Allow null for std::optional

[omartijn]

This ensures the same behaviour for std::optional that we get for json_dto::nullable_t: It won't fail when feeding it a null value. I think this makes sense, as json_dto::nullable_t is documented as being an "alternative for std::optional".

[eao197]

@ngrodzitski , what do you think?

[omartijn]

I'm thinking maybe we could even make json_dto::nullable_t an alias for std::optional if that's available.

[eao197]

Hi! I'm sorry for long reaction time.

If I remember correctly the motivation behind json_dto::nullable_t was to provide a type that can be represented by null in JSON. For example:

struct demo {
  json_dto::nullable_t<int> x;
  ...
};

If demo::x has no value then it has to be serialized as "x":null to JSON.
Contrary, if JSON contains "x":null it will be read and demo::x will be set to null.

The support for std::optional is a bit different. From my point of view, std::optional<int> represent the following cases:

• if std::optional<int> has a value it will be serialized normally (for example: "x":1);
• if std::optional<int> has no value it won't be serialized at all;
• "x":1 is present in JSON, it will be deserialized as std::optional<int> with a value;
• if there is no "x" in JSON, the std::optional<int> will be initialized with std::nullopt.

But "x":null for std::optional<int> can't be treated as std::nullopt from my point of view, because "x" is present (it means that it isn't optional) and has a special null value that is not a valid int, but is still here and should be treated accordingly.

So in a case of std::optional<int> we have just two choices during deserialization:

• value is present and is a valid int;
• value is missed, so there is no value at all.

But in a case of json_dto::nullable_t<int> we have three cases:

• value is present and is a normal int;
• value is present, but is a null, it's not a normal int, but a special null value;
• value is not present at all (it's not a int, and not the null). And this case can be handled too.

If we allow null for std::optional then we may lost a case when "x":null (when this case has to be handled separately).

So now I'm in doubt we can accept your PR. But maybe there is another opinion? @ngrodzitski, do you have one?