feat(stdlib): vim.json.encode(...,{escape_slash:boolean}) #30561

Problem:
vim.json.encode escapes every slash in string values (for example in
file paths), and is not optional. Use-case is for preventing HTML
injections (eg. injecting `</script>` closing tag); in the context of
Nvim this is rarely useful.

Solution:
- Add a `escape_slash` flag to `vim.json.encode`.
- Defaults to `false`. (This is a "breaking" change, but more like
  a bug fix.)

runtime/doc/lua.txt

@@ -811,11 +811,14 @@ vim.json.decode({str}, {opts})                             *vim.json.decode()*
     Return: ~
         (`any`)
 
-vim.json.encode({obj})                                     *vim.json.encode()*
+vim.json.encode({obj}, {opts})                             *vim.json.encode()*
     Encodes (or "packs") Lua object {obj} as JSON in a Lua string.
 
     Parameters: ~
       • {obj}   (`any`)
+      • {opts}  (`table<string,any>?`) Options table with keys:
+                • escape_slash: (boolean) (default false) When true, escapes
+                  `/` character in JSON strings
 
     Return: ~
         (`string`)

runtime/doc/news.txt

@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ DEFAULTS
   current buffer, respectively.
 • 'number', 'relativenumber', 'signcolumn', and 'foldcolumn' are disabled in
   |terminal| buffers. See |terminal-config| for an example of changing these defaults.
+• |vim.json.encode()| no longer escapes the forward slash symbol by default
 
 DIAGNOSTICS
 
@@ -169,6 +170,7 @@ The following new features were added.
 API
 
 • |nvim__ns_set()| can set properties for a namespace
+• |vim.json.encode()| has an option to enable forward slash escaping
 
 DEFAULTS
 

runtime/lua/vim/_meta/json.lua

@@ -35,5 +35,8 @@ function vim.json.decode(str, opts) end
 
 --- Encodes (or "packs") Lua object {obj} as JSON in a Lua string.
 ---@param obj any
+---@param opts? table<string,any> Options table with keys:
+---                                 - escape_slash: (boolean) (default false) When true, escapes `/`
+---                                                           character in JSON strings
 ---@return string
-function vim.json.encode(obj) end
+function vim.json.encode(obj, opts) end

src/cjson/lua_cjson.c

@@ -172,6 +172,16 @@ typedef struct {
     int decode_array_with_array_mt;
 } json_config_t;
 
+typedef struct {
+    const char **char2escape[256];
+} json_encode_options_t;
+
+typedef struct {
+    json_config_t *cfg;
+    json_encode_options_t *options;
+    strbuf_t *json;
+} json_encode_t;
+
 typedef struct {
     /* convert null in json objects to lua nil instead of vim.NIL */
     bool luanil_object;
@@ -209,7 +219,7 @@ static const char *char2escape[256] = {
     "\\u0018", "\\u0019", "\\u001a", "\\u001b",
     "\\u001c", "\\u001d", "\\u001e", "\\u001f",
     NULL, NULL, "\\\"", NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL,
-    NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, "\\/",
+    NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL,
     NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL,
     NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL,
     NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL,
@@ -555,11 +565,11 @@ static void json_create_config(lua_State *l)
 
 /* ===== ENCODING ===== */
 
-static void json_encode_exception(lua_State *l, json_config_t *cfg, strbuf_t *json, int lindex,
+static void json_encode_exception(lua_State *l, json_encode_t *ctx, int lindex,
                                   const char *reason)
 {
-    if (!cfg->encode_keep_buffer)
+    if (!ctx->cfg->encode_keep_buffer)
-        strbuf_free(json);
+        strbuf_free(ctx->json);
     luaL_error(l, "Cannot serialise %s: %s",
                   lua_typename(l, lua_type(l, lindex)), reason);
 }
@@ -570,12 +580,13 @@ static void json_encode_exception(lua_State *l, json_config_t *cfg, strbuf_t *js
  * - String (Lua stack index)
  *
  * Returns nothing. Doesn't remove string from Lua stack */
-static void json_append_string(lua_State *l, strbuf_t *json, int lindex)
+static void json_append_string(lua_State *l, json_encode_t *ctx, int lindex)
 {
     const char *escstr;
     unsigned i;
     const char *str;
     size_t len;
+    strbuf_t *json = ctx->json;
 
     str = lua_tolstring(l, lindex, &len);
 
@@ -587,7 +598,7 @@ static void json_append_string(lua_State *l, strbuf_t *json, int lindex)
 
     strbuf_append_char_unsafe(json, '\"');
     for (i = 0; i < len; i++) {
-        escstr = char2escape[(unsigned char)str[i]];
+        escstr = (*ctx->options->char2escape)[(unsigned char)str[i]];
         if (escstr)
             strbuf_append_string(json, escstr);
         else
@@ -600,11 +611,12 @@ static void json_append_string(lua_State *l, strbuf_t *json, int lindex)
  * -1   object (not a pure array)
  * >=0  elements in array
  */
-static int lua_array_length(lua_State *l, json_config_t *cfg, strbuf_t *json)
+static int lua_array_length(lua_State *l, json_encode_t *ctx)
 {
     double k;
     int max;
     int items;
+    json_config_t *cfg = ctx->cfg;
 
     max = 0;
     items = 0;
@@ -635,7 +647,7 @@ static int lua_array_length(lua_State *l, json_config_t *cfg, strbuf_t *json)
         max > items * cfg->encode_sparse_ratio &&
         max > cfg->encode_sparse_safe) {
         if (!cfg->encode_sparse_convert)
-            json_encode_exception(l, cfg, json, -1, "excessively sparse array");
+            json_encode_exception(l, ctx, -1, "excessively sparse array");
 
         return -1;
     }
@@ -666,17 +678,18 @@ static void json_check_encode_depth(lua_State *l, json_config_t *cfg,
                current_depth);
 }
 
-static void json_append_data(lua_State *l, json_config_t *cfg,
+static void json_append_data(lua_State *l, json_encode_t *cfg,
-                             int current_depth, strbuf_t *json);
+                             int current_depth);
 
 /* json_append_array args:
  * - lua_State
  * - JSON strbuf
  * - Size of passwd Lua array (top of stack) */
-static void json_append_array(lua_State *l, json_config_t *cfg, int current_depth,
+static void json_append_array(lua_State *l, json_encode_t *ctx, int current_depth,
-                              strbuf_t *json, int array_length)
+                              int array_length)
 {
     int comma, i;
+    strbuf_t *json = ctx->json;
 
     strbuf_append_char(json, '[');
 
@@ -688,23 +701,25 @@ static void json_append_array(lua_State *l, json_config_t *cfg, int current_dept
             comma = 1;
 
         lua_rawgeti(l, -1, i);
-        json_append_data(l, cfg, current_depth, json);
+        json_append_data(l, ctx, current_depth);
         lua_pop(l, 1);
     }
 
     strbuf_append_char(json, ']');
 }
 
-static void json_append_number(lua_State *l, json_config_t *cfg,
+static void json_append_number(lua_State *l, json_encode_t *ctx,
-                               strbuf_t *json, int lindex)
+                               int lindex)
 {
     double num = lua_tonumber(l, lindex);
     int len;
+    json_config_t *cfg = ctx->cfg;
+    strbuf_t *json = ctx->json;
 
     if (cfg->encode_invalid_numbers == 0) {
         /* Prevent encoding invalid numbers */
         if (isinf(num) || isnan(num))
-            json_encode_exception(l, cfg, json, lindex,
+            json_encode_exception(l, ctx, lindex,
                                   "must not be NaN or Infinity");
     } else if (cfg->encode_invalid_numbers == 1) {
         /* Encode NaN/Infinity separately to ensure Javascript compatible
@@ -733,10 +748,11 @@ static void json_append_number(lua_State *l, json_config_t *cfg,
     strbuf_extend_length(json, len);
 }
 
-static void json_append_object(lua_State *l, json_config_t *cfg,
+static void json_append_object(lua_State *l, json_encode_t *ctx,
-                               int current_depth, strbuf_t *json)
+                               int current_depth)
 {
     int comma, keytype;
+    strbuf_t *json = ctx->json;
 
     /* Object */
     strbuf_append_char(json, '{');
@@ -754,19 +770,19 @@ static void json_append_object(lua_State *l, json_config_t *cfg,
         keytype = lua_type(l, -2);
         if (keytype == LUA_TNUMBER) {
             strbuf_append_char(json, '"');
-            json_append_number(l, cfg, json, -2);
+            json_append_number(l, ctx, -2);
             strbuf_append_mem(json, "\":", 2);
         } else if (keytype == LUA_TSTRING) {
-            json_append_string(l, json, -2);
+            json_append_string(l, ctx, -2);
             strbuf_append_char(json, ':');
         } else {
-            json_encode_exception(l, cfg, json, -2,
+            json_encode_exception(l, ctx, -2,
                                   "table key must be a number or string");
             /* never returns */
         }
 
         /* table, key, value */
-        json_append_data(l, cfg, current_depth, json);
+        json_append_data(l, ctx, current_depth);
         lua_pop(l, 1);
         /* table, key */
     }
@@ -775,20 +791,22 @@ static void json_append_object(lua_State *l, json_config_t *cfg,
 }
 
 /* Serialise Lua data into JSON string. */
-static void json_append_data(lua_State *l, json_config_t *cfg,
+static void json_append_data(lua_State *l, json_encode_t *ctx,
-                             int current_depth, strbuf_t *json)
+                             int current_depth)
 {
     int len;
     int as_array = 0;
     int as_empty_dict = 0;
     int has_metatable;
+    json_config_t *cfg = ctx->cfg;
+    strbuf_t *json = ctx->json;
 
     switch (lua_type(l, -1)) {
     case LUA_TSTRING:
-        json_append_string(l, json, -1);
+        json_append_string(l, ctx, -1);
         break;
     case LUA_TNUMBER:
-        json_append_number(l, cfg, json, -1);
+        json_append_number(l, ctx, -1);
         break;
     case LUA_TBOOLEAN:
         if (lua_toboolean(l, -1))
@@ -818,12 +836,12 @@ static void json_append_data(lua_State *l, json_config_t *cfg,
 
         if (as_array) {
             len = lua_objlen(l, -1);
-            json_append_array(l, cfg, current_depth, json, len);
+            json_append_array(l, ctx, current_depth, len);
         } else {
-            len = lua_array_length(l, cfg, json);
+            len = lua_array_length(l, ctx);
 
             if (len > 0 || (len == 0 && !cfg->encode_empty_table_as_object && !as_empty_dict)) {
-                json_append_array(l, cfg, current_depth, json, len);
+                json_append_array(l, ctx, current_depth, len);
             } else {
                 if (has_metatable) {
                     lua_getmetatable(l, -1);
@@ -833,11 +851,11 @@ static void json_append_data(lua_State *l, json_config_t *cfg,
                     as_array = lua_rawequal(l, -1, -2);
                     lua_pop(l, 2); /* pop pointer + metatable */
                     if (as_array) {
-                        json_append_array(l, cfg, current_depth, json, 0);
+                        json_append_array(l, ctx, current_depth, 0);
                         break;
                     }
                 }
-                json_append_object(l, cfg, current_depth, json);
+                json_append_object(l, ctx, current_depth);
             }
         }
         break;
@@ -846,7 +864,7 @@ static void json_append_data(lua_State *l, json_config_t *cfg,
         break;
     case LUA_TLIGHTUSERDATA:
         if (lua_touserdata(l, -1) == &json_array) {
-            json_append_array(l, cfg, current_depth, json, 0);
+            json_append_array(l, ctx, current_depth, 0);
         }
         break;
     case LUA_TUSERDATA:
@@ -862,7 +880,7 @@ static void json_append_data(lua_State *l, json_config_t *cfg,
     default:
         /* Remaining types (LUA_TFUNCTION, LUA_TUSERDATA, LUA_TTHREAD,
          * and LUA_TLIGHTUSERDATA) cannot be serialised */
-        json_encode_exception(l, cfg, json, -1, "type not supported");
+        json_encode_exception(l, ctx, -1, "type not supported");
         /* never returns */
     }
 }
@@ -870,12 +888,44 @@ static void json_append_data(lua_State *l, json_config_t *cfg,
 static int json_encode(lua_State *l)
 {
     json_config_t *cfg = json_fetch_config(l);
+    json_encode_options_t options = { .char2escape = { char2escape } };
+    json_encode_t ctx = { .options = &options, .cfg = cfg };
     strbuf_t local_encode_buf;
     strbuf_t *encode_buf;
     char *json;
     int len;
+    const char *customChar2escape[256];
 
-    luaL_argcheck(l, lua_gettop(l) == 1, 1, "expected 1 argument");
+    switch (lua_gettop(l)) {
+    case 1:
+        break;
+    case 2:
+        luaL_checktype(l, 2, LUA_TTABLE);
+        lua_getfield(l, 2, "escape_slash");
+
+        /* We only handle the escape_slash option for now */
+        if (lua_isnil(l, -1)) {
+            lua_pop(l, 2);
+            break;
+        }
+
+        luaL_checktype(l, -1, LUA_TBOOLEAN);
+
+        int escape_slash = lua_toboolean(l, -1);
+
+        if (escape_slash) {
+            /* This can be optimised by adding a new hard-coded escape table for this case,
+             * but this path will rarely if ever be used, so let's just memcpy.*/ 
+            memcpy(customChar2escape, char2escape, sizeof(char2escape));
+            customChar2escape['/'] = "\\/";
+            *ctx.options->char2escape = customChar2escape;
+        }
+
+        lua_pop(l, 2);
+        break;
+    default:
+        return luaL_error (l, "expected 1 or 2 arguments");
+    }
 
     if (!cfg->encode_keep_buffer) {
         /* Use private buffer */
@@ -887,7 +937,8 @@ static int json_encode(lua_State *l)
         strbuf_reset(encode_buf);
     }
 
-    json_append_data(l, cfg, 0, encode_buf);
+    ctx.json = encode_buf;
+    json_append_data(l, &ctx, 0);
     json = strbuf_string(encode_buf, &len);
 
     lua_pushlstring(l, json, len);

test/functional/lua/json_spec.lua

@@ -152,6 +152,45 @@ describe('vim.json.encode()', function()
     clear()
   end)
 
+  it('dumps strings with & without escaped slash', function()
+    -- With slash
+    eq('"Test\\/"', exec_lua([[return vim.json.encode('Test/', { escape_slash = true })]]))
+    eq(
+      'Test/',
+      exec_lua([[return vim.json.decode(vim.json.encode('Test/', { escape_slash = true }))]])
+    )
+
+    -- Without slash
+    eq('"Test/"', exec_lua([[return vim.json.encode('Test/')]]))
+    eq('"Test/"', exec_lua([[return vim.json.encode('Test/', {})]]))
+    eq('"Test/"', exec_lua([[return vim.json.encode('Test/', { _invalid = true })]]))
+    eq('"Test/"', exec_lua([[return vim.json.encode('Test/', { escape_slash = false })]]))
+    eq(
+      '"Test/"',
+      exec_lua([[return vim.json.encode('Test/', { _invalid = true, escape_slash = false })]])
+    )
+    eq(
+      'Test/',
+      exec_lua([[return vim.json.decode(vim.json.encode('Test/', { escape_slash = false }))]])
+    )
+
+    -- Checks for for global side-effects
+    eq(
+      '"Test/"',
+      exec_lua([[
+        vim.json.encode('Test/', { escape_slash = true })
+        return vim.json.encode('Test/')
+      ]])
+    )
+    eq(
+      '"Test\\/"',
+      exec_lua([[
+        vim.json.encode('Test/', { escape_slash = false })
+        return vim.json.encode('Test/', { escape_slash = true })
+      ]])
+    )
+  end)
+
   it('dumps strings', function()
     eq('"Test"', exec_lua([[return vim.json.encode('Test')]]))
     eq('""', exec_lua([[return vim.json.encode('')]]))