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json/api/basic_json/patch.md
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# <small>nlohmann::basic_json::</small>patch
```cpp
basic_json patch(const basic_json& json_patch) const;
```
[JSON Patch](http://jsonpatch.com) defines a JSON document structure for expressing a sequence of operations to apply to
a JSON document. With this function, a JSON Patch is applied to the current JSON value by executing all operations from
the patch.
## Parameters
`json_patch` (in)
: JSON patch document
## Return value
patched document
## Exception safety
Strong guarantee: if an exception is thrown, there are no changes in the JSON value.
## Exceptions
- Throws [`parse_error.104`](../../home/exceptions.md#jsonexceptionparse_error104) if the JSON patch does not consist of
an array of objects.
- Throws [`parse_error.105`](../../home/exceptions.md#jsonexceptionparse_error105) if the JSON patch is malformed (e.g.,
mandatory attributes are missing); example: `"operation 'add' must have member 'path'"`.
- Throws [`out_of_range.401`](../../home/exceptions.md#jsonexceptionout_of_range401) if an array index is out of range.
- Throws [`parse_error.106`](../../home/exceptions.md#jsonexceptionparse_error106) if an array index in a "path" or
"from" member begins with '0'; example: `"array index '01' must not begin with '0'"`.
- Throws [`parse_error.107`](../../home/exceptions.md#jsonexceptionparse_error107) if a "path" or "from" member is not
empty and does not begin with a slash (`/`); example: `"JSON pointer must be empty or begin with '/' - was: 'a'"`.
- Throws [`parse_error.108`](../../home/exceptions.md#jsonexceptionparse_error108) if a tilde (`~`) in a "path" or
"from" member is not followed by `0` or `1`; example: `"escape character '~' must be followed with '0' or '1'"`.
- Throws [`parse_error.109`](../../home/exceptions.md#jsonexceptionparse_error109) if an array index in a "path" or
"from" member is not a number; example: `"array index 'foo' is not a number"`.
- Throws [`out_of_range.402`](../../home/exceptions.md#jsonexceptionout_of_range402) if the array index `-` is used
where an existing element is required (the "path" of "replace", the "from" of "move" and "copy"); example:
`"array index '-' (3) is out of range"`.
- Throws [`out_of_range.403`](../../home/exceptions.md#jsonexceptionout_of_range403) if a JSON pointer inside the patch
could not be resolved successfully in the current JSON value; example: `"key baz not found"`.
- Throws [`out_of_range.404`](../../home/exceptions.md#jsonexceptionout_of_range404) if a reference token of a JSON
pointer inside the patch cannot be resolved, e.g., `-` in a "remove" operation or `1a` for an array; example:
`"unresolved reference token '-'"`.
- Throws [`out_of_range.405`](../../home/exceptions.md#jsonexceptionout_of_range405) if JSON pointer has no parent
("add", "remove", "move")
- Throws [`out_of_range.411`](../../home/exceptions.md#jsonexceptionout_of_range411) if an "add" operation's target
location has a parent that is neither an object nor an array.
- Throws [`out_of_range.413`](../../home/exceptions.md#jsonexceptionout_of_range413) if a "remove" operation's target
location has a parent that is neither an object nor an array.
- Throws [`out_of_range.414`](../../home/exceptions.md#jsonexceptionout_of_range414) if a "move" operation's "from"
location is a proper prefix of its "path" location.
- Throws [`other_error.501`](../../home/exceptions.md#jsonexceptionother_error501) if "test" operation was
unsuccessful.
## Complexity
Linear in the size of the JSON value and the length of the JSON patch. As usually the patch affects only a fraction of
the JSON value, the complexity can usually be neglected.
## Notes
The application of a patch is atomic: Either all operations succeed and the patched document is returned or an exception
is thrown. In any case, the original value is not changed: the patch is applied to a copy of the value.
## Examples
??? example "Example: apply a JSON patch"
The following code shows how a JSON patch is applied to a value.
```cpp
--8<-- "examples/patch.cpp"
```
Output:
```json
--8<-- "examples/patch.output"
```
??? example "Example: out_of_range.414 exception"
The following code shows how a "move" operation whose "from" location is a proper prefix of its "path" location is
rejected, and how the original document is left unchanged because the patch is applied to a copy.
```cpp
--8<-- "examples/patch__exception.cpp"
```
Output:
```json
--8<-- "examples/patch__exception.output"
```
## See also
- [RFC 6902 (JSON Patch)](https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc6902)
- [RFC 6901 (JSON Pointer)](https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc6901)
- [patch_inplace](patch_inplace.md) applies a JSON Patch without creating a copy of the document
- [merge_patch](merge_patch.md) applies a JSON Merge Patch
## Version history
- Added in version 2.0.0.
- Added [`out_of_range.411`](../../home/exceptions.md#jsonexceptionout_of_range411) and stopped relying on an internal assertion when an "add" operation's
target location has a non-object/non-array parent in version 3.13.0.
- Added [`out_of_range.413`](../../home/exceptions.md#jsonexceptionout_of_range413) and stopped silently ignoring a "remove" operation whose target
location has a non-object/non-array parent in version 3.13.0.
- Added [`out_of_range.414`](../../home/exceptions.md#jsonexceptionout_of_range414) and rejected a "move" operation whose "from" location is a proper
prefix of its "path" location instead of silently producing a corrupted result in version 3.13.0.