Merge branch 'develop' into claude/non-string-object-keys-2d35fc

Signed-off-by: Niels Lohmann <mail@nlohmann.me>
Point the MessagePack key note to the spec's profile section
2026-09-28 02:30:32 +00:00 · 2026-09-27 20:58:05 +02:00 · 2026-09-27 18:20:36 +02:00 · 2026-09-27 16:40:40 +02:00
12 changed files with 820 additions and 982 deletions
@@ -80,8 +80,8 @@ Strong guarantee: if an exception is thrown, there are no changes in the JSON va
  the end of the file was not reached when `strict` was set to true
 - Throws [parse_error.112](../../home/exceptions.md#jsonexceptionparse_error112) if unsupported features from CBOR were
  used in the given input or if the input is not valid CBOR
- Throws [parse_error.113](../../home/exceptions.md#jsonexceptionparse_error113) if a string was expected as a map key,
-  but not found
+- Throws [parse_error.113](../../home/exceptions.md#jsonexceptionparse_error113) if a map key is not a string (keys of other
+  types are not supported, as JSON object keys are always strings) or a string is malformed

 ## Complexity

@@ -73,8 +73,8 @@ Strong guarantee: if an exception is thrown, there are no changes in the JSON va
  the end of the file was not reached when `strict` was set to true
 - Throws [parse_error.112](../../home/exceptions.md#jsonexceptionparse_error112) if unsupported features from
  MessagePack were used in the given input or if the input is not valid MessagePack
- Throws [parse_error.113](../../home/exceptions.md#jsonexceptionparse_error113) if a string was expected as a map key,
-  but not found
+- Throws [parse_error.113](../../home/exceptions.md#jsonexceptionparse_error113) if a map key is not a string (keys of other
+  types are not supported, as JSON object keys are always strings) or a string is malformed

 ## Complexity

@@ -174,7 +174,20 @@ The library maps CBOR types to JSON value types as follows:

 !!! warning "Object keys"

-    CBOR allows map keys of any type, whereas JSON only allows strings as keys in object values. Therefore, CBOR maps with keys other than UTF-8 strings are rejected.
+    CBOR allows map keys of any type, whereas JSON only allows strings as keys in object values. Therefore, CBOR maps
+    with keys other than text strings (major type 3) are rejected with a
+    [`parse_error.113`](../../home/exceptions.md#jsonexceptionparse_error113) exception (or, with `allow_exceptions` set
+    to `false`, a discarded value) naming the type of the key that was found, for instance:
+
+    ```
+    [json.exception.parse_error.113] parse error at byte 2: syntax error while parsing CBOR object key: only string keys are supported, but found an unsigned integer; last byte: 0x01
+    ```
+
+    This applies to the [SAX interface](../parsing/sax_interface.md) as well, as the key is read before it is passed
+    on. This is a deliberate restriction of the library's JSON value model, not an oversight: formats built on CBOR
+    maps with integer keys, such as COSE ([RFC 9052](https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc9052.html)) or CWT
+    ([RFC 8392](https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc8392.html)), cannot be read with this library and need a
+    general-purpose CBOR library instead.

 !!! warning "UTF-8 validation of text strings"

@@ -138,6 +138,21 @@ The library maps MessagePack types to JSON value types as follows:

    Any MessagePack output created by `to_msgpack` can be successfully parsed by `from_msgpack`.

+!!! warning "Object keys"
+
+    MessagePack allows map keys of any type, whereas JSON only allows strings as keys in object values. Like the
+    JSON-compatible [profile](https://github.com/msgpack/msgpack/blob/master/spec.md#profile) sketched in the
+    MessagePack specification, this library restricts map keys to `str` values. Maps with keys of any other type are
+    rejected with a [`parse_error.113`](../../home/exceptions.md#jsonexceptionparse_error113) exception (or, with
+    `allow_exceptions` set to `false`, a discarded value) naming the type of the key that was found, for instance:
+
+    ```
+    [json.exception.parse_error.113] parse error at byte 2: syntax error while parsing MessagePack object key: only string keys are supported, but found nil; last byte: 0xC0
+    ```
+
+    This applies to the [SAX interface](../parsing/sax_interface.md) as well, as the key is read before it is passed
+    on. Such input needs a general-purpose MessagePack library instead.
+
 !!! warning "UTF-8 validation of string values"

    The MessagePack specification requires `str` values (`fixstr`, `str 8`, `str 16`, `str 32`) to be valid UTF-8.
@@ -343,13 +343,20 @@ A string could not be read from a [binary format](../features/binary_formats/ind
 string was read where one was required (for instance as a map key), the string's length specification is invalid, or
 the string's bytes are not valid UTF-8.

+CBOR and MessagePack allow map keys of any type, but JSON object keys are always strings. Maps with keys of any other
+type (for instance integers or `null`) are therefore not supported; see the notes on
+[CBOR](../features/binary_formats/cbor.md) and [MessagePack](../features/binary_formats/messagepack.md).
+
 !!! failure "Example messages"

    ```
-    [json.exception.parse_error.113] parse error at byte 2: syntax error while parsing CBOR string: expected length specification (0x60-0x7B) or indefinite string type (0x7F); last byte: 0xFF
+    [json.exception.parse_error.113] parse error at byte 2: syntax error while parsing CBOR object key: only string keys are supported, but found an unsigned integer; last byte: 0x01
    ```
    ```
-    [json.exception.parse_error.113] parse error at byte 2: syntax error while parsing MessagePack string: expected length specification (0xA0-0xBF, 0xD9-0xDB); last byte: 0xFF
+    [json.exception.parse_error.113] parse error at byte 2: syntax error while parsing MessagePack object key: only string keys are supported, but found nil; last byte: 0xC0
+    ```
+    ```
+    [json.exception.parse_error.113] parse error at byte 2: syntax error while parsing CBOR string: expected length specification (0x60-0x7B) or indefinite string type (0x7F); last byte: 0x7C
    ```
    ```
    [json.exception.parse_error.113] parse error at byte 2: syntax error while parsing UBJSON char: byte after 'C' must be in range 0x00..0x7F; last byte: 0x82
@@ -1324,6 +1324,80 @@ class binary_reader
        }
    }

+    /*!
+    @brief reads a CBOR object key
+
+    RFC 8949 allows any data item as a map key, but only strings have a
+    counterpart in JSON. A key of any other type is rejected with a message
+    naming that type, rather than the one @ref get_cbor_string gives for a
+    malformed string.
+
+    @param[out] result  created key
+
+    @return whether key creation completed
+    */
+    bool get_cbor_object_key(string_t& result)
+    {
+        // EOF and major type 3 (text string) are left to get_cbor_string
+        if (current == char_traits<char_type>::eof() || (static_cast<unsigned int>(current) & 0xE0u) == 0x60u)
+        {
+            return get_cbor_string(result);
+        }
+
+        const char* found = nullptr;
+        switch (static_cast<unsigned int>(current) >> 5u)
+        {
+            case 0:
+                found = "an unsigned integer";
+                break;
+            case 1:
+                found = "a negative integer";
+                break;
+            case 2:
+                found = "a byte string";
+                break;
+            case 4:
+                found = "an array";
+                break;
+            case 5:
+                found = "a map";
+                break;
+            case 6:
+                found = "a tag";
+                break;
+            default: // major type 7
+                switch (current)
+                {
+                    case 0xF4:
+                    case 0xF5:
+                        found = "a boolean";
+                        break;
+                    case 0xF6:
+                        found = "null";
+                        break;
+                    case 0xF7:
+                        found = "undefined";
+                        break;
+                    case 0xF9:
+                    case 0xFA:
+                    case 0xFB:
+                        found = "a floating-point number";
+                        break;
+                    case 0xFF:
+                        found = "a break stop code";
+                        break;
+                    default:
+                        found = "a simple value";
+                        break;
+                }
+                break;
+        }
+
+        auto last_token = get_token_string();
+        return sax->parse_error(chars_read, last_token, parse_error::create(113, chars_read,
+                                exception_message(input_format_t::cbor, concat("only string keys are supported, but found ", found, "; last byte: 0x", last_token), "object key"), nullptr));
+    }
+
    /*!
    @brief reads a definite-length CBOR byte array

@@ -1568,7 +1642,7 @@ class binary_reader
                if (top.is_object)
                {
                    key.clear();
-                    if (JSON_HEDLEY_UNLIKELY(!get_cbor_string(key) || !sax->key(key)))
+                    if (JSON_HEDLEY_UNLIKELY(!get_cbor_object_key(key) || !sax->key(key)))
                    {
                        return false;
                    }
@@ -2069,6 +2143,98 @@ class binary_reader
        }
    }

+    /*!
+    @brief reads a MessagePack object key
+
+    The MessagePack specification allows any type as a map key, but only
+    strings have a counterpart in JSON. A key of any other type is rejected
+    with a message naming that type, rather than the one @ref
+    get_msgpack_string gives for a malformed string.
+
+    @param[out] result  created key
+
+    @return whether key creation completed
+    */
+    bool get_msgpack_object_key(string_t& result)
+    {
+        const char* found = nullptr;
+        switch (current)
+        {
+            case 0xC0:
+                found = "nil";
+                break;
+            case 0xC2:
+            case 0xC3:
+                found = "a boolean";
+                break;
+            case 0xCA:
+            case 0xCB:
+                found = "a float";
+                break;
+            case 0xC4:
+            case 0xC5:
+            case 0xC6:
+                found = "a bin";
+                break;
+            case 0xC7:
+            case 0xC8:
+            case 0xC9:
+            case 0xD4:
+            case 0xD5:
+            case 0xD6:
+            case 0xD7:
+            case 0xD8:
+                found = "an ext";
+                break;
+            case 0xCC:
+            case 0xCD:
+            case 0xCE:
+            case 0xCF:
+            case 0xD0:
+            case 0xD1:
+            case 0xD2:
+            case 0xD3:
+                found = "an integer";
+                break;
+            case 0xDC:
+            case 0xDD:
+                found = "an array";
+                break;
+            case 0xDE:
+            case 0xDF:
+                found = "a map";
+                break;
+            default:
+                // fixint, fixmap, and fixarray; strings, EOF, and the unused
+                // byte 0xC1 are left to get_msgpack_string
+                if (current == char_traits<char_type>::eof())
+                {
+                    return get_msgpack_string(result);
+                }
+                if (current <= 0x7F || current >= 0xE0)
+                {
+                    found = "an integer";
+                }
+                else if (current <= 0x8F)
+                {
+                    found = "a map";
+                }
+                else if (current <= 0x9F)
+                {
+                    found = "an array";
+                }
+                else
+                {
+                    return get_msgpack_string(result);
+                }
+                break;
+        }
+
+        auto last_token = get_token_string();
+        return sax->parse_error(chars_read, last_token, parse_error::create(113, chars_read,
+                                exception_message(input_format_t::msgpack, concat("only string keys are supported, but found ", found, "; last byte: 0x", last_token), "object key"), nullptr));
+    }
+
    /*!
    @brief reads a MessagePack byte array

@@ -2231,7 +2397,7 @@ class binary_reader
                {
                    get();
                    key.clear();
-                    if (JSON_HEDLEY_UNLIKELY(!get_msgpack_string(key) || !sax->key(key)))
+                    if (JSON_HEDLEY_UNLIKELY(!get_msgpack_object_key(key) || !sax->key(key)))
                    {
                        return false;
                    }
@@ -6061,240 +6061,21 @@ class basic_json // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-special-member-functions,hicpp-spec
    {
        // the patch
        basic_json result(value_t::array);
-        diff_recursively(result, source, target, path, 0);
-        return result;
-    }

-  private:
-    /// @brief two arrays or two objects @ref diff_iteratively is diffing
-    struct diff_frame
-    {
-        diff_frame(const basic_json* source_, const basic_json* target_, const std::size_t path_length_) noexcept
-            : source(source_), target(target_), path_length(path_length_)
-        {}
-
-        // declared for GCC's -Weffc++, which asks for them in a class with
-        // pointer members and a non-trivial destructor; the exception
-        // specifications are left implicit, as GCC 4.8 rejects explicit ones
-        // that differ from them
-        diff_frame(const diff_frame&) = default;
-        diff_frame(diff_frame&&) = default;
-        diff_frame& operator=(const diff_frame&) = default;
-        diff_frame& operator=(diff_frame&&) = default;
-        ~diff_frame() = default;
-
-        /// the values being diffed, both arrays or both objects
-        const basic_json* source;
-        const basic_json* target;
-        /// the length of their path in `current_path`
-        std::size_t path_length;
-        /// arrays: the next index to diff
-        std::size_t index = 0;
-        /// objects: the next member of source to look at
-        const_iterator member{}; // NOLINT(readability-redundant-member-init)
-        /// objects: the keys common to both, in source's order
-        std::vector<typename object_t::key_type> common_keys{}; // NOLINT(readability-redundant-member-init)
-        /// objects: the next entry of common_keys
-        std::size_t next_common = 0;
-        /// objects: the "add" operations for keys only target has
-        basic_json added_ops{}; // NOLINT(readability-redundant-member-init)
-    };
-
-    // The operations of a diff are built by the functions below rather than
-    // where they are needed: building one takes several temporaries, and
-    // unoptimized builds give each temporary a stack slot of its own in the
-    // function it appears in. In diff_recursively, which is on the call stack
-    // once per nesting level, that made every level cost kilobytes of stack.
-
-    /// @brief append a "replace" operation for @a path with @a value to @a result
-    static void diff_replace(basic_json& result, const string_t& path, const basic_json& value)
-    {
-        result.push_back(
-        {
-            {"op", "replace"}, {"path", path}, {"value", value}
-        });
-    }
-
-    /// @brief append a "remove" operation for @a path to @a result
-    static void diff_remove(basic_json& result, const string_t& path)
-    {
-        result.push_back(object(
-        {
-            {"op", "remove"}, {"path", path}
-        }));
-    }
-
-    /// @brief append an "add" operation for @a path with @a value to @a result
-    static void diff_add(basic_json& result, const string_t& path, const basic_json& value)
-    {
-        result.push_back(
-        {
-            {"op", "add"}, {"path", path}, {"value", value}
-        });
-    }
-
-    /// @brief append the "remove" operations for the elements of array
-    ///        @a source from @a index on, and the "add" operations for the
-    ///        elements of array @a target from source's size on, to @a result
-    static void diff_array_tails(basic_json& result, const basic_json& source, const basic_json& target,
-                                 const string_t& path, const std::size_t index)
-    {
-        // remove my remaining elements, highest index first; appending
-        // in that order avoids the quadratic reinsertion done before
-        for (std::size_t j = source.size(); j > index; --j)
-        {
-            diff_remove(result, detail::concat<string_t>(path, '/', detail::to_string<string_t>(j - 1)));
-        }
-
-        // add other remaining elements
-        for (std::size_t i = source.size(); i < target.size(); ++i)
-        {
-            diff_add(result, detail::concat<string_t>(path, "/-"), target[i]);
-        }
-    }
-
-    /*!
-    @brief compare the keys of objects @a source and @a target
-
-    If the keys both objects have are in the same order in both, and the keys
-    only @a target has come after them, stores the keys common to both in
-    source's order in @a common_keys, stores the "add" operations for the keys
-    only @a target has in @a added_ops, and returns true: the caller then diffs
-    the objects member by member. Otherwise, appends operations that remove
-    every member of @a source and add every member of @a target to @a result,
-    and returns false.
-    */
-    static bool diff_object_keys(basic_json& result, const basic_json& source, const basic_json& target,
-                                 const string_t& path, std::vector<typename object_t::key_type>& common_keys,
-                                 basic_json& added_ops)
-    {
-        // first pass: record, for every source key, whether it is
-        // common to both objects (in source's iteration order) or
-        // was deleted (i.e., in source but not in target) -- this is
-        // a by-product of the target.find() call already needed to
-        // tell the two cases apart, so it adds no extra lookups. The
-        // "remove" ops themselves are emitted later, interleaved
-        // with the per-key diffs in the caller's fast path, to match
-        // source's original iteration order (as the original,
-        // pre-reordering-aware implementation did) instead of
-        // grouping all removes before all per-key diffs.
-        std::vector<typename object_t::key_type> common_keys_source_order;
-        for (auto it = source.cbegin(); it != source.cend(); ++it)
-        {
-            if (target.find(it.key()) != target.end())
-            {
-                common_keys_source_order.push_back(it.key());
-            }
-        }
-
-        // second pass: find keys that were added (i.e., in target but
-        // not in source), and record the keys common to both, in
-        // target's iteration order -- again a by-product of the
-        // source.find() call already needed to detect added keys. At
-        // the same time, determine whether every added key comes
-        // after every common key in target's order (a precondition
-        // for the fast path, which only ever appends new keys
-        // at the very end): for an object_t whose iteration order is
-        // a pure function of the key set (e.g. the default std::map,
-        // which always iterates in sorted key order), the order
-        // check further below is always true and this whole
-        // mechanism is effectively a no-op; it only matters for a
-        // reorderable object_t such as the one backing `ordered_json`.
-        // The patch ops for keys that were added (i.e., in target but not
-        // in source) are built here so the fast path can reuse
-        // them without a second source.find() per target key. Only
-        // used by the fast path -- the slow (reordering) path
-        // rebuilds "add" ops for every key itself.
-        std::vector<typename object_t::key_type> common_keys_target_order;
-        bool new_keys_form_suffix = true;
-        bool seen_new_key = false;
-        for (auto it = target.cbegin(); it != target.cend(); ++it)
-        {
-            if (source.find(it.key()) == source.end())
-            {
-                seen_new_key = true;
-                diff_add(added_ops, detail::concat<string_t>(path, '/', detail::escape(it.key())), it.value());
-            }
-            else
-            {
-                common_keys_target_order.push_back(it.key());
-                if (seen_new_key)
-                {
-                    new_keys_form_suffix = false;
-                }
-            }
-        }
-
-        if (common_keys_source_order == common_keys_target_order && new_keys_form_suffix)
-        {
-            // fast path: order of common keys already matches (or the
-            // object_t's iteration order does not depend on
-            // insertion history), so a plain per-key diff is correct
-            // and minimal, as before
-            common_keys = std::move(common_keys_source_order);
-            return true;
-        }
-
-        // slow path: the common keys are in a different relative
-        // order in source and target (only possible for a
-        // reorderable object_t like ordered_map). Building a
-        // minimal reordering patch is a nontrivial (LCS-like)
-        // problem; instead, remove every source key -- both
-        // deleted keys (which must be removed regardless) and
-        // common keys (removed so they can be re-added in
-        // target's order) -- and re-add every key that should
-        // remain, with its final target value, in target's
-        // order. basic_json::patch()'s "add" operation on an
-        // object uses operator[], which appends at the end for a
-        // vector-backed insertion-ordered map when the key does
-        // not already exist -- so removing a key and then adding
-        // it moves it to the end, fixing its position.
-        for (auto it = source.cbegin(); it != source.cend(); ++it)
-        {
-            diff_remove(result, detail::concat<string_t>(path, '/', detail::escape(it.key())));
-        }
-
-        // add every key that is either common (just removed
-        // above) or brand new, in target's iteration order, so
-        // that the final order after applying the patch matches
-        // target exactly
-        for (auto it = target.cbegin(); it != target.cend(); ++it)
-        {
-            diff_add(result, detail::concat<string_t>(path, '/', detail::escape(it.key())), it.value());
-        }
-        return false;
-    }
-
-    /*!
-    @brief @ref diff, for values at nesting level @a depth, appending the
-           operations to @a result
-
-    Diffing two arrays or objects calls this function again, once per nesting
-    level, so values nested deeply enough used to exhaust the call stack and
-    terminate the process. The descent is bounded here: once @ref
-    detail::recursion_depth_limit levels have been entered, @ref
-    diff_iteratively diffs what is left without the call stack.
-    */
-    static void diff_recursively(basic_json& result, const basic_json& source, const basic_json& target,
-                                 const string_t& path, const std::size_t depth)
-    {
-        // if the values are the same, there is nothing to do
+        // if the values are the same, return an empty patch
        if (source == target)
        {
-            return;
-        }
-
-        if (JSON_HEDLEY_UNLIKELY(depth >= detail::recursion_depth_limit()))
-        {
-            diff_iteratively(result, source, target, path);
-            return;
+            return result;
        }

        if (source.type() != target.type())
        {
            // different types: replace value
-            diff_replace(result, path, target);
-            return;
+            result.push_back(
+            {
+                {"op", "replace"}, {"path", path}, {"value", target}
+            });
+            return result;
        }

        switch (source.type())
@@ -6306,50 +6087,185 @@ class basic_json // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-special-member-functions,hicpp-spec
                while (i < source.size() && i < target.size())
                {
                    // recursive call to compare array values at index i
-                    diff_recursively(result, source[i], target[i], detail::concat<string_t>(path, '/', detail::to_string<string_t>(i)), depth + 1);
+                    auto temp_diff = diff(source[i], target[i], detail::concat<string_t>(path, '/', detail::to_string<string_t>(i)));
+                    result.insert(result.end(), temp_diff.begin(), temp_diff.end());
                    ++i;
                }

                // We now reached the end of at least one array
                // in a second pass, traverse the remaining elements
-                diff_array_tails(result, source, target, path, i);
+
+                // remove my remaining elements, highest index first; appending
+                // in that order avoids the quadratic reinsertion done before
+                for (std::size_t j = source.size(); j > i; --j)
+                {
+                    result.push_back(object(
+                    {
+                        {"op", "remove"},
+                        {"path", detail::concat<string_t>(path, '/', detail::to_string<string_t>(j - 1))}
+                    }));
+                }
+                i = source.size();
+
+                // add other remaining elements
+                while (i < target.size())
+                {
+                    result.push_back(
+                    {
+                        {"op", "add"},
+                        {"path", detail::concat<string_t>(path, "/-")},
+                        {"value", target[i]}
+                    });
+                    ++i;
+                }
+
                break;
            }

            case value_t::object:
            {
-                std::vector<typename object_t::key_type> common_keys;
-                basic_json added_ops(value_t::array);
-                if (diff_object_keys(result, source, target, path, common_keys, added_ops))
+                // first pass: record, for every source key, whether it is
+                // common to both objects (in source's iteration order) or
+                // was deleted (i.e., in source but not in target) -- this is
+                // a by-product of the target.find() call already needed to
+                // tell the two cases apart, so it adds no extra lookups. The
+                // "remove" ops themselves are emitted later, interleaved
+                // with the recursive per-key diffs in the fast path below,
+                // to match source's original iteration order (as the
+                // original, pre-reordering-aware implementation did) instead
+                // of grouping all removes before all recursive diffs.
+                std::vector<typename object_t::key_type> common_keys_source_order;
+                for (auto it = source.cbegin(); it != source.cend(); ++it)
                {
-                    // fast path: common_keys is, by construction, the
-                    // subsequence of source's keys that are common to both
-                    // objects, in source's iteration order -- so it can be
-                    // walked in lockstep with `source` using a cheap key
-                    // comparison instead of another lookup. Deleted keys
-                    // (those source keys not in common_keys) are interleaved
-                    // here too, in source's original order, to match the
-                    // historical (pre-reordering-aware) output order.
-                    auto common_it = common_keys.cbegin();
+                    if (target.find(it.key()) != target.end())
+                    {
+                        common_keys_source_order.push_back(it.key());
+                    }
+                }
+
+                // second pass: find keys that were added (i.e., in target but
+                // not in source), and record the keys common to both, in
+                // target's iteration order -- again a by-product of the
+                // source.find() call already needed to detect added keys. At
+                // the same time, determine whether every added key comes
+                // after every common key in target's order (a precondition
+                // for the fast path below, which only ever appends new keys
+                // at the very end): for an object_t whose iteration order is
+                // a pure function of the key set (e.g. the default std::map,
+                // which always iterates in sorted key order), the order
+                // check further below is always true and this whole
+                // mechanism is effectively a no-op; it only matters for a
+                // reorderable object_t such as the one backing `ordered_json`.
+                // patch ops for keys that were added (i.e., in target but not
+                // in source); built here so the fast path below can reuse
+                // them without a second source.find() per target key. Only
+                // used by the fast path -- the slow (reordering) path
+                // rebuilds "add" ops for every key itself.
+                std::vector<typename object_t::key_type> common_keys_target_order;
+                basic_json added_ops(value_t::array);
+                bool new_keys_form_suffix = true;
+                bool seen_new_key = false;
+                for (auto it = target.cbegin(); it != target.cend(); ++it)
+                {
+                    if (source.find(it.key()) == source.end())
+                    {
+                        seen_new_key = true;
+                        const auto path_key = detail::concat<string_t>(path, '/', detail::escape(it.key()));
+                        added_ops.push_back(
+                        {
+                            {"op", "add"}, {"path", path_key},
+                            {"value", it.value()}
+                        });
+                    }
+                    else
+                    {
+                        common_keys_target_order.push_back(it.key());
+                        if (seen_new_key)
+                        {
+                            new_keys_form_suffix = false;
+                        }
+                    }
+                }
+
+                if (common_keys_source_order == common_keys_target_order && new_keys_form_suffix)
+                {
+                    // fast path: order of common keys already matches (or the
+                    // object_t's iteration order does not depend on
+                    // insertion history), so a plain per-key recursive diff
+                    // is correct and minimal, as before. common_keys_source_order
+                    // is, by construction, the subsequence of source's keys
+                    // that are common to both objects, in source's iteration
+                    // order -- so it can be walked in lockstep with `source`
+                    // using a cheap key comparison instead of another lookup.
+                    // Deleted keys (those source keys not in common_keys_source_order)
+                    // are interleaved here too, in source's original order, to
+                    // match the historical (pre-reordering-aware) output order.
+                    auto common_it = common_keys_source_order.cbegin();
                    for (auto it = source.cbegin(); it != source.cend(); ++it)
                    {
-                        if (common_it != common_keys.cend() && it.key() == *common_it)
+                        if (common_it != common_keys_source_order.cend() && it.key() == *common_it)
                        {
-                            diff_recursively(result, it.value(), target[it.key()], detail::concat<string_t>(path, '/', detail::escape(it.key())), depth + 1);
+                            const auto path_key = detail::concat<string_t>(path, '/', detail::escape(it.key()));
+                            auto temp_diff = diff(it.value(), target[it.key()], path_key);
+                            result.insert(result.end(), temp_diff.begin(), temp_diff.end());
                            ++common_it;
                        }
                        else
                        {
                            // found a key that is not in target -> remove it
-                            diff_remove(result, detail::concat<string_t>(path, '/', detail::escape(it.key())));
+                            const auto path_key = detail::concat<string_t>(path, '/', detail::escape(it.key()));
+                            result.push_back(object(
+                            {
+                                {"op", "remove"}, {"path", path_key}
+                            }));
                        }
                    }

-                    // append the "add" ops for brand-new keys collected by
-                    // diff_object_keys -- no second source.find() per target
-                    // key needed
+                    // append the "add" ops for brand-new keys collected above
+                    // during the pass over target -- no second source.find()
+                    // per target key needed
                    result.insert(result.end(), added_ops.begin(), added_ops.end());
                }
+                else
+                {
+                    // slow path: the common keys are in a different relative
+                    // order in source and target (only possible for a
+                    // reorderable object_t like ordered_map). Building a
+                    // minimal reordering patch is a nontrivial (LCS-like)
+                    // problem; instead, remove every source key -- both
+                    // deleted keys (which must be removed regardless) and
+                    // common keys (removed so they can be re-added in
+                    // target's order) -- and re-add every key that should
+                    // remain, with its final target value, in target's
+                    // order. basic_json::patch()'s "add" operation on an
+                    // object uses operator[], which appends at the end for a
+                    // vector-backed insertion-ordered map when the key does
+                    // not already exist -- so removing a key and then adding
+                    // it moves it to the end, fixing its position.
+                    for (auto it = source.cbegin(); it != source.cend(); ++it)
+                    {
+                        const auto path_key = detail::concat<string_t>(path, '/', detail::escape(it.key()));
+                        result.push_back(object(
+                        {
+                            {"op", "remove"}, {"path", path_key}
+                        }));
+                    }
+
+                    // add every key that is either common (just removed
+                    // above) or brand new, in target's iteration order, so
+                    // that the final order after applying the patch matches
+                    // target exactly
+                    for (auto it = target.cbegin(); it != target.cend(); ++it)
+                    {
+                        const auto path_key = detail::concat<string_t>(path, '/', detail::escape(it.key()));
+                        result.push_back(
+                        {
+                            {"op", "add"}, {"path", path_key},
+                            {"value", it.value()}
+                        });
+                    }
+                }
+
                break;
            }

@@ -6364,170 +6280,16 @@ class basic_json // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-special-member-functions,hicpp-spec
            default:
            {
                // both primitive types: replace value
-                diff_replace(result, path, target);
+                result.push_back(
+                {
+                    {"op", "replace"}, {"path", path}, {"value", target}
+                });
                break;
            }
        }
+
+        return result;
    }
-
-    /*!
-    @brief @ref diff without the call stack, appending the operations to
-           @a result
-
-    Produces the same operations as @ref diff_recursively. Only reached for
-    values nested more deeply than @ref detail::recursion_depth_limit.
-    */
-    static void diff_iteratively(basic_json& result, const basic_json& source, const basic_json& target,
-                                 const string_t& path)
-    {
-        // The arrays and objects being diffed are kept on an explicit stack,
-        // and every pair of elements is still diffed completely before the
-        // next one, so the operations come out in the same order as in
-        // diff_recursively. The path of the values being diffed is kept in
-        // one buffer that grows and shrinks with the stack, rather than in a
-        // new string per level.
-        std::vector<diff_frame> stack;
-        string_t current_path = path;
-
-        // diff `s` against `t`, whose path is current_path: primitives,
-        // values of different types, and objects whose members were reordered
-        // are handled right away; arrays and other objects get a frame
-        const auto enter = [&result, &stack, &current_path](const basic_json & s, const basic_json & t)
-        {
-            // if the values are the same, there is nothing to do. Arrays and
-            // objects are not compared up front: comparing them visits
-            // everything below them, so doing that at every level would take
-            // quadratic time in the nesting depth - equal ones yield no
-            // operations anyway.
-            if ((!s.is_structured() || !t.is_structured()) && s == t)
-            {
-                return;
-            }
-
-            if (s.type() != t.type())
-            {
-                // different types: replace value
-                diff_replace(result, current_path, t);
-                return;
-            }
-
-            switch (s.type())
-            {
-                case value_t::array:
-                {
-                    stack.emplace_back(&s, &t, current_path.size());
-                    return;
-                }
-
-                case value_t::object:
-                {
-                    std::vector<typename object_t::key_type> common_keys;
-                    basic_json added_ops(value_t::array);
-                    if (diff_object_keys(result, s, t, current_path, common_keys, added_ops))
-                    {
-                        // fast path: the frame walks source in lockstep with
-                        // common_keys, as diff_recursively does, and appends
-                        // added_ops once all members are done
-                        stack.emplace_back(&s, &t, current_path.size());
-                        stack.back().member = s.cbegin();
-                        stack.back().common_keys = std::move(common_keys);
-                        stack.back().added_ops = std::move(added_ops);
-                    }
-                    return;
-                }
-
-                case value_t::null:
-                case value_t::string:
-                case value_t::boolean:
-                case value_t::number_integer:
-                case value_t::number_unsigned:
-                case value_t::number_float:
-                case value_t::binary:
-                case value_t::discarded:
-                default:
-                {
-                    // both primitive types: replace value
-                    diff_replace(result, current_path, t);
-                    return;
-                }
-            }
-        };
-
-        enter(source, target);
-        while (!stack.empty())
-        {
-            // the frame is copied out member by member and changed through
-            // stack.back(): enter() may push a frame and the end of the loop
-            // pops it, either of which would invalidate a reference to it
-            const basic_json* const s = stack.back().source;
-            const basic_json* const t = stack.back().target;
-            const std::size_t path_length = stack.back().path_length;
-            const std::size_t depth = stack.size();
-
-            if (s->is_array())
-            {
-                const auto& source_array = *s->m_data.m_value.array;
-                const auto& target_array = *t->m_data.m_value.array;
-
-                // first pass: traverse common elements
-                const std::size_t i = stack.back().index;
-                if (i < source_array.size() && i < target_array.size())
-                {
-                    ++stack.back().index;
-                    detail::concat_into(current_path, '/', detail::to_string<string_t>(i));
-                    enter(source_array[i], target_array[i]);
-                    if (stack.size() == depth)
-                    {
-                        current_path.resize(path_length);
-                    }
-                    continue;
-                }
-
-                // We now reached the end of at least one array
-                // in a second pass, traverse the remaining elements
-                diff_array_tails(result, *s, *t, current_path, i);
-            }
-            else
-            {
-                const const_iterator it = stack.back().member;
-                if (it != s->cend())
-                {
-                    ++stack.back().member;
-                    const std::size_t next_common = stack.back().next_common;
-                    if (next_common < stack.back().common_keys.size() && it.key() == stack.back().common_keys[next_common])
-                    {
-                        ++stack.back().next_common;
-                        const basic_json& target_value = (*t)[it.key()];
-                        detail::concat_into(current_path, '/', detail::escape(it.key()));
-                        enter(it.value(), target_value);
-                        if (stack.size() == depth)
-                        {
-                            current_path.resize(path_length);
-                        }
-                    }
-                    else
-                    {
-                        // found a key that is not in target -> remove it
-                        diff_remove(result, detail::concat<string_t>(current_path, '/', detail::escape(it.key())));
-                    }
-                    continue;
-                }
-
-                // append the "add" ops for brand-new keys collected when the
-                // object was entered
-                result.insert(result.end(), stack.back().added_ops.begin(), stack.back().added_ops.end());
-            }
-
-            // this array or object is done: continue with the one it is in
-            stack.pop_back();
-            if (!stack.empty())
-            {
-                current_path.resize(stack.back().path_length);
-            }
-        }
-    }
-
-  public:
    /// @}

    ////////////////////////////////
@@ -14059,6 +14059,80 @@ class binary_reader
        }
    }

+    /*!
+    @brief reads a CBOR object key
+
+    RFC 8949 allows any data item as a map key, but only strings have a
+    counterpart in JSON. A key of any other type is rejected with a message
+    naming that type, rather than the one @ref get_cbor_string gives for a
+    malformed string.
+
+    @param[out] result  created key
+
+    @return whether key creation completed
+    */
+    bool get_cbor_object_key(string_t& result)
+    {
+        // EOF and major type 3 (text string) are left to get_cbor_string
+        if (current == char_traits<char_type>::eof() || (static_cast<unsigned int>(current) & 0xE0u) == 0x60u)
+        {
+            return get_cbor_string(result);
+        }
+
+        const char* found = nullptr;
+        switch (static_cast<unsigned int>(current) >> 5u)
+        {
+            case 0:
+                found = "an unsigned integer";
+                break;
+            case 1:
+                found = "a negative integer";
+                break;
+            case 2:
+                found = "a byte string";
+                break;
+            case 4:
+                found = "an array";
+                break;
+            case 5:
+                found = "a map";
+                break;
+            case 6:
+                found = "a tag";
+                break;
+            default: // major type 7
+                switch (current)
+                {
+                    case 0xF4:
+                    case 0xF5:
+                        found = "a boolean";
+                        break;
+                    case 0xF6:
+                        found = "null";
+                        break;
+                    case 0xF7:
+                        found = "undefined";
+                        break;
+                    case 0xF9:
+                    case 0xFA:
+                    case 0xFB:
+                        found = "a floating-point number";
+                        break;
+                    case 0xFF:
+                        found = "a break stop code";
+                        break;
+                    default:
+                        found = "a simple value";
+                        break;
+                }
+                break;
+        }
+
+        auto last_token = get_token_string();
+        return sax->parse_error(chars_read, last_token, parse_error::create(113, chars_read,
+                                exception_message(input_format_t::cbor, concat("only string keys are supported, but found ", found, "; last byte: 0x", last_token), "object key"), nullptr));
+    }
+
    /*!
    @brief reads a definite-length CBOR byte array

@@ -14303,7 +14377,7 @@ class binary_reader
                if (top.is_object)
                {
                    key.clear();
-                    if (JSON_HEDLEY_UNLIKELY(!get_cbor_string(key) || !sax->key(key)))
+                    if (JSON_HEDLEY_UNLIKELY(!get_cbor_object_key(key) || !sax->key(key)))
                    {
                        return false;
                    }
@@ -14804,6 +14878,98 @@ class binary_reader
        }
    }

+    /*!
+    @brief reads a MessagePack object key
+
+    The MessagePack specification allows any type as a map key, but only
+    strings have a counterpart in JSON. A key of any other type is rejected
+    with a message naming that type, rather than the one @ref
+    get_msgpack_string gives for a malformed string.
+
+    @param[out] result  created key
+
+    @return whether key creation completed
+    */
+    bool get_msgpack_object_key(string_t& result)
+    {
+        const char* found = nullptr;
+        switch (current)
+        {
+            case 0xC0:
+                found = "nil";
+                break;
+            case 0xC2:
+            case 0xC3:
+                found = "a boolean";
+                break;
+            case 0xCA:
+            case 0xCB:
+                found = "a float";
+                break;
+            case 0xC4:
+            case 0xC5:
+            case 0xC6:
+                found = "a bin";
+                break;
+            case 0xC7:
+            case 0xC8:
+            case 0xC9:
+            case 0xD4:
+            case 0xD5:
+            case 0xD6:
+            case 0xD7:
+            case 0xD8:
+                found = "an ext";
+                break;
+            case 0xCC:
+            case 0xCD:
+            case 0xCE:
+            case 0xCF:
+            case 0xD0:
+            case 0xD1:
+            case 0xD2:
+            case 0xD3:
+                found = "an integer";
+                break;
+            case 0xDC:
+            case 0xDD:
+                found = "an array";
+                break;
+            case 0xDE:
+            case 0xDF:
+                found = "a map";
+                break;
+            default:
+                // fixint, fixmap, and fixarray; strings, EOF, and the unused
+                // byte 0xC1 are left to get_msgpack_string
+                if (current == char_traits<char_type>::eof())
+                {
+                    return get_msgpack_string(result);
+                }
+                if (current <= 0x7F || current >= 0xE0)
+                {
+                    found = "an integer";
+                }
+                else if (current <= 0x8F)
+                {
+                    found = "a map";
+                }
+                else if (current <= 0x9F)
+                {
+                    found = "an array";
+                }
+                else
+                {
+                    return get_msgpack_string(result);
+                }
+                break;
+        }
+
+        auto last_token = get_token_string();
+        return sax->parse_error(chars_read, last_token, parse_error::create(113, chars_read,
+                                exception_message(input_format_t::msgpack, concat("only string keys are supported, but found ", found, "; last byte: 0x", last_token), "object key"), nullptr));
+    }
+
    /*!
    @brief reads a MessagePack byte array

@@ -14966,7 +15132,7 @@ class binary_reader
                {
                    get();
                    key.clear();
-                    if (JSON_HEDLEY_UNLIKELY(!get_msgpack_string(key) || !sax->key(key)))
+                    if (JSON_HEDLEY_UNLIKELY(!get_msgpack_object_key(key) || !sax->key(key)))
                    {
                        return false;
                    }
@@ -31944,240 +32110,21 @@ class basic_json // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-special-member-functions,hicpp-spec
    {
        // the patch
        basic_json result(value_t::array);
-        diff_recursively(result, source, target, path, 0);
-        return result;
-    }

-  private:
-    /// @brief two arrays or two objects @ref diff_iteratively is diffing
-    struct diff_frame
-    {
-        diff_frame(const basic_json* source_, const basic_json* target_, const std::size_t path_length_) noexcept
-            : source(source_), target(target_), path_length(path_length_)
-        {}
-
-        // declared for GCC's -Weffc++, which asks for them in a class with
-        // pointer members and a non-trivial destructor; the exception
-        // specifications are left implicit, as GCC 4.8 rejects explicit ones
-        // that differ from them
-        diff_frame(const diff_frame&) = default;
-        diff_frame(diff_frame&&) = default;
-        diff_frame& operator=(const diff_frame&) = default;
-        diff_frame& operator=(diff_frame&&) = default;
-        ~diff_frame() = default;
-
-        /// the values being diffed, both arrays or both objects
-        const basic_json* source;
-        const basic_json* target;
-        /// the length of their path in `current_path`
-        std::size_t path_length;
-        /// arrays: the next index to diff
-        std::size_t index = 0;
-        /// objects: the next member of source to look at
-        const_iterator member{}; // NOLINT(readability-redundant-member-init)
-        /// objects: the keys common to both, in source's order
-        std::vector<typename object_t::key_type> common_keys{}; // NOLINT(readability-redundant-member-init)
-        /// objects: the next entry of common_keys
-        std::size_t next_common = 0;
-        /// objects: the "add" operations for keys only target has
-        basic_json added_ops{}; // NOLINT(readability-redundant-member-init)
-    };
-
-    // The operations of a diff are built by the functions below rather than
-    // where they are needed: building one takes several temporaries, and
-    // unoptimized builds give each temporary a stack slot of its own in the
-    // function it appears in. In diff_recursively, which is on the call stack
-    // once per nesting level, that made every level cost kilobytes of stack.
-
-    /// @brief append a "replace" operation for @a path with @a value to @a result
-    static void diff_replace(basic_json& result, const string_t& path, const basic_json& value)
-    {
-        result.push_back(
-        {
-            {"op", "replace"}, {"path", path}, {"value", value}
-        });
-    }
-
-    /// @brief append a "remove" operation for @a path to @a result
-    static void diff_remove(basic_json& result, const string_t& path)
-    {
-        result.push_back(object(
-        {
-            {"op", "remove"}, {"path", path}
-        }));
-    }
-
-    /// @brief append an "add" operation for @a path with @a value to @a result
-    static void diff_add(basic_json& result, const string_t& path, const basic_json& value)
-    {
-        result.push_back(
-        {
-            {"op", "add"}, {"path", path}, {"value", value}
-        });
-    }
-
-    /// @brief append the "remove" operations for the elements of array
-    ///        @a source from @a index on, and the "add" operations for the
-    ///        elements of array @a target from source's size on, to @a result
-    static void diff_array_tails(basic_json& result, const basic_json& source, const basic_json& target,
-                                 const string_t& path, const std::size_t index)
-    {
-        // remove my remaining elements, highest index first; appending
-        // in that order avoids the quadratic reinsertion done before
-        for (std::size_t j = source.size(); j > index; --j)
-        {
-            diff_remove(result, detail::concat<string_t>(path, '/', detail::to_string<string_t>(j - 1)));
-        }
-
-        // add other remaining elements
-        for (std::size_t i = source.size(); i < target.size(); ++i)
-        {
-            diff_add(result, detail::concat<string_t>(path, "/-"), target[i]);
-        }
-    }
-
-    /*!
-    @brief compare the keys of objects @a source and @a target
-
-    If the keys both objects have are in the same order in both, and the keys
-    only @a target has come after them, stores the keys common to both in
-    source's order in @a common_keys, stores the "add" operations for the keys
-    only @a target has in @a added_ops, and returns true: the caller then diffs
-    the objects member by member. Otherwise, appends operations that remove
-    every member of @a source and add every member of @a target to @a result,
-    and returns false.
-    */
-    static bool diff_object_keys(basic_json& result, const basic_json& source, const basic_json& target,
-                                 const string_t& path, std::vector<typename object_t::key_type>& common_keys,
-                                 basic_json& added_ops)
-    {
-        // first pass: record, for every source key, whether it is
-        // common to both objects (in source's iteration order) or
-        // was deleted (i.e., in source but not in target) -- this is
-        // a by-product of the target.find() call already needed to
-        // tell the two cases apart, so it adds no extra lookups. The
-        // "remove" ops themselves are emitted later, interleaved
-        // with the per-key diffs in the caller's fast path, to match
-        // source's original iteration order (as the original,
-        // pre-reordering-aware implementation did) instead of
-        // grouping all removes before all per-key diffs.
-        std::vector<typename object_t::key_type> common_keys_source_order;
-        for (auto it = source.cbegin(); it != source.cend(); ++it)
-        {
-            if (target.find(it.key()) != target.end())
-            {
-                common_keys_source_order.push_back(it.key());
-            }
-        }
-
-        // second pass: find keys that were added (i.e., in target but
-        // not in source), and record the keys common to both, in
-        // target's iteration order -- again a by-product of the
-        // source.find() call already needed to detect added keys. At
-        // the same time, determine whether every added key comes
-        // after every common key in target's order (a precondition
-        // for the fast path, which only ever appends new keys
-        // at the very end): for an object_t whose iteration order is
-        // a pure function of the key set (e.g. the default std::map,
-        // which always iterates in sorted key order), the order
-        // check further below is always true and this whole
-        // mechanism is effectively a no-op; it only matters for a
-        // reorderable object_t such as the one backing `ordered_json`.
-        // The patch ops for keys that were added (i.e., in target but not
-        // in source) are built here so the fast path can reuse
-        // them without a second source.find() per target key. Only
-        // used by the fast path -- the slow (reordering) path
-        // rebuilds "add" ops for every key itself.
-        std::vector<typename object_t::key_type> common_keys_target_order;
-        bool new_keys_form_suffix = true;
-        bool seen_new_key = false;
-        for (auto it = target.cbegin(); it != target.cend(); ++it)
-        {
-            if (source.find(it.key()) == source.end())
-            {
-                seen_new_key = true;
-                diff_add(added_ops, detail::concat<string_t>(path, '/', detail::escape(it.key())), it.value());
-            }
-            else
-            {
-                common_keys_target_order.push_back(it.key());
-                if (seen_new_key)
-                {
-                    new_keys_form_suffix = false;
-                }
-            }
-        }
-
-        if (common_keys_source_order == common_keys_target_order && new_keys_form_suffix)
-        {
-            // fast path: order of common keys already matches (or the
-            // object_t's iteration order does not depend on
-            // insertion history), so a plain per-key diff is correct
-            // and minimal, as before
-            common_keys = std::move(common_keys_source_order);
-            return true;
-        }
-
-        // slow path: the common keys are in a different relative
-        // order in source and target (only possible for a
-        // reorderable object_t like ordered_map). Building a
-        // minimal reordering patch is a nontrivial (LCS-like)
-        // problem; instead, remove every source key -- both
-        // deleted keys (which must be removed regardless) and
-        // common keys (removed so they can be re-added in
-        // target's order) -- and re-add every key that should
-        // remain, with its final target value, in target's
-        // order. basic_json::patch()'s "add" operation on an
-        // object uses operator[], which appends at the end for a
-        // vector-backed insertion-ordered map when the key does
-        // not already exist -- so removing a key and then adding
-        // it moves it to the end, fixing its position.
-        for (auto it = source.cbegin(); it != source.cend(); ++it)
-        {
-            diff_remove(result, detail::concat<string_t>(path, '/', detail::escape(it.key())));
-        }
-
-        // add every key that is either common (just removed
-        // above) or brand new, in target's iteration order, so
-        // that the final order after applying the patch matches
-        // target exactly
-        for (auto it = target.cbegin(); it != target.cend(); ++it)
-        {
-            diff_add(result, detail::concat<string_t>(path, '/', detail::escape(it.key())), it.value());
-        }
-        return false;
-    }
-
-    /*!
-    @brief @ref diff, for values at nesting level @a depth, appending the
-           operations to @a result
-
-    Diffing two arrays or objects calls this function again, once per nesting
-    level, so values nested deeply enough used to exhaust the call stack and
-    terminate the process. The descent is bounded here: once @ref
-    detail::recursion_depth_limit levels have been entered, @ref
-    diff_iteratively diffs what is left without the call stack.
-    */
-    static void diff_recursively(basic_json& result, const basic_json& source, const basic_json& target,
-                                 const string_t& path, const std::size_t depth)
-    {
-        // if the values are the same, there is nothing to do
+        // if the values are the same, return an empty patch
        if (source == target)
        {
-            return;
-        }
-
-        if (JSON_HEDLEY_UNLIKELY(depth >= detail::recursion_depth_limit()))
-        {
-            diff_iteratively(result, source, target, path);
-            return;
+            return result;
        }

        if (source.type() != target.type())
        {
            // different types: replace value
-            diff_replace(result, path, target);
-            return;
+            result.push_back(
+            {
+                {"op", "replace"}, {"path", path}, {"value", target}
+            });
+            return result;
        }

        switch (source.type())
@@ -32189,50 +32136,185 @@ class basic_json // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-special-member-functions,hicpp-spec
                while (i < source.size() && i < target.size())
                {
                    // recursive call to compare array values at index i
-                    diff_recursively(result, source[i], target[i], detail::concat<string_t>(path, '/', detail::to_string<string_t>(i)), depth + 1);
+                    auto temp_diff = diff(source[i], target[i], detail::concat<string_t>(path, '/', detail::to_string<string_t>(i)));
+                    result.insert(result.end(), temp_diff.begin(), temp_diff.end());
                    ++i;
                }

                // We now reached the end of at least one array
                // in a second pass, traverse the remaining elements
-                diff_array_tails(result, source, target, path, i);
+
+                // remove my remaining elements, highest index first; appending
+                // in that order avoids the quadratic reinsertion done before
+                for (std::size_t j = source.size(); j > i; --j)
+                {
+                    result.push_back(object(
+                    {
+                        {"op", "remove"},
+                        {"path", detail::concat<string_t>(path, '/', detail::to_string<string_t>(j - 1))}
+                    }));
+                }
+                i = source.size();
+
+                // add other remaining elements
+                while (i < target.size())
+                {
+                    result.push_back(
+                    {
+                        {"op", "add"},
+                        {"path", detail::concat<string_t>(path, "/-")},
+                        {"value", target[i]}
+                    });
+                    ++i;
+                }
+
                break;
            }

            case value_t::object:
            {
-                std::vector<typename object_t::key_type> common_keys;
-                basic_json added_ops(value_t::array);
-                if (diff_object_keys(result, source, target, path, common_keys, added_ops))
+                // first pass: record, for every source key, whether it is
+                // common to both objects (in source's iteration order) or
+                // was deleted (i.e., in source but not in target) -- this is
+                // a by-product of the target.find() call already needed to
+                // tell the two cases apart, so it adds no extra lookups. The
+                // "remove" ops themselves are emitted later, interleaved
+                // with the recursive per-key diffs in the fast path below,
+                // to match source's original iteration order (as the
+                // original, pre-reordering-aware implementation did) instead
+                // of grouping all removes before all recursive diffs.
+                std::vector<typename object_t::key_type> common_keys_source_order;
+                for (auto it = source.cbegin(); it != source.cend(); ++it)
                {
-                    // fast path: common_keys is, by construction, the
-                    // subsequence of source's keys that are common to both
-                    // objects, in source's iteration order -- so it can be
-                    // walked in lockstep with `source` using a cheap key
-                    // comparison instead of another lookup. Deleted keys
-                    // (those source keys not in common_keys) are interleaved
-                    // here too, in source's original order, to match the
-                    // historical (pre-reordering-aware) output order.
-                    auto common_it = common_keys.cbegin();
+                    if (target.find(it.key()) != target.end())
+                    {
+                        common_keys_source_order.push_back(it.key());
+                    }
+                }
+
+                // second pass: find keys that were added (i.e., in target but
+                // not in source), and record the keys common to both, in
+                // target's iteration order -- again a by-product of the
+                // source.find() call already needed to detect added keys. At
+                // the same time, determine whether every added key comes
+                // after every common key in target's order (a precondition
+                // for the fast path below, which only ever appends new keys
+                // at the very end): for an object_t whose iteration order is
+                // a pure function of the key set (e.g. the default std::map,
+                // which always iterates in sorted key order), the order
+                // check further below is always true and this whole
+                // mechanism is effectively a no-op; it only matters for a
+                // reorderable object_t such as the one backing `ordered_json`.
+                // patch ops for keys that were added (i.e., in target but not
+                // in source); built here so the fast path below can reuse
+                // them without a second source.find() per target key. Only
+                // used by the fast path -- the slow (reordering) path
+                // rebuilds "add" ops for every key itself.
+                std::vector<typename object_t::key_type> common_keys_target_order;
+                basic_json added_ops(value_t::array);
+                bool new_keys_form_suffix = true;
+                bool seen_new_key = false;
+                for (auto it = target.cbegin(); it != target.cend(); ++it)
+                {
+                    if (source.find(it.key()) == source.end())
+                    {
+                        seen_new_key = true;
+                        const auto path_key = detail::concat<string_t>(path, '/', detail::escape(it.key()));
+                        added_ops.push_back(
+                        {
+                            {"op", "add"}, {"path", path_key},
+                            {"value", it.value()}
+                        });
+                    }
+                    else
+                    {
+                        common_keys_target_order.push_back(it.key());
+                        if (seen_new_key)
+                        {
+                            new_keys_form_suffix = false;
+                        }
+                    }
+                }
+
+                if (common_keys_source_order == common_keys_target_order && new_keys_form_suffix)
+                {
+                    // fast path: order of common keys already matches (or the
+                    // object_t's iteration order does not depend on
+                    // insertion history), so a plain per-key recursive diff
+                    // is correct and minimal, as before. common_keys_source_order
+                    // is, by construction, the subsequence of source's keys
+                    // that are common to both objects, in source's iteration
+                    // order -- so it can be walked in lockstep with `source`
+                    // using a cheap key comparison instead of another lookup.
+                    // Deleted keys (those source keys not in common_keys_source_order)
+                    // are interleaved here too, in source's original order, to
+                    // match the historical (pre-reordering-aware) output order.
+                    auto common_it = common_keys_source_order.cbegin();
                    for (auto it = source.cbegin(); it != source.cend(); ++it)
                    {
-                        if (common_it != common_keys.cend() && it.key() == *common_it)
+                        if (common_it != common_keys_source_order.cend() && it.key() == *common_it)
                        {
-                            diff_recursively(result, it.value(), target[it.key()], detail::concat<string_t>(path, '/', detail::escape(it.key())), depth + 1);
+                            const auto path_key = detail::concat<string_t>(path, '/', detail::escape(it.key()));
+                            auto temp_diff = diff(it.value(), target[it.key()], path_key);
+                            result.insert(result.end(), temp_diff.begin(), temp_diff.end());
                            ++common_it;
                        }
                        else
                        {
                            // found a key that is not in target -> remove it
-                            diff_remove(result, detail::concat<string_t>(path, '/', detail::escape(it.key())));
+                            const auto path_key = detail::concat<string_t>(path, '/', detail::escape(it.key()));
+                            result.push_back(object(
+                            {
+                                {"op", "remove"}, {"path", path_key}
+                            }));
                        }
                    }

-                    // append the "add" ops for brand-new keys collected by
-                    // diff_object_keys -- no second source.find() per target
-                    // key needed
+                    // append the "add" ops for brand-new keys collected above
+                    // during the pass over target -- no second source.find()
+                    // per target key needed
                    result.insert(result.end(), added_ops.begin(), added_ops.end());
                }
+                else
+                {
+                    // slow path: the common keys are in a different relative
+                    // order in source and target (only possible for a
+                    // reorderable object_t like ordered_map). Building a
+                    // minimal reordering patch is a nontrivial (LCS-like)
+                    // problem; instead, remove every source key -- both
+                    // deleted keys (which must be removed regardless) and
+                    // common keys (removed so they can be re-added in
+                    // target's order) -- and re-add every key that should
+                    // remain, with its final target value, in target's
+                    // order. basic_json::patch()'s "add" operation on an
+                    // object uses operator[], which appends at the end for a
+                    // vector-backed insertion-ordered map when the key does
+                    // not already exist -- so removing a key and then adding
+                    // it moves it to the end, fixing its position.
+                    for (auto it = source.cbegin(); it != source.cend(); ++it)
+                    {
+                        const auto path_key = detail::concat<string_t>(path, '/', detail::escape(it.key()));
+                        result.push_back(object(
+                        {
+                            {"op", "remove"}, {"path", path_key}
+                        }));
+                    }
+
+                    // add every key that is either common (just removed
+                    // above) or brand new, in target's iteration order, so
+                    // that the final order after applying the patch matches
+                    // target exactly
+                    for (auto it = target.cbegin(); it != target.cend(); ++it)
+                    {
+                        const auto path_key = detail::concat<string_t>(path, '/', detail::escape(it.key()));
+                        result.push_back(
+                        {
+                            {"op", "add"}, {"path", path_key},
+                            {"value", it.value()}
+                        });
+                    }
+                }
+
                break;
            }

@@ -32247,170 +32329,16 @@ class basic_json // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-special-member-functions,hicpp-spec
            default:
            {
                // both primitive types: replace value
-                diff_replace(result, path, target);
+                result.push_back(
+                {
+                    {"op", "replace"}, {"path", path}, {"value", target}
+                });
                break;
            }
        }
+
+        return result;
    }
-
-    /*!
-    @brief @ref diff without the call stack, appending the operations to
-           @a result
-
-    Produces the same operations as @ref diff_recursively. Only reached for
-    values nested more deeply than @ref detail::recursion_depth_limit.
-    */
-    static void diff_iteratively(basic_json& result, const basic_json& source, const basic_json& target,
-                                 const string_t& path)
-    {
-        // The arrays and objects being diffed are kept on an explicit stack,
-        // and every pair of elements is still diffed completely before the
-        // next one, so the operations come out in the same order as in
-        // diff_recursively. The path of the values being diffed is kept in
-        // one buffer that grows and shrinks with the stack, rather than in a
-        // new string per level.
-        std::vector<diff_frame> stack;
-        string_t current_path = path;
-
-        // diff `s` against `t`, whose path is current_path: primitives,
-        // values of different types, and objects whose members were reordered
-        // are handled right away; arrays and other objects get a frame
-        const auto enter = [&result, &stack, &current_path](const basic_json & s, const basic_json & t)
-        {
-            // if the values are the same, there is nothing to do. Arrays and
-            // objects are not compared up front: comparing them visits
-            // everything below them, so doing that at every level would take
-            // quadratic time in the nesting depth - equal ones yield no
-            // operations anyway.
-            if ((!s.is_structured() || !t.is_structured()) && s == t)
-            {
-                return;
-            }
-
-            if (s.type() != t.type())
-            {
-                // different types: replace value
-                diff_replace(result, current_path, t);
-                return;
-            }
-
-            switch (s.type())
-            {
-                case value_t::array:
-                {
-                    stack.emplace_back(&s, &t, current_path.size());
-                    return;
-                }
-
-                case value_t::object:
-                {
-                    std::vector<typename object_t::key_type> common_keys;
-                    basic_json added_ops(value_t::array);
-                    if (diff_object_keys(result, s, t, current_path, common_keys, added_ops))
-                    {
-                        // fast path: the frame walks source in lockstep with
-                        // common_keys, as diff_recursively does, and appends
-                        // added_ops once all members are done
-                        stack.emplace_back(&s, &t, current_path.size());
-                        stack.back().member = s.cbegin();
-                        stack.back().common_keys = std::move(common_keys);
-                        stack.back().added_ops = std::move(added_ops);
-                    }
-                    return;
-                }
-
-                case value_t::null:
-                case value_t::string:
-                case value_t::boolean:
-                case value_t::number_integer:
-                case value_t::number_unsigned:
-                case value_t::number_float:
-                case value_t::binary:
-                case value_t::discarded:
-                default:
-                {
-                    // both primitive types: replace value
-                    diff_replace(result, current_path, t);
-                    return;
-                }
-            }
-        };
-
-        enter(source, target);
-        while (!stack.empty())
-        {
-            // the frame is copied out member by member and changed through
-            // stack.back(): enter() may push a frame and the end of the loop
-            // pops it, either of which would invalidate a reference to it
-            const basic_json* const s = stack.back().source;
-            const basic_json* const t = stack.back().target;
-            const std::size_t path_length = stack.back().path_length;
-            const std::size_t depth = stack.size();
-
-            if (s->is_array())
-            {
-                const auto& source_array = *s->m_data.m_value.array;
-                const auto& target_array = *t->m_data.m_value.array;
-
-                // first pass: traverse common elements
-                const std::size_t i = stack.back().index;
-                if (i < source_array.size() && i < target_array.size())
-                {
-                    ++stack.back().index;
-                    detail::concat_into(current_path, '/', detail::to_string<string_t>(i));
-                    enter(source_array[i], target_array[i]);
-                    if (stack.size() == depth)
-                    {
-                        current_path.resize(path_length);
-                    }
-                    continue;
-                }
-
-                // We now reached the end of at least one array
-                // in a second pass, traverse the remaining elements
-                diff_array_tails(result, *s, *t, current_path, i);
-            }
-            else
-            {
-                const const_iterator it = stack.back().member;
-                if (it != s->cend())
-                {
-                    ++stack.back().member;
-                    const std::size_t next_common = stack.back().next_common;
-                    if (next_common < stack.back().common_keys.size() && it.key() == stack.back().common_keys[next_common])
-                    {
-                        ++stack.back().next_common;
-                        const basic_json& target_value = (*t)[it.key()];
-                        detail::concat_into(current_path, '/', detail::escape(it.key()));
-                        enter(it.value(), target_value);
-                        if (stack.size() == depth)
-                        {
-                            current_path.resize(path_length);
-                        }
-                    }
-                    else
-                    {
-                        // found a key that is not in target -> remove it
-                        diff_remove(result, detail::concat<string_t>(current_path, '/', detail::escape(it.key())));
-                    }
-                    continue;
-                }
-
-                // append the "add" ops for brand-new keys collected when the
-                // object was entered
-                result.insert(result.end(), stack.back().added_ops.begin(), stack.back().added_ops.end());
-            }
-
-            // this array or object is done: continue with the one it is in
-            stack.pop_back();
-            if (!stack.empty())
-            {
-                current_path.resize(stack.back().path_length);
-            }
-        }
-    }
-
-  public:
    /// @}

    ////////////////////////////////
@@ -1830,10 +1830,51 @@ TEST_CASE("CBOR")
        SECTION("invalid string in map")
        {
            json _;
-            CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(_ = json::from_cbor(std::vector<uint8_t>({0xa1, 0xff, 0x01})), "[json.exception.parse_error.113] parse error at byte 2: syntax error while parsing CBOR string: expected length specification (0x60-0x7B) or indefinite string type (0x7F); last byte: 0xFF", json::parse_error&);
+            CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(_ = json::from_cbor(std::vector<uint8_t>({0xa1, 0xff, 0x01})), "[json.exception.parse_error.113] parse error at byte 2: syntax error while parsing CBOR object key: only string keys are supported, but found a break stop code; last byte: 0xFF", json::parse_error&);
            CHECK(json::from_cbor(std::vector<uint8_t>({0xa1, 0xff, 0x01}), true, false).is_discarded());
        }

+        SECTION("non-string key (see #2766 and #3381)")
+        {
+            // only text strings map to JSON object keys; any other key is
+            // rejected with a message naming its type
+            const std::vector<std::pair<std::vector<std::uint8_t>, std::string>> cases =
+            {
+                {{0xA1, 0x01, 0x01}, "an unsigned integer; last byte: 0x01"},
+                {{0xA1, 0x20, 0x01}, "a negative integer; last byte: 0x20"},
+                {{0xA1, 0x41, 0x61, 0x01}, "a byte string; last byte: 0x41"},
+                {{0xA1, 0x80, 0x01}, "an array; last byte: 0x80"},
+                {{0xA1, 0xA0, 0x01}, "a map; last byte: 0xA0"},
+                {{0xA1, 0xC0, 0x61, 0x61, 0x01}, "a tag; last byte: 0xC0"},
+                {{0xA1, 0xF4, 0x01}, "a boolean; last byte: 0xF4"},
+                {{0xA1, 0xF5, 0x01}, "a boolean; last byte: 0xF5"},
+                {{0xA1, 0xF6, 0x01}, "null; last byte: 0xF6"},
+                {{0xA1, 0xF7, 0x01}, "undefined; last byte: 0xF7"},
+                {{0xA1, 0xF9, 0x3C, 0x00, 0x01}, "a floating-point number; last byte: 0xF9"},
+                {{0xA1, 0xFA, 0x3F, 0x80, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01}, "a floating-point number; last byte: 0xFA"},
+                {{0xA1, 0xFB, 0x3F, 0xF0, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01}, "a floating-point number; last byte: 0xFB"},
+                {{0xA1, 0xE0, 0x01}, "a simple value; last byte: 0xE0"},
+                {{0xA1, 0xF8, 0x20, 0x01}, "a simple value; last byte: 0xF8"},
+                // indefinite-length map
+                {{0xBF, 0x01, 0x01, 0xFF}, "an unsigned integer; last byte: 0x01"},
+            };
+
+            for (const auto& c : cases)
+            {
+                CAPTURE(c.first)
+                const std::string expected = "[json.exception.parse_error.113] parse error at byte 2: syntax error while parsing CBOR object key: only string keys are supported, but found " + c.second;
+                json _;
+                CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(_ = json::from_cbor(c.first), expected.c_str(), json::parse_error&);
+                CHECK(json::from_cbor(c.first, true, false).is_discarded());
+            }
+
+            // a key of major type 3 with a reserved length is still reported as
+            // a malformed string, and a missing key as the end of input
+            json _;
+            CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(_ = json::from_cbor(std::vector<uint8_t>({0xA1})), "[json.exception.parse_error.110] parse error at byte 2: syntax error while parsing CBOR string: unexpected end of input", json::parse_error&);
+            CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(_ = json::from_cbor(std::vector<uint8_t>({0xA1, 0x7C, 0x01})), "[json.exception.parse_error.113] parse error at byte 2: syntax error while parsing CBOR string: expected length specification (0x60-0x7B) or indefinite string type (0x7F); last byte: 0x7C", json::parse_error&);
+        }
+
        SECTION("invalid UTF-8 in string (see #5529)")
        {
            // a two-character text string (major type 3) whose bytes are not
@@ -2284,7 +2325,7 @@ TEST_CASE("CBOR indefinite-length strings do not recurse per chunk")
    SECTION("a break marker outside an indefinite-length string is not a string")
    {
        // 0xFF only closes a string that was opened; on its own it is not one
-        CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(_ = json::from_cbor(std::vector<uint8_t>({0xA1, 0xFF, 0x01})), "[json.exception.parse_error.113] parse error at byte 2: syntax error while parsing CBOR string: expected length specification (0x60-0x7B) or indefinite string type (0x7F); last byte: 0xFF", json::parse_error&);
+        CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(_ = json::from_cbor(std::vector<uint8_t>({0xA1, 0xFF, 0x01})), "[json.exception.parse_error.113] parse error at byte 2: syntax error while parsing CBOR object key: only string keys are supported, but found a break stop code; last byte: 0xFF", json::parse_error&);
    }
 }

@@ -15,65 +15,8 @@ using nlohmann::json;
 #endif

 #include <fstream>
-#include <string>
-#include <vector>
 #include "make_test_data_available.hpp"

-namespace
-{
-// alternating objects and arrays nested `depth` levels deep, with members that
-// depend on `variant` at some levels, so diffing two variants yields
-// operations on many levels: replacing the innermost value, adding, removing,
-// and (for ordered_json) reordering members, and changing array lengths
-template<typename BasicJsonType>
-BasicJsonType nested(const std::size_t depth, const int variant)
-{
-    BasicJsonType value = variant;
-    for (std::size_t i = 0; i < depth; ++i)
-    {
-        if (i % 2 == 0)
-        {
-            BasicJsonType object = BasicJsonType::object();
-            if ((i + static_cast<std::size_t>(variant)) % 7 == 0)
-            {
-                object["x"] = i;
-            }
-            if (variant == 2 && i % 11 == 0)
-            {
-                object["z"] = "z";
-            }
-            object["a"] = std::move(value);
-            if (variant == 1 && i % 5 == 0)
-            {
-                object["y"] = 1;
-            }
-            value = std::move(object);
-        }
-        else
-        {
-            BasicJsonType array = BasicJsonType::array({std::move(value)});
-            if ((i + static_cast<std::size_t>(variant)) % 3 == 0)
-            {
-                array.push_back(i);
-            }
-            value = std::move(array);
-        }
-    }
-    return value;
-}
-
-// a path of `depth` reference tokens, as nested() nests its values
-std::string nested_path(const std::size_t depth)
-{
-    std::string path;
-    for (std::size_t i = depth; i > 0; --i)
-    {
-        path += (i - 1) % 2 == 0 ? "/a" : "/0";
-    }
-    return path;
-}
-} // namespace
-
 TEST_CASE("JSON patch")
 {
    SECTION("examples from RFC 6902")
@@ -1809,102 +1752,6 @@ TEST_CASE("JSON patch - diff emits array removals in descending index order")
    }
 }

-TEST_CASE("JSON patch: diff of deeply nested values")
-{
-    SECTION("the diff reproduces the target at every depth")
-    {
-        // depths on either side of the nesting depth up to which diff()
-        // recurses (detail::recursion_depth_limit(), 128); not every depth up
-        // to 300, as the test would then time out under Valgrind
-        std::vector<std::size_t> depths;
-        for (std::size_t depth = 0; depth <= 16; ++depth)
-        {
-            depths.push_back(depth);
-        }
-        for (std::size_t depth = 120; depth <= 136; ++depth)
-        {
-            depths.push_back(depth);
-        }
-        depths.push_back(300);
-
-        for (const auto depth : depths)
-        {
-            CAPTURE(depth);
-            for (int from = 0; from < 3; ++from)
-            {
-                for (int to = 0; to < 3; ++to)
-                {
-                    CAPTURE(from);
-                    CAPTURE(to);
-                    const auto source = nested<json>(depth, from);
-                    const auto target = nested<json>(depth, to);
-                    const auto patch = json::diff(source, target);
-                    CHECK(source.patch(patch) == target);
-                    CHECK(patch.empty() == (from == to));
-
-                    const auto ordered_source = nested<nlohmann::ordered_json>(depth, from);
-                    const auto ordered_target = nested<nlohmann::ordered_json>(depth, to);
-                    CHECK(ordered_source.patch(nlohmann::ordered_json::diff(ordered_source, ordered_target)) == ordered_target);
-                }
-            }
-        }
-    }
-
-    SECTION("a difference only in the innermost value is one replace operation")
-    {
-        for (std::size_t depth = 0; depth <= 300; ++depth)
-        {
-            CAPTURE(depth);
-            json source = 1;
-            json target = 2;
-            for (std::size_t i = 0; i < depth; ++i)
-            {
-                source = i % 2 == 0 ? json::object({{"a", std::move(source)}}) : json::array({std::move(source)});
-                target = i % 2 == 0 ? json::object({{"a", std::move(target)}}) : json::array({std::move(target)});
-            }
-            CHECK(json::diff(source, target, "/root") == json::array({{{"op", "replace"}, {"path", "/root" + nested_path(depth)}, {"value", 2}}}));
-        }
-    }
-
-    SECTION("values nested too deeply for the call stack (#5393)")
-    {
-        // diff() used to recurse once per nesting level, and compared the
-        // values with operator== on every level. The values are only
-        // parsed and diffed, never copied or compared, since those recurse
-        // too.
-        const std::size_t depth = 100000;
-        for (const bool objects :
-                {
-                    false, true
-                })
-        {
-            CAPTURE(objects);
-            std::string source_text;
-            std::string target_text;
-            std::string equal_text;
-            std::string path;
-            for (std::size_t i = 0; i < depth; ++i)
-            {
-                source_text += objects ? "{\"a\":" : "[";
-                path += objects ? "/a" : "/0";
-            }
-            target_text = source_text + "2";
-            equal_text = source_text + "1";
-            source_text += "1";
-            const std::string closing(depth, objects ? '}' : ']');
-            const auto source = json::parse(source_text + closing);
-
-            const auto patch = json::diff(source, json::parse(target_text + closing));
-            REQUIRE(patch.size() == 1);
-            CHECK(patch[0]["op"] == "replace");
-            CHECK(patch[0]["path"] == path);
-            CHECK(patch[0]["value"] == 2);
-
-            CHECK(json::diff(source, json::parse(equal_text + closing)).empty());
-        }
-    }
-}
-
 TEST_CASE("JSON patch - every operation on ordered_json")
 {
    using nlohmann::ordered_json;
@@ -1551,10 +1551,69 @@ TEST_CASE("MessagePack")
        SECTION("invalid string in map")
        {
            json _;
-            CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(_ = json::from_msgpack(std::vector<uint8_t>({0x81, 0xff, 0x01})), "[json.exception.parse_error.113] parse error at byte 2: syntax error while parsing MessagePack string: expected length specification (0xA0-0xBF, 0xD9-0xDB); last byte: 0xFF", json::parse_error&);
+            CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(_ = json::from_msgpack(std::vector<uint8_t>({0x81, 0xff, 0x01})), "[json.exception.parse_error.113] parse error at byte 2: syntax error while parsing MessagePack object key: only string keys are supported, but found an integer; last byte: 0xFF", json::parse_error&);
            CHECK(json::from_msgpack(std::vector<uint8_t>({0x81, 0xff, 0x01}), true, false).is_discarded());
        }

+        SECTION("non-string key (see #3381)")
+        {
+            // only strings map to JSON object keys; any other key is rejected
+            // with a message naming its type
+            const std::vector<std::pair<std::vector<std::uint8_t>, std::string>> cases =
+            {
+                {{0x81, 0xC0, 0x01}, "nil; last byte: 0xC0"},
+                {{0x81, 0xC2, 0x01}, "a boolean; last byte: 0xC2"},
+                {{0x81, 0xC3, 0x01}, "a boolean; last byte: 0xC3"},
+                {{0x81, 0xCA, 0x3F, 0x80, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01}, "a float; last byte: 0xCA"},
+                {{0x81, 0xCB, 0x3F, 0xF0, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01}, "a float; last byte: 0xCB"},
+                {{0x81, 0xC4, 0x00, 0x01}, "a bin; last byte: 0xC4"},
+                {{0x81, 0xC5, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01}, "a bin; last byte: 0xC5"},
+                {{0x81, 0xC6, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01}, "a bin; last byte: 0xC6"},
+                {{0x81, 0xC7, 0x00, 0x01, 0x01}, "an ext; last byte: 0xC7"},
+                {{0x81, 0xC8, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01, 0x01}, "an ext; last byte: 0xC8"},
+                {{0x81, 0xC9, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01, 0x01}, "an ext; last byte: 0xC9"},
+                {{0x81, 0xD4, 0x01, 0x00, 0x01}, "an ext; last byte: 0xD4"},
+                {{0x81, 0xD5, 0x01, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01}, "an ext; last byte: 0xD5"},
+                {{0x81, 0xD6, 0x01, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01}, "an ext; last byte: 0xD6"},
+                {{0x81, 0xD7, 0x01, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01}, "an ext; last byte: 0xD7"},
+                {{0x81, 0xD8, 0x01, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01}, "an ext; last byte: 0xD8"},
+                {{0x81, 0xCC, 0x01, 0x01}, "an integer; last byte: 0xCC"},
+                {{0x81, 0xCD, 0x00, 0x01, 0x01}, "an integer; last byte: 0xCD"},
+                {{0x81, 0xCE, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01, 0x01}, "an integer; last byte: 0xCE"},
+                {{0x81, 0xCF, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01, 0x01}, "an integer; last byte: 0xCF"},
+                {{0x81, 0xD0, 0x01, 0x01}, "an integer; last byte: 0xD0"},
+                {{0x81, 0xD1, 0x00, 0x01, 0x01}, "an integer; last byte: 0xD1"},
+                {{0x81, 0xD2, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01, 0x01}, "an integer; last byte: 0xD2"},
+                {{0x81, 0xD3, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01, 0x01}, "an integer; last byte: 0xD3"},
+                {{0x81, 0x00, 0x01}, "an integer; last byte: 0x00"},
+                {{0x81, 0x7F, 0x01}, "an integer; last byte: 0x7F"},
+                {{0x81, 0xE0, 0x01}, "an integer; last byte: 0xE0"},
+                {{0x81, 0x80, 0x01}, "a map; last byte: 0x80"},
+                {{0x81, 0x8F, 0x01}, "a map; last byte: 0x8F"},
+                {{0x81, 0xDE, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01}, "a map; last byte: 0xDE"},
+                {{0x81, 0xDF, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01}, "a map; last byte: 0xDF"},
+                {{0x81, 0x90, 0x01}, "an array; last byte: 0x90"},
+                {{0x81, 0x9F, 0x01}, "an array; last byte: 0x9F"},
+                {{0x81, 0xDC, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01}, "an array; last byte: 0xDC"},
+                {{0x81, 0xDD, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x01}, "an array; last byte: 0xDD"},
+            };
+
+            for (const auto& c : cases)
+            {
+                CAPTURE(c.first)
+                const std::string expected = "[json.exception.parse_error.113] parse error at byte 2: syntax error while parsing MessagePack object key: only string keys are supported, but found " + c.second;
+                json _;
+                CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(_ = json::from_msgpack(c.first), expected.c_str(), json::parse_error&);
+                CHECK(json::from_msgpack(c.first, true, false).is_discarded());
+            }
+
+            json _;
+            // the unused byte 0xC1 is still reported as a malformed string
+            CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(_ = json::from_msgpack(std::vector<uint8_t>({0x81, 0xC1, 0x01})), "[json.exception.parse_error.113] parse error at byte 2: syntax error while parsing MessagePack string: expected length specification (0xA0-0xBF, 0xD9-0xDB); last byte: 0xC1", json::parse_error&);
+            // a missing key is still reported as the end of input
+            CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(_ = json::from_msgpack(std::vector<uint8_t>({0x81})), "[json.exception.parse_error.110] parse error at byte 2: syntax error while parsing MessagePack string: unexpected end of input", json::parse_error&);
+        }
+
        SECTION("invalid UTF-8 in string (see #5529)")
        {
            // a fixstr of length 2 (0xA0 | 2) whose bytes are not valid UTF-8
@@ -1018,7 +1018,7 @@ TEST_CASE("regression tests 1")
        };

        json _;
-        CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(_ = json::from_cbor(vec), "[json.exception.parse_error.113] parse error at byte 2: syntax error while parsing CBOR string: expected length specification (0x60-0x7B) or indefinite string type (0x7F); last byte: 0x98", json::parse_error&);
+        CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(_ = json::from_cbor(vec), "[json.exception.parse_error.113] parse error at byte 2: syntax error while parsing CBOR object key: only string keys are supported, but found an array; last byte: 0x98", json::parse_error&);

        // related test case: nonempty UTF-8 string (indefinite length)
        std::vector<uint8_t> const vec1 {0x7f, 0x61, 0x61};
@@ -1065,7 +1065,7 @@ TEST_CASE("regression tests 1")
        };

        json _;
-        CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(_ = json::from_cbor(vec1), "[json.exception.parse_error.113] parse error at byte 13: syntax error while parsing CBOR string: expected length specification (0x60-0x7B) or indefinite string type (0x7F); last byte: 0xB4", json::parse_error&);
+        CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(_ = json::from_cbor(vec1), "[json.exception.parse_error.113] parse error at byte 13: syntax error while parsing CBOR object key: only string keys are supported, but found a map; last byte: 0xB4", json::parse_error&);

        // related test case: double-precision
        std::vector<uint8_t> const vec2
@@ -1077,7 +1077,7 @@ TEST_CASE("regression tests 1")
            0x96, 0x96, 0xb4, 0xb4, 0xfa, 0x94, 0x94, 0x61,
            0x61, 0x61, 0x61, 0x61, 0x61, 0x61, 0x61, 0xfb
        };
-        CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(_ = json::from_cbor(vec2), "[json.exception.parse_error.113] parse error at byte 13: syntax error while parsing CBOR string: expected length specification (0x60-0x7B) or indefinite string type (0x7F); last byte: 0xB4", json::parse_error&);
+        CHECK_THROWS_WITH_AS(_ = json::from_cbor(vec2), "[json.exception.parse_error.113] parse error at byte 13: syntax error while parsing CBOR object key: only string keys are supported, but found a map; last byte: 0xB4", json::parse_error&);
    }

    SECTION("issue #452 - Heap-buffer-overflow (OSS-Fuzz issue 585)")