Use only documented StringType members in json_pointer

contains(const json_pointer&) and operator/=(std::size_t) (and hence
operator/(std::size_t)) used string_t operations that the StringType
template parameter documentation explicitly does not require:
comparing string_t with a const char* literal, c_str(), and
constructibility from std::string. This made both functions fail to
compile for a conforming custom StringType, even though the
documentation's own reference StringType satisfies the requirements.

Fix contains() to compare individual chars ('0'..'9') instead of
comparing string_t with const char* literals, and to call data()
(documented to be null-terminated) instead of c_str(). Fix
operator/=(std::size_t) to build the array-index token via the
existing detail::to_string<StringType> helper (ADL int_to_string() or
assignment from std::to_string()) instead of via std::to_string()
directly, matching how diff(), items(), and std::hash already convert
a std::size_t to a StringType.

Add regression tests to tests/src/unit-alt-string.cpp: contains() for
present/missing keys and indices, "-", a leading zero, and a
non-numeric token on an array, plus json_pointer::operator/(std::size_t).

Fixes #5666.

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

CITATION.cff

@@ -10,5 +10,5 @@ title: "JSON for Modern C++"
 version: 3.12.0
 date-released: 2025-04-07
 license: MIT
-repository-code: "https://github.com/nlohmann/json"
+repository-code: "https://github.com/nlohmann"
 url: https://json.nlohmann.me

CMakeLists.txt

@@ -42,11 +42,8 @@ endif()
 ## OPTIONS
 ##
 
-# Build the tests by default only for the main project and only if the tests
-# directory exists (the release archive json.tar.xz does not contain it).
 # VERSION_GREATER_EQUAL is not available in older CMake (< 3.7)
-if(${MAIN_PROJECT} AND (${CMAKE_VERSION} VERSION_EQUAL 3.13 OR ${CMAKE_VERSION} VERSION_GREATER 3.13)
-   AND EXISTS "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/tests/CMakeLists.txt")
+if(${MAIN_PROJECT} AND (${CMAKE_VERSION} VERSION_EQUAL 3.13 OR ${CMAKE_VERSION} VERSION_GREATER 3.13))
     set(JSON_BuildTests_INIT ON)
 else()
     set(JSON_BuildTests_INIT OFF)

Makefile

@@ -7,9 +7,6 @@
 # find GNU sed to use `-i` parameter
 SED:=$(shell command -v gsed || which sed)
 
-# find GNU tar to use `--sort` and `--pax-option` parameters
-TAR:=$(shell command -v gtar || which tar)
-
 
 ##########################################################################
 # source files
@@ -218,8 +215,8 @@ ChangeLog.md:
 # archive is created according to the advices of <https://reproducible-builds.org/docs/archives/>.
 json.tar.xz:
 	mkdir json
-	rsync -R $(shell find LICENSE.MIT nlohmann_json.natvis CMakeLists.txt cmake/*.in include single_include src/modules -type f) json
-	$(TAR) --sort=name --mtime="@$(shell git log -1 --pretty=%ct)" --owner=0 --group=0 --numeric-owner --pax-option=exthdr.name=%d/PaxHeaders/%f,delete=atime,delete=ctime --create --file - json | xz --compress -9e --threads=2 - > json.tar.xz
+	rsync -R $(shell find LICENSE.MIT nlohmann_json.natvis CMakeLists.txt cmake/*.in include single_include -type f) json
+	gtar --sort=name --mtime="@$(shell git log -1 --pretty=%ct)" --owner=0 --group=0 --numeric-owner --pax-option=exthdr.name=%d/PaxHeaders/%f,delete=atime,delete=ctime --create --file - json | xz --compress -9e --threads=2 - > json.tar.xz
 	rm -fr json
 
 # We use `-X` to make the resulting ZIP file reproducible, see

README.md

@@ -1204,18 +1204,15 @@ language bindings, format converters, and the like. See the curated [Ecosystem](
 
 Though it's 2026 already, the support for C++11 is still a bit sparse. Currently, the following compilers are known to work:
 
-- GCC 4.8 - 16.2 (and possibly later)
-- Clang 3.4 - 22.1 (and possibly later)
-- Apple Clang 15.0 - 21.0 (and possibly later)
-- Intel C++ Compiler Classic (icpc) 2021.10
-- Intel oneAPI DPC++/C++ Compiler (icpx) 2025.3 (and possibly later)
-- NVIDIA CUDA Compiler (nvcc) 11.8 - 12.6 (and possibly later)
-- NVIDIA HPC SDK C++ Compiler (nvc++) 25.5 (and possibly later)
-- Microsoft Visual C++ 2015 / MSVC 19.0 (and possibly later)
-- Microsoft Visual C++ 2017 / MSVC 19.16 (and possibly later)
-- Microsoft Visual C++ 2019 / MSVC 19.29 (and possibly later)
-- Microsoft Visual C++ 2022 / MSVC 19.44 (and possibly later)
-- Microsoft Visual C++ 2026 / MSVC 19.51 (and possibly later)
+- GCC 4.8 - 14.2 (and possibly later)
+- Clang 3.4 - 21.0 (and possibly later)
+- Apple Clang 9.1 - 16.0 (and possibly later)
+- Intel C++ Compiler 17.0.2 (and possibly later)
+- Nvidia CUDA Compiler 11.0.221 (and possibly later)
+- Microsoft Visual C++ 2015 / Build Tools 14.0.25123.0 (and possibly later)
+- Microsoft Visual C++ 2017 / Build Tools 15.5.180.51428 (and possibly later)
+- Microsoft Visual C++ 2019 / Build Tools 16.3.1+1def00d3d (and possibly later)
+- Microsoft Visual C++ 2022 / Build Tools 19.30.30709.0 (and possibly later)
 
 I would be happy to learn about other compilers/versions.
 

docs/mkdocs/docs/features/types/template_parameters.md

@@ -389,6 +389,7 @@ using array_t = ArrayType<basic_json, AllocatorType<basic_json>>;
 | Functionality                                                                                                                     | Additional requirement                                                                                                                                                                       |
 |-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
 | [`diff`](../../api/basic_json/diff.md), [`items`](../../api/basic_json/items.md), [`std::hash`](../../api/basic_json/std_hash.md) | conversion of a `#!cpp std::size_t` to `StringType`: either assignability from the result of `#!cpp std::to_string`, or an ADL overload `#!cpp void int_to_string(StringType&, std::size_t)` |
+| [`operator/(std::size_t)`](../../api/json_pointer/operator_slash.md)                                                              | the same conversion of a `#!cpp std::size_t` to `StringType` as `diff`, `items`, and `std::hash` above                                                                                       |
 | [`std::hash<basic_json>`](../../api/basic_json/std_hash.md)                                                                       | additionally a specialization of `#!cpp std::hash<StringType>`                                                                                                                               |
 | [`to_bson`](../../api/basic_json/to_bson.md)                                                                                      | `find(value_type)` and `npos`                                                                                                                                                                |
 | [`parse`](../../api/basic_json/parse.md) from a `string_t`                                                                        | the input adapters must accept it; otherwise pass a character range                                                                                                                          |

docs/mkdocs/docs/integration/cmake.md

@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ automatically download a release as a dependency at configure time.
 
 ### `JSON_BuildTests`
 
-Build the unit tests when [`BUILD_TESTING`](https://cmake.org/cmake/help/latest/command/enable_testing.html) is enabled. This option is `ON` by default if the library's CMake project is the top project and the `tests` directory exists (the release archive `json.tar.xz` does not contain it). That is, when integrating the library as described above, the test suite is not built unless explicitly switched on with this option.
+Build the unit tests when [`BUILD_TESTING`](https://cmake.org/cmake/help/latest/command/enable_testing.html) is enabled. This option is `ON` by default if the library's CMake project is the top project. That is, when integrating the library as described above, the test suite is not built unless explicitly switched on with this option.
 
 ### `JSON_CI`
 

include/nlohmann/detail/json_pointer.hpp

@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 #include <nlohmann/detail/macro_scope.hpp>
 #include <nlohmann/detail/string_concat.hpp>
 #include <nlohmann/detail/string_escape.hpp>
+#include <nlohmann/detail/string_utils.hpp>
 #include <nlohmann/detail/value_t.hpp>
 
 NLOHMANN_JSON_NAMESPACE_BEGIN
@@ -116,7 +117,7 @@ class json_pointer
     /// @sa https://json.nlohmann.me/api/json_pointer/operator_slasheq/
     json_pointer& operator/=(std::size_t array_idx)
     {
-        return *this /= std::to_string(array_idx);
+        return *this /= detail::to_string<string_t>(array_idx);
     }
 
     /// @brief create a new JSON pointer by appending the right JSON pointer at the end of the left JSON pointer
@@ -746,7 +747,7 @@ class json_pointer
                         // "-" always fails the range check
                         return false;
                     }
-                    if (JSON_HEDLEY_UNLIKELY(reference_token.size() == 1 && !("0" <= reference_token && reference_token <= "9")))
+                    if (JSON_HEDLEY_UNLIKELY(reference_token.size() == 1 && !('0' <= reference_token[0] && reference_token[0] <= '9')))
                     {
                         // invalid char
                         return false;
@@ -774,7 +775,7 @@ class json_pointer
                     // not throw (see #5395), so such a reference token is treated as "not found"
                     errno = 0; // strtoull() does not reset errno on success
                     char* p_end = nullptr; // NOLINT(misc-const-correctness)
-                    const unsigned long long magnitude = std::strtoull(reference_token.c_str(), &p_end, 10); // NOLINT(runtime/int)
+                    const unsigned long long magnitude = std::strtoull(reference_token.data(), &p_end, 10); // NOLINT(runtime/int)
                     if (JSON_HEDLEY_UNLIKELY(errno == ERANGE // the value exceeds ULLONG_MAX
                                              || magnitude >= static_cast<unsigned long long>((std::numeric_limits<typename BasicJsonType::size_type>::max)()))) // NOLINT(runtime/int)
                     {

single_include/nlohmann/json.hpp

@@ -18867,6 +18867,8 @@ NLOHMANN_JSON_NAMESPACE_END
 
 // #include <nlohmann/detail/string_escape.hpp>
 
+// #include <nlohmann/detail/string_utils.hpp>
+
 // #include <nlohmann/detail/value_t.hpp>
 
 
@@ -18958,7 +18960,7 @@ class json_pointer
     /// @sa https://json.nlohmann.me/api/json_pointer/operator_slasheq/
     json_pointer& operator/=(std::size_t array_idx)
     {
-        return *this /= std::to_string(array_idx);
+        return *this /= detail::to_string<string_t>(array_idx);
     }
 
     /// @brief create a new JSON pointer by appending the right JSON pointer at the end of the left JSON pointer
@@ -19588,7 +19590,7 @@ class json_pointer
                         // "-" always fails the range check
                         return false;
                     }
-                    if (JSON_HEDLEY_UNLIKELY(reference_token.size() == 1 && !("0" <= reference_token && reference_token <= "9")))
+                    if (JSON_HEDLEY_UNLIKELY(reference_token.size() == 1 && !('0' <= reference_token[0] && reference_token[0] <= '9')))
                     {
                         // invalid char
                         return false;
@@ -19616,7 +19618,7 @@ class json_pointer
                     // not throw (see #5395), so such a reference token is treated as "not found"
                     errno = 0; // strtoull() does not reset errno on success
                     char* p_end = nullptr; // NOLINT(misc-const-correctness)
-                    const unsigned long long magnitude = std::strtoull(reference_token.c_str(), &p_end, 10); // NOLINT(runtime/int)
+                    const unsigned long long magnitude = std::strtoull(reference_token.data(), &p_end, 10); // NOLINT(runtime/int)
                     if (JSON_HEDLEY_UNLIKELY(errno == ERANGE // the value exceeds ULLONG_MAX
                                              || magnitude >= static_cast<unsigned long long>((std::numeric_limits<typename BasicJsonType::size_type>::max)()))) // NOLINT(runtime/int)
                     {

tests/src/unit-alt-string.cpp

@@ -343,6 +343,41 @@ TEST_CASE("alternative string type")
         CHECK(j2.flatten().unflatten() == j2);
     }
 
+    SECTION("contains(json_pointer)")
+    {
+        // contains(json_pointer) must compile and work with a string_t that has
+        // no c_str() and no comparison with const char* (see #5666)
+        auto j = alt_json::parse(R"({"foo": ["bar", "baz"]})");
+
+        // present: object key and array indices
+        CHECK(j.contains(alt_json::json_pointer("/foo")));
+        CHECK(j.contains(alt_json::json_pointer("/foo/0")));
+        CHECK(j.contains(alt_json::json_pointer("/foo/1")));
+
+        // missing: absent object key and out-of-range array index
+        CHECK_FALSE(j.contains(alt_json::json_pointer("/bar")));
+        CHECK_FALSE(j.contains(alt_json::json_pointer("/foo/2")));
+
+        // "-" always fails the range check
+        CHECK_FALSE(j.contains(alt_json::json_pointer("/foo/-")));
+
+        // an array index must not have a leading zero
+        CHECK_FALSE(j.contains(alt_json::json_pointer("/foo/01")));
+
+        // a reference token that is not a number
+        CHECK_FALSE(j.contains(alt_json::json_pointer("/foo/bar")));
+    }
+
+    SECTION("operator/(std::size_t)")
+    {
+        // json_pointer::operator/=(std::size_t) must compile without string_t
+        // being constructible from std::string (see #5666)
+        auto j = alt_json::parse(R"({"foo": ["bar", "baz"]})");
+
+        CHECK(j.at(alt_json::json_pointer("/foo") / std::size_t(0)) == j["foo"][0]);
+        CHECK(j.at(alt_json::json_pointer("/foo") / std::size_t(1)) == j["foo"][1]);
+    }
+
     SECTION("patch")
     {
         alt_json const patch1 = alt_json::parse(R"([{ "op": "add", "path": "/a/b", "value": [ "foo", "bar" ] }])");