docs: document std::pair/std::tuple serializing as an object for string-keyed pairs

A std::pair or std::tuple whose every element is itself a two-element array
with a string first element (e.g. std::pair<std::string, int>) serializes to
a JSON object instead of a JSON array, because to_json builds the value with a
brace initializer and the initializer-list object-detection rule fires. The
resulting object cannot be read back into the original type and collapses
duplicate keys. Document this quirk in the conversions guide, together with the
unaffected cases and the idiom to force an array.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_016cwQq8WQRFzQcGQtbJTtJg
Signed-off-by: Claude <noreply@anthropic.com>

.github/workflows/check_amalgamation.yml

@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - name: Harden Runner
-        uses: step-security/harden-runner@b09bb98e06d4d774595224525879c09bc6e98c40 # v2.20.1
+        uses: step-security/harden-runner@05e31511f85b41b11d1cf0ef85d0992719546e2c # v2.21.0
         with:
           egress-policy: audit
 
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ jobs:
 
     steps:
       - name: Harden Runner
-        uses: step-security/harden-runner@b09bb98e06d4d774595224525879c09bc6e98c40 # v2.20.1
+        uses: step-security/harden-runner@05e31511f85b41b11d1cf0ef85d0992719546e2c # v2.21.0
         with:
           egress-policy: audit
 

.github/workflows/cifuzz.yml

@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-22.04
     steps:
     - name: Harden Runner
-      uses: step-security/harden-runner@b09bb98e06d4d774595224525879c09bc6e98c40 # v2.20.1
+      uses: step-security/harden-runner@05e31511f85b41b11d1cf0ef85d0992719546e2c # v2.21.0
       with:
         egress-policy: audit
 

.github/workflows/codeql-analysis.yml

@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ jobs:
 
     steps:
     - name: Harden Runner
-      uses: step-security/harden-runner@b09bb98e06d4d774595224525879c09bc6e98c40 # v2.20.1
+      uses: step-security/harden-runner@05e31511f85b41b11d1cf0ef85d0992719546e2c # v2.21.0
       with:
         egress-policy: audit
 

.github/workflows/comment_check_amalgamation.yml

@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ jobs:
       pull-requests: write
     steps:
       - name: Harden Runner
-        uses: step-security/harden-runner@b09bb98e06d4d774595224525879c09bc6e98c40 # v2.20.1
+        uses: step-security/harden-runner@05e31511f85b41b11d1cf0ef85d0992719546e2c # v2.21.0
         with:
           egress-policy: audit
 

.github/workflows/dependency-review.yml

@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - name: Harden Runner
-        uses: step-security/harden-runner@b09bb98e06d4d774595224525879c09bc6e98c40 # v2.20.1
+        uses: step-security/harden-runner@05e31511f85b41b11d1cf0ef85d0992719546e2c # v2.21.0
         with:
           egress-policy: audit
 

.github/workflows/flawfinder.yml

@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ jobs:
       security-events: write
     steps:
       - name: Harden Runner
-        uses: step-security/harden-runner@b09bb98e06d4d774595224525879c09bc6e98c40 # v2.20.1
+        uses: step-security/harden-runner@05e31511f85b41b11d1cf0ef85d0992719546e2c # v2.21.0
         with:
           egress-policy: audit
 

.github/workflows/labeler.yml

@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ jobs:
 
     steps:
       - name: Harden Runner
-        uses: step-security/harden-runner@b09bb98e06d4d774595224525879c09bc6e98c40 # v2.20.1
+        uses: step-security/harden-runner@05e31511f85b41b11d1cf0ef85d0992719546e2c # v2.21.0
         with:
           egress-policy: audit
 

.github/workflows/publish_documentation.yml

@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-22.04
     steps:
       - name: Harden Runner
-        uses: step-security/harden-runner@b09bb98e06d4d774595224525879c09bc6e98c40 # v2.20.1
+        uses: step-security/harden-runner@05e31511f85b41b11d1cf0ef85d0992719546e2c # v2.21.0
         with:
           egress-policy: audit
 

.github/workflows/scorecards.yml

@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ jobs:
 
     steps:
       - name: Harden Runner
-        uses: step-security/harden-runner@b09bb98e06d4d774595224525879c09bc6e98c40 # v2.20.1
+        uses: step-security/harden-runner@05e31511f85b41b11d1cf0ef85d0992719546e2c # v2.21.0
         with:
           egress-policy: audit
 

.github/workflows/semgrep.yml

@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - name: Harden Runner
-        uses: step-security/harden-runner@b09bb98e06d4d774595224525879c09bc6e98c40 # v2.20.1
+        uses: step-security/harden-runner@05e31511f85b41b11d1cf0ef85d0992719546e2c # v2.21.0
         with:
           egress-policy: audit
 

.github/workflows/stale.yml

@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ jobs:
 
     steps:
       - name: Harden Runner
-        uses: step-security/harden-runner@b09bb98e06d4d774595224525879c09bc6e98c40 # v2.20.1
+        uses: step-security/harden-runner@05e31511f85b41b11d1cf0ef85d0992719546e2c # v2.21.0
         with:
           egress-policy: audit
 

.github/workflows/ubuntu.yml

@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - name: Harden Runner
-        uses: step-security/harden-runner@b09bb98e06d4d774595224525879c09bc6e98c40 # v2.20.1
+        uses: step-security/harden-runner@05e31511f85b41b11d1cf0ef85d0992719546e2c # v2.21.0
         with:
           egress-policy: audit
 
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ jobs:
         target: [ci_test_amalgamation, ci_test_single_header, ci_cppcheck, ci_cpplint, ci_reproducible_tests, ci_non_git_tests, ci_offline_testdata, ci_reuse_compliance, ci_test_valgrind]
     steps:
       - name: Harden Runner
-        uses: step-security/harden-runner@b09bb98e06d4d774595224525879c09bc6e98c40 # v2.20.1
+        uses: step-security/harden-runner@05e31511f85b41b11d1cf0ef85d0992719546e2c # v2.21.0
         with:
           egress-policy: audit
 
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - name: Harden Runner
-        uses: step-security/harden-runner@b09bb98e06d4d774595224525879c09bc6e98c40 # v2.20.1
+        uses: step-security/harden-runner@05e31511f85b41b11d1cf0ef85d0992719546e2c # v2.21.0
         with:
           egress-policy: audit
 
@@ -369,7 +369,7 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
       - name: Harden Runner
-        uses: step-security/harden-runner@b09bb98e06d4d774595224525879c09bc6e98c40 # v2.20.1
+        uses: step-security/harden-runner@05e31511f85b41b11d1cf0ef85d0992719546e2c # v2.21.0
         with:
           egress-policy: audit
 
@@ -392,7 +392,7 @@ jobs:
         target: [ci_test_examples, ci_test_build_documentation]
     steps:
       - name: Harden Runner
-        uses: step-security/harden-runner@b09bb98e06d4d774595224525879c09bc6e98c40 # v2.20.1
+        uses: step-security/harden-runner@05e31511f85b41b11d1cf0ef85d0992719546e2c # v2.21.0
         with:
           egress-policy: audit
 

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

@@ -52,6 +52,11 @@ optional, `#!cpp bjdata_version_t::draft2` by default.
 
 Strong guarantee: if an exception is thrown, there are no changes in the JSON value.
 
+## Exceptions
+
+- Throws [`other_error.502`](../../home/exceptions.md#jsonexceptionother_error502) if `use_type` is true and `use_size`
+  is false.
+
 ## Complexity
 
 Linear in the size of the JSON value `j`.

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

@@ -45,6 +45,11 @@ The exact mapping and its limitations are described on a [dedicated page](../../
 
 Strong guarantee: if an exception is thrown, there are no changes in the JSON value.
 
+## Exceptions
+
+- Throws [`other_error.502`](../../home/exceptions.md#jsonexceptionother_error502) if `use_type` is true and `use_size`
+  is false.
+
 ## Complexity
 
 Linear in the size of the JSON value `j`.

docs/mkdocs/docs/features/binary_formats/bson.md

@@ -98,6 +98,17 @@ The library maps BSON record types to JSON value types as follows:
     This library deserializes BSON type `0x11` (Timestamp) as a `number_unsigned` value. The 64-bit value is preserved,
     but the Timestamp type information is not.
 
+!!! warning "Lenient BSON input handling"
+
+    The BSON reader is lenient in a few areas where the BSON specification is more restrictive:
+
+    - array element keys are not checked against the required decimal sequence (`0`, `1`, `2`, ...),
+    - any non-zero byte is accepted as `true` for the boolean type, and
+    - the payload for binary subtype `0x02` is returned as-is, including its inner length prefix.
+
+    If BSON input must be validated for strict specification compliance, validate it separately before passing it to
+    `from_bson()`.
+
 ??? example
 
     ```cpp

docs/mkdocs/docs/features/conversions.md

@@ -54,6 +54,30 @@ json j = {1.0, "hello", 42};
 auto t = j.get<std::tuple<double, std::string, int>>();  // {1.0, "hello", 42}
 ```
 
+!!! warning "Serializing a `std::pair`/`std::tuple` whose every element is a string-keyed pair"
+
+    When *every* element of a `#!cpp std::pair` or `#!cpp std::tuple` is itself a two-element array whose first
+    element is a string (for example `#!cpp std::pair<std::string, int>`), serializing it produces a JSON **object**
+    instead of the expected array:
+
+    ```cpp
+    using kv = std::pair<std::string, int>;
+    json j = std::pair<kv, kv>{{"a", 1}, {"b", 2}};  // {"a":1,"b":2}, not [["a",1],["b",2]]
+    ```
+
+    This is a consequence of the [brace-initializer object-detection rule](creating_values.md): the same rule that
+    lets `#!cpp json{{"a", 1}, {"b", 2}}` create an object also fires here. The resulting object cannot be read back
+    into the original type (`#!cpp get<std::pair<kv, kv>>()` throws [`type_error.302`](../home/exceptions.md#jsonexceptiontype_error302)),
+    and duplicate keys collapse into one, losing elements. This only affects `#!cpp std::pair`/`#!cpp std::tuple`
+    themselves; a `#!cpp std::vector<std::pair<std::string, int>>`, or a pair/tuple with at least one element that is
+    not a string-keyed pair, serializes to an array as expected. To force an array, build one explicitly from the
+    elements with [`array`](../api/basic_json/array.md):
+
+    ```cpp
+    std::pair<kv, kv> p{{"a", 1}, {"b", 2}};
+    json a = json::array({p.first, p.second});  // [["a",1],["b",2]]
+    ```
+
 !!! info "Extracting references into a tuple"
 
     A tuple type may also hold references (e.g. `#!cpp std::tuple<double&, std::string&>`) to avoid copying: `get`

docs/mkdocs/docs/home/exceptions.md

@@ -965,3 +965,19 @@ A JSON Patch operation 'test' failed. The unsuccessful operation is also printed
     ```
     [json.exception.other_error.501] unsuccessful: {"op":"test","path":"/baz","value":"bar"}
     ```
+
+### json.exception.other_error.502
+
+[`to_ubjson`](../api/basic_json/to_ubjson.md) and [`to_bjdata`](../api/basic_json/to_bjdata.md) were called with
+`use_type = true` but `use_size = false`. UBJSON requires a size marker (`#`) after a type marker (`$`).
+
+!!! failure "Example message"
+
+    ```
+    [json.exception.other_error.502] use_type requires use_size = true
+    ```
+
+!!! note
+
+    This exception was added in version 3.13.0. Before that, debug builds aborted on an assertion and release builds
+    wrote a `$` marker without `#`, which [`from_ubjson`](../api/basic_json/from_ubjson.md) then rejected.

include/nlohmann/detail/output/binary_writer.hpp

@@ -813,7 +813,10 @@ class binary_writer
                 bool prefix_required = true;
                 if (use_type && !j.m_data.m_value.array->empty())
                 {
-                    JSON_ASSERT(use_count);
+                    if (!use_count)
+                    {
+                        JSON_THROW(other_error::create(502, "use_type requires use_size = true", &j));
+                    }
                     const CharType first_prefix = ubjson_prefix(j.front(), use_bjdata);
                     const bool same_prefix = std::all_of(j.begin() + 1, j.end(),
                                                          [this, first_prefix, use_bjdata](const BasicJsonType & v)
@@ -859,7 +862,10 @@ class binary_writer
 
                 if (use_type && (bjdata_draft3 || !j.m_data.m_value.binary->empty()))
                 {
-                    JSON_ASSERT(use_count);
+                    if (!use_count)
+                    {
+                        JSON_THROW(other_error::create(502, "use_type requires use_size = true", &j));
+                    }
                     oa->write_character(to_char_type('$'));
                     oa->write_character(bjdata_draft3 ? 'B' : 'U');
                 }
@@ -911,7 +917,10 @@ class binary_writer
                 bool prefix_required = true;
                 if (use_type && !j.m_data.m_value.object->empty())
                 {
-                    JSON_ASSERT(use_count);
+                    if (!use_count)
+                    {
+                        JSON_THROW(other_error::create(502, "use_type requires use_size = true", &j));
+                    }
                     const CharType first_prefix = ubjson_prefix(j.front(), use_bjdata);
                     const bool same_prefix = std::all_of(j.begin(), j.end(),
                                                          [this, first_prefix, use_bjdata](const BasicJsonType & v)

single_include/nlohmann/json.hpp

@@ -17756,7 +17756,10 @@ class binary_writer
                 bool prefix_required = true;
                 if (use_type && !j.m_data.m_value.array->empty())
                 {
-                    JSON_ASSERT(use_count);
+                    if (!use_count)
+                    {
+                        JSON_THROW(other_error::create(502, "use_type requires use_size = true", &j));
+                    }
                     const CharType first_prefix = ubjson_prefix(j.front(), use_bjdata);
                     const bool same_prefix = std::all_of(j.begin() + 1, j.end(),
                                                          [this, first_prefix, use_bjdata](const BasicJsonType & v)
@@ -17802,7 +17805,10 @@ class binary_writer
 
                 if (use_type && (bjdata_draft3 || !j.m_data.m_value.binary->empty()))
                 {
-                    JSON_ASSERT(use_count);
+                    if (!use_count)
+                    {
+                        JSON_THROW(other_error::create(502, "use_type requires use_size = true", &j));
+                    }
                     oa->write_character(to_char_type('$'));
                     oa->write_character(bjdata_draft3 ? 'B' : 'U');
                 }
@@ -17854,7 +17860,10 @@ class binary_writer
                 bool prefix_required = true;
                 if (use_type && !j.m_data.m_value.object->empty())
                 {
-                    JSON_ASSERT(use_count);
+                    if (!use_count)
+                    {
+                        JSON_THROW(other_error::create(502, "use_type requires use_size = true", &j));
+                    }
                     const CharType first_prefix = ubjson_prefix(j.front(), use_bjdata);
                     const bool same_prefix = std::all_of(j.begin(), j.end(),
                                                          [this, first_prefix, use_bjdata](const BasicJsonType & v)

tests/src/unit-bjdata.cpp

@@ -3843,6 +3843,48 @@ TEST_CASE("all BJData first bytes")
 }
 #endif
 
+TEST_CASE("BJData use_type requires use_size")
+{
+    SECTION("non-empty object throws other_error.502")
+    {
+        const json j = {{"a", 1}, {"b", 2}};
+        CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(json::to_bjdata(j, false, true),
+                             "[json.exception.other_error.502] use_type requires use_size = true",
+                             json::other_error&);
+    }
+
+    SECTION("non-empty array throws other_error.502")
+    {
+        const json j = {1, 2, 3};
+        CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(json::to_bjdata(j, false, true),
+                             "[json.exception.other_error.502] use_type requires use_size = true",
+                             json::other_error&);
+    }
+
+    SECTION("scalars do not throw with use_type=true, use_count=false")
+    {
+        CHECK_NOTHROW(json::to_bjdata(42, false, true));
+        CHECK_NOTHROW(json::to_bjdata(3.14, false, true));
+        CHECK_NOTHROW(json::to_bjdata("hello", false, true));
+        CHECK_NOTHROW(json::to_bjdata(true, false, true));
+        CHECK_NOTHROW(json::to_bjdata(nullptr, false, true));
+    }
+
+    SECTION("empty containers do not throw with use_type=true, use_count=false")
+    {
+        CHECK_NOTHROW(json::to_bjdata(json::array(), false, true));
+        CHECK_NOTHROW(json::to_bjdata(json::object(), false, true));
+    }
+
+    SECTION("valid combinations on non-empty containers")
+    {
+        const json j = {{"a", 1}, {"b", 2}};
+        CHECK_NOTHROW(json::to_bjdata(j, false, false));
+        CHECK_NOTHROW(json::to_bjdata(j, true, false));
+        CHECK_NOTHROW(json::to_bjdata(j, true, true));
+    }
+}
+
 TEST_CASE("BJData roundtrips" * doctest::skip())
 {
     SECTION("input from self-generated BJData files")

tests/src/unit-ubjson.cpp

@@ -2503,6 +2503,48 @@ TEST_CASE("all UBJSON first bytes")
 }
 #endif
 
+TEST_CASE("UBJSON use_type requires use_size")
+{
+    SECTION("non-empty array throws other_error.502")
+    {
+        const json j = {1, 2, 3};
+        CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(json::to_ubjson(j, false, true),
+                             "[json.exception.other_error.502] use_type requires use_size = true",
+                             json::other_error&);
+    }
+
+    SECTION("non-empty object throws other_error.502")
+    {
+        const json j = {{"a", 1}, {"b", 2}};
+        CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(json::to_ubjson(j, false, true),
+                             "[json.exception.other_error.502] use_type requires use_size = true",
+                             json::other_error&);
+    }
+
+    SECTION("scalars do not throw with use_type=true, use_count=false")
+    {
+        CHECK_NOTHROW(json::to_ubjson(42, false, true));
+        CHECK_NOTHROW(json::to_ubjson(3.14, false, true));
+        CHECK_NOTHROW(json::to_ubjson("hello", false, true));
+        CHECK_NOTHROW(json::to_ubjson(true, false, true));
+        CHECK_NOTHROW(json::to_ubjson(nullptr, false, true));
+    }
+
+    SECTION("empty containers do not throw with use_type=true, use_count=false")
+    {
+        CHECK_NOTHROW(json::to_ubjson(json::array(), false, true));
+        CHECK_NOTHROW(json::to_ubjson(json::object(), false, true));
+    }
+
+    SECTION("valid combinations on non-empty containers")
+    {
+        const json j = {1, 2, 3};
+        CHECK_NOTHROW(json::to_ubjson(j, false, false));
+        CHECK_NOTHROW(json::to_ubjson(j, true, false));
+        CHECK_NOTHROW(json::to_ubjson(j, true, true));
+    }
+}
+
 TEST_CASE("UBJSON roundtrips" * doctest::skip())
 {
     SECTION("input from self-generated UBJSON files")