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| 1 | +# `contains` and JSON Objects |
| 2 | + |
| 3 | +* Status: Proposed, accepted, reconsidered, and ultimately reverted. |
| 4 | +* Deciders: @gregsdennis, @jdesrosiers, @handrews, @awwright, @karenetheridge, @relequestual (with input from a couple non-core members) |
| 5 | +* Date: 2023-11-14 (documented 2024-02-09) |
| 6 | + |
| 7 | +Technical Story: |
| 8 | + |
| 9 | +- Original proposal [#1077](https://github.com/json-schema-org/json-schema-spec/issues/1077) and [PR](https://github.com/json-schema-org/json-schema-spec/pull/1092) |
| 10 | +- Reversion discussion [#1358](https://github.com/json-schema-org/json-schema-spec/issues/1358) and [PR](https://github.com/json-schema-org/json-schema-spec/pull/1452) |
| 11 | + |
| 12 | +## Context and Problem Statement |
| 13 | + |
| 14 | +[2021-02] |
| 15 | +The original proposal was for `contains` to apply to objects as well as arrays since there was no functionality to do so. |
| 16 | +The discussion covered the options of modifying `contains` or introducing a new `objectContains` (or similar) keyword set (also needs separate min/max). |
| 17 | +The decision was voted on and modifying `contains` won. |
| 18 | + |
| 19 | +[2021-06] |
| 20 | +A change was applied. |
| 21 | + |
| 22 | +[2022-12] |
| 23 | +With the team shifting focus to stability between spec releases, the question was raised again with the argument that allowing `contains` to apply to objects is a breaking change. |
| 24 | +It was conceded that the better approach would be to retain `contains` only for arrays and introduce a new keyword set to apply to objects. |
| 25 | + |
| 26 | +[2023-11] |
| 27 | +The change was applied (reverted to previous behavior). |
| 28 | + |
| 29 | +## Decision Drivers <!-- optional --> |
| 30 | + |
| 31 | +* The original decision to allow `contains` to apply to objects was driven by the fact that no such functionality existed. |
| 32 | +* The decision to revert was driven by a desire to not break current usages of `contains`. |
| 33 | + |
| 34 | +## Considered Options |
| 35 | + |
| 36 | +* `contains` could be modified to apply to objects. |
| 37 | +* a new keyword set (e.g. `objectContains` along with associated min/max) could be added. |
| 38 | + |
| 39 | +## Decision Outcome |
| 40 | + |
| 41 | +Ultimately, `contains` will continue to apply to only arrays. |
| 42 | +New keywords will need to be introduced to apply to objects. |
| 43 | +(Such a proposal has not yet been made.) |
| 44 | + |
| 45 | +### Positive Consequences <!-- optional --> |
| 46 | + |
| 47 | +* Schemas which currently use `contains` without a `type: array` specifier will not suddenly start applying to objects also. |
| 48 | + |
| 49 | +### Negative Consequences <!-- optional --> |
| 50 | + |
| 51 | +* The functionality of `contains` as applied to objects is still unsupported. |
| 52 | + |
| 53 | +## Pros and Cons of the Options <!-- optional --> |
| 54 | + |
| 55 | +### Change `contains` |
| 56 | + |
| 57 | +(Example provided recently by a user in [Slack](https://json-schema.slack.com/archives/C5CF75URH/p1707258032879409)) |
| 58 | + |
| 59 | +The requirement is that an object may contain any number of properties, but one and only one of them must contain an object with a `title` property. |
| 60 | + |
| 61 | +✔️ valid |
| 62 | +```json |
| 63 | +{ |
| 64 | + "foo": { "title": "a title" }, |
| 65 | + "bar": { "baz": 42 } |
| 66 | +} |
| 67 | +``` |
| 68 | + |
| 69 | +❌ invalid |
| 70 | +```json |
| 71 | +{ |
| 72 | + "foo": { "quux": false }, |
| 73 | + "bar": { "baz": 42 } |
| 74 | +} |
| 75 | +``` |
| 76 | + |
| 77 | +❌ invalid |
| 78 | +```json |
| 79 | +{ |
| 80 | + "foo": { "title": "a title" }, |
| 81 | + "bar": { "title": "a title" } |
| 82 | +} |
| 83 | +``` |
| 84 | + |
| 85 | +Currently, this is impossible since there is no way to conditionally count property values. |
| 86 | +However, with `contains` applying to objects, the following is possible: |
| 87 | + |
| 88 | +```json |
| 89 | +{ |
| 90 | + "type": "object", |
| 91 | + "contains": { |
| 92 | + "type": "object", |
| 93 | + "required": ["title"] |
| 94 | + }, |
| 95 | + "minContains": 1, |
| 96 | + "maxContains": 1 |
| 97 | +} |
| 98 | +``` |
| 99 | + |
| 100 | +* Good, because it provides functionality that previously did not exist |
| 101 | +* Bad, because is can potentially break some schemas |
| 102 | +* … <!-- numbers of pros and cons can vary --> |
| 103 | + |
| 104 | +### New keywords |
| 105 | + |
| 106 | +Same examples as [changing `contains`](#change-contains), except we use new keywords instead. |
| 107 | + |
| 108 | +The schema would be something like this instead: |
| 109 | + |
| 110 | +```json |
| 111 | +{ |
| 112 | + "type": "object", |
| 113 | + "objectContains": { |
| 114 | + "type": "object", |
| 115 | + "required": ["title"] |
| 116 | + }, |
| 117 | + "objectMinContains": 1, |
| 118 | + "objectMaxContains": 1 |
| 119 | +} |
| 120 | +``` |
| 121 | + |
| 122 | +* Good, because it provides functionality that previously did not exist |
| 123 | +* Good, because it doesn't break anyone |
| 124 | +* Bad, because we have to introduce three new keywords |
| 125 | +* … <!-- numbers of pros and cons can vary --> |
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