+    }
+    return v;
+}
+
+// copies value first, to make sure nothing was corrupted by building it,
+// then lets both the copy and the original destruct via normal scope exit
+template<class BasicJsonType>
+void check_destroy_edge_case(const BasicJsonType& value)
+{
+    const BasicJsonType copy = value;
+    CHECK(copy == value);
+}
+} // namespace
+
+TEST_CASE_TEMPLATE("regression test #5135 - destroy() edge cases", BasicJsonType, json, ordered_json)
+{
+    using binary_t = typename BasicJsonType::binary_t;
+
+    SECTION("mix of empty objects, empty arrays, non-empty containers, and scalars")
+    {
+        BasicJsonType root = BasicJsonType::array();
+        root.push_back(BasicJsonType::object());
+        root.push_back(BasicJsonType::array());
+        root.push_back(BasicJsonType::object({{"k", 1}}));
+        root.push_back(BasicJsonType::array({1, 2, 3}));
+        root.push_back(nullptr);
+        root.push_back(true);
+        root.push_back(42);
+        root.push_back(3.14);
+        root.push_back("a string");
+        root.push_back(BasicJsonType(binary_t({1, 2, 3})));
+        check_destroy_edge_case(root);
+    }
+
+    SECTION("container child in first position only")
+    {
+        BasicJsonType root = BasicJsonType::array({BasicJsonType::array({1, 2}), 3, 4, 5});
+        check_destroy_edge_case(root);
+    }
+
+    SECTION("container child in last position only")
+    {
+        BasicJsonType root = BasicJsonType::array({1, 2, 3, BasicJsonType::array({4, 5})});
+        check_destroy_edge_case(root);
+    }
+
+    SECTION("container children in first and last position")
+    {
+        BasicJsonType root = BasicJsonType::array({BasicJsonType::array({1}), 2, 3, BasicJsonType::array({4})});
+        check_destroy_edge_case(root);
+    }
+
+    SECTION("single-element chain, 1000 levels deep")
+    {
+        BasicJsonType root = make_single_chain<BasicJsonType>(1000);
+        check_destroy_edge_case(root);
+    }
+
+    SECTION("top-level empty array")
+    {
+        BasicJsonType root = BasicJsonType::array();
+        check_destroy_edge_case(root);
+    }
+
+    SECTION("top-level empty object")
+    {
+        BasicJsonType root = BasicJsonType::object();
+        check_destroy_edge_case(root);
+    }
+
+    SECTION("object whose last child is a non-empty array whose last child is an empty object")
+    {
+        BasicJsonType inner_array = BasicJsonType::array({1, 2, BasicJsonType::object()});
+        BasicJsonType root = BasicJsonType::object({{"a", 1}, {"b", inner_array}});
+        check_destroy_edge_case(root);
+    }
+
+    SECTION("destruction via erase() on a deeply nested child")
+    {
+        BasicJsonType root = BasicJsonType::array();
+        root.push_back(make_single_chain<BasicJsonType>(500));
+        root.push_back(BasicJsonType::object({{"k", BasicJsonType::array({1, 2, 3})}}));
+        // erase() must destroy the removed subtree without recursing or
+        // allocating beyond what erase() itself needs
+        root.erase(0);
+        CAPTURE(root.size())
+        CHECK(root.size() == 1);
+    }
+
+    SECTION("destruction via assignment on a deep tree")
+    {
+        BasicJsonType root = make_single_chain<BasicJsonType>(2000);
+        // assigning a new value destroys the old one in place
+        root = nullptr;
+        CHECK(root.is_null());
+    }
+}
+
 DOCTEST_CLANG_SUPPRESS_WARNING_POP

tests/src/unit-ubjson.cpp

@@ -35,10 +35,59 @@ TEST_CASE("UBJSON")
     {
         SECTION("discarded")
         {
-            // discarded values are not serialized
+            // a discarded value cannot be serialized to UBJSON
             json const j = json::value_t::discarded;
-            const auto result = json::to_ubjson(j);
+            CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(json::to_ubjson(j), "[json.exception.type_error.321] cannot serialize discarded value to UBJSON", json::type_error&);
-            CHECK(result.empty());
+        }
+
+        SECTION("discarded values nested in a container")
+        {
+            json const discarded = json::value_t::discarded;
+
+            SECTION("in an array")
+            {
+                json const j = {1, discarded, 2};
+#if JSON_DIAGNOSTICS
+                CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(json::to_ubjson(j), "[json.exception.type_error.321] (/1) cannot serialize discarded value to UBJSON", json::type_error&);
+#else
+                CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(json::to_ubjson(j), "[json.exception.type_error.321] cannot serialize discarded value to UBJSON", json::type_error&);
+#endif
+            }
+
+            SECTION("as an object value")
+            {
+                json j;
+                j["a"] = 1;
+                j["b"] = discarded;
+#if JSON_DIAGNOSTICS
+                CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(json::to_ubjson(j), "[json.exception.type_error.321] (/b) cannot serialize discarded value to UBJSON", json::type_error&);
+#else
+                CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(json::to_ubjson(j), "[json.exception.type_error.321] cannot serialize discarded value to UBJSON", json::type_error&);
+#endif
+            }
+
+            SECTION("nested deeper (array in object in array)")
+            {
+                json inner_array = {1, discarded};
+                json middle_object;
+                middle_object["x"] = inner_array;
+                json const j = {middle_object};
+#if JSON_DIAGNOSTICS
+                CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(json::to_ubjson(j), "[json.exception.type_error.321] (/0/x/1) cannot serialize discarded value to UBJSON", json::type_error&);
+#else
+                CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(json::to_ubjson(j), "[json.exception.type_error.321] cannot serialize discarded value to UBJSON", json::type_error&);
+#endif
+            }
+
+            SECTION("optimized array of all-discarded elements")
+            {
+                json const j = {discarded, discarded};
+#if JSON_DIAGNOSTICS
+                CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(json::to_ubjson(j, true, true), "[json.exception.type_error.321] (/0) cannot serialize discarded value to UBJSON", json::type_error&);
+#else
+                CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(json::to_ubjson(j, true, true), "[json.exception.type_error.321] cannot serialize discarded value to UBJSON", json::type_error&);
+#endif
+            }
         }
 
         SECTION("null")
@@ -2099,9 +2148,14 @@ TEST_CASE("UBJSON")
 
         SECTION("discarded")
         {
+            // a discarded value cannot be serialized to UBJSON, even as part
+            // of an optimized array of a single (here: valueless) type
             json const j = {json::value_t::discarded, json::value_t::discarded};
-            std::vector<uint8_t> expected = {'[', '$', 'N', '#', 'i', 2};
+#if JSON_DIAGNOSTICS
-            CHECK(json::to_ubjson(j, true, true) == expected);
+            CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(json::to_ubjson(j, true, true), "[json.exception.type_error.321] (/0) cannot serialize discarded value to UBJSON", json::type_error&);
+#else
+            CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(json::to_ubjson(j, true, true), "[json.exception.type_error.321] cannot serialize discarded value to UBJSON", json::type_error&);
+#endif
         }
     }
 }