Method diff

extern/json/json.hpp:10393–10523

! @brief creates a diff as a JSON patch Creates a [JSON Patch](http://jsonpatch.com) so that value @a source can be changed into the value @a target by calling @ref patch function. @invariant For two JSON values @a source and @a target, the following code yields always `true`: @code {.cpp} source.patch(diff(source, target)) == target; @endcode @note Currently

    @since version 2.0.0
    */
    static basic_json diff(const basic_json& source,
                           const basic_json& target,
                           const std::string& path = "")
    {
        // the patch
        basic_json result(value_t::array);

        // if the values are the same, return empty patch
        if (source == target)
        {
            return result;
        }

        if (source.type() != target.type())
        {
            // different types: replace value
            result.push_back(
            {
                {"op", "replace"},
                {"path", path},
                {"value", target}
            });
        }
        else
        {
            switch (source.type())
            {
                case value_t::array:
                {
                    // first pass: traverse common elements
                    size_t i = 0;
                    while (i < source.size() and i < target.size())
                    {
                        // recursive call to compare array values at index i
                        auto temp_diff = diff(source[i], target[i], path + "/" + std::to_string(i));
                        result.insert(result.end(), temp_diff.begin(), temp_diff.end());
                        ++i;
                    }

                    // i now reached the end of at least one array
                    // in a second pass, traverse the remaining elements

                    // remove my remaining elements
                    const auto end_index = static_cast<difference_type>(result.size());
                    while (i < source.size())
                    {
                        // add operations in reverse order to avoid invalid
                        // indices
                        result.insert(result.begin() + end_index, object(
                        {
                            {"op", "remove"},
                            {"path", path + "/" + std::to_string(i)}
                        }));
                        ++i;
                    }

                    // add other remaining elements
                    while (i < target.size())