nlohmann::json instance and JSON Schema for MemorySourceAccessor

Also do a better JSON and testing for deep and shallow NAR listings.

As documented, this for file system objects themselves, since
`MemorySourceAccessor` is an implementation detail.

doc/manual/source/SUMMARY.md.in

@@ -121,6 +121,7 @@
 - [Architecture and Design](architecture/architecture.md)
 - [Formats and Protocols](protocols/index.md)
   - [JSON Formats](protocols/json/index.md)
+    - [File System Object](protocols/json/file-system-object.md)
     - [Hash](protocols/json/hash.md)
     - [Content Address](protocols/json/content-address.md)
     - [Store Path](protocols/json/store-path.md)

doc/manual/source/protocols/json/file-system-object.md

@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+{{#include file-system-object-v1-fixed.md}}
+
+## Examples
+
+### Simple
+
+```json
+{{#include schema/file-system-object-v1/simple.json}}
+```
+
+### Complex
+
+```json
+{{#include schema/file-system-object-v1/complex.json}}
+```
+
+<!-- need to convert YAML to JSON first
+## Raw Schema
+
+[JSON Schema for File System Object v1](schema/file-system-object-v1.json)
+-->

doc/manual/source/protocols/json/fixup-json-schema-generated-doc.sed

@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ s/\\`/`/g
 #
 # As we have more such relative links, more replacements of this nature
 # should appear below.
+s^#/\$defs/\(regular\|symlink\|directory\)^In this schema^g
 s^\(./hash-v1.yaml\)\?#/$defs/algorithm^[JSON format for `Hash`](./hash.html#algorithm)^g
 s^\(./hash-v1.yaml\)^[JSON format for `Hash`](./hash.html)^g
 s^\(./content-address-v1.yaml\)\?#/$defs/method^[JSON format for `ContentAddress`](./content-address.html#method)^g

doc/manual/source/protocols/json/meson.build

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ json_schema_for_humans = find_program('generate-schema-doc', required : false)
 json_schema_config = files('json-schema-for-humans-config.yaml')
 
 schemas = [
+  'file-system-object-v1',
   'hash-v1',
   'content-address-v1',
   'store-path-v1',

doc/manual/source/protocols/json/schema/file-system-object-v1

@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+../../../../../../src/libutil-tests/data/memory-source-accessor

doc/manual/source/protocols/json/schema/file-system-object-v1.yaml

@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+"$schema": http://json-schema.org/draft-04/schema#
+"$id": https://nix.dev/manual/nix/latest/protocols/json/schema/file-system-object-v1.json
+title: File System Object
+description: |
+  This schema describes the JSON representation of Nix's [File System Object](@docroot@/store/file-system-object.md).
+
+  The schema is recursive because file system objects contain other file system objects.
+type: object
+required: ["type"]
+properties:
+  type:
+    type: string
+    enum: ["regular", "symlink", "directory"]
+
+# Enforce conditional structure based on `type`
+anyOf:
+  - $ref: "#/$defs/regular"
+    required: ["type", "contents"]
+
+  - $ref: "#/$defs/directory"
+    required: ["type", "entries"]
+
+  - $ref: "#/$defs/symlink"
+    required: ["type", "target"]
+
+"$defs":
+  regular:
+    title: Regular File
+    description: |
+      See [Regular File](@docroot@/store/file-system-object.md#regular) in the manual for details.
+    required: ["contents"]
+    properties:
+      type:
+        const: "regular"
+      contents:
+        type: string
+        description: File contents
+      executable:
+        type: boolean
+        description: Whether the file is executable.
+        default: false
+    additionalProperties: false
+
+  directory:
+    title: Directory
+    description: |
+      See [Directory](@docroot@/store/file-system-object.md#directory) in the manual for details.
+    required: ["entries"]
+    properties:
+      type:
+        const: "directory"
+      entries:
+        type: object
+        description: |
+          Map of names to nested file system objects (for type=directory)
+        additionalProperties:
+          $ref: "#"
+    additionalProperties: false
+
+  symlink:
+    title: Symbolic Link
+    description: |
+      See [Symbolic Link](@docroot@/store/file-system-object.md#symlink) in the manual for details.
+    required: ["target"]
+    properties:
+      type:
+        const: "symlink"
+      target:
+        type: string
+        description: Target path of the symlink.
+    additionalProperties: false

doc/manual/source/store/file-system-object.md

@@ -3,19 +3,23 @@
 Nix uses a simplified model of the file system, which consists of file system objects.
 Every file system object is one of the following:
 
- - File
+ - [**Regular File**]{#regular}
 
    - A possibly empty sequence of bytes for contents
    - A single boolean representing the [executable](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File-system_permissions#Permissions) permission
 
- - Directory
+ - [**Directory**]{#directory}
 
    Mapping of names to child file system objects
 
- - [Symbolic link](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symbolic_link)
+ - [**Symbolic link**]{#symlink}
 
-   An arbitrary string.
-   Nix does not assign any semantics to symbolic links.
+   An arbitrary string, known as the *target* of the symlink.
+
+   In general, Nix does not assign any semantics to symbolic links.
+   Certain operations however, may make additional assumptions and attempt to use the target to find another file system object.
+
+   > See [the Wikpedia article on symbolic links](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symbolic_link) for background information if you are unfamiliar with this Unix concept.
 
 File system objects and their children form a tree.
 A bare file or symlink can be a root file system object.