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fix: call onCircular callback for all occurrences of circular $refs #408

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jonluca merged 2 commits into from
Jan 24, 2026
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fix: call onCircular callback for all occurrences of circular $refs #408

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5f7c6a0
fix: call onCircular callback for all occurrences of circular $refs
HugoHSun Jan 23, 2026
8deb3da
Merge branch 'main' into fix/oncircular-callback-all-occurrences
jonluca Jan 24, 2026
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5 changes: 4 additions & 1 deletion lib/dereference.ts
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Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -251,11 +251,14 @@ function dereference$Ref<S extends object = JSONSchema, O extends ParserOptions<
// overhaul.
if (typeof cache.value === "object" && "$ref" in cache.value && "$ref" in $ref) {
if (cache.value.$ref === $ref.$ref) {
// Fire onCircular for cached circular refs so callers are notified of every occurrence
foundCircularReference(path, $refs, options);
return cache;
} else {
// no-op
// no-op - fall through to re-process (handles external ref edge case)
}
} else {
foundCircularReference(path, $refs, options);
return cache;
}
}
Expand Down
66 changes: 59 additions & 7 deletions test/specs/circular-extensive/circular-extensive.spec.ts
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Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
@@ -1,10 +1,8 @@
import { describe, it } from "vitest";
import { describe, it, expect } from "vitest";
import $RefParser from "../../../lib/index.js";
import helper from "../../utils/helper.js";
import path from "../../utils/path.js";

import { expect } from "vitest";

describe("Schema with an extensive amount of circular $refs", () => {
it("should dereference successfully", async () => {
const circularRefs = new Set<string>();
Expand All @@ -31,8 +29,9 @@ describe("Schema with an extensive amount of circular $refs", () => {
},
});

// Ensure that a circular $ref **was** dereferenced.
expect(circularRefs).toHaveLength(23);
// With circular: true (default), circular $refs are replaced with the resolved object.
// onCircular fires for each $ref location pointing to a circular target (118 unique paths).
expect(circularRefs.size).toBe(118);
expect(schema.components?.schemas?.Customer?.properties?.customerNode).toStrictEqual({
type: "array",
items: {
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -74,8 +73,11 @@ describe("Schema with an extensive amount of circular $refs", () => {
},
});

// Ensure that a circular $ref was **not** dereferenced.
expect(circularRefs).toHaveLength(23);
// With circular: 'ignore', circular $refs remain as { $ref: "..." } objects.
// onCircular fires for each $ref location (same 118 paths as above), PLUS 55 additional
// "interior paths" - $refs inside circular schemas that get re-encountered when the
// containing schema is accessed from multiple entry points.
expect(circularRefs.size).toBe(173);
expect(schema.components?.schemas?.Customer?.properties?.customerNode).toStrictEqual({
type: "array",
items: {
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -104,4 +106,54 @@ describe("Schema with an extensive amount of circular $refs", () => {
expect(parser.$refs.circular).to.equal(true);
}
});

it("should expose path differences between circular: true and circular: 'ignore'", async () => {
const SCHEMA_PATH = "test/specs/circular-extensive/schema.json";

// Collect paths with circular: true (default)
const pathsTrue = new Set<string>();
await new $RefParser().dereference(path.rel(SCHEMA_PATH), {
dereference: {
onCircular: (ref: string) => pathsTrue.add(ref.split("#")[1]),
},
});

// Collect paths with circular: 'ignore'
const pathsIgnore = new Set<string>();
await new $RefParser().dereference(path.rel(SCHEMA_PATH), {
dereference: {
circular: "ignore",
onCircular: (ref: string) => pathsIgnore.add(ref.split("#")[1]),
},
});

// Verify the counts
expect(pathsTrue.size).toBe(118);
expect(pathsIgnore.size).toBe(173);

// All paths in 'true' mode should also be in 'ignore' mode
const pathsOnlyInTrue = [...pathsTrue].filter((p) => !pathsIgnore.has(p));
expect(pathsOnlyInTrue).toHaveLength(0);

// 'ignore' mode has 55 additional paths not found in 'true' mode
const pathsOnlyInIgnore = [...pathsIgnore].filter((p) => !pathsTrue.has(p));
expect(pathsOnlyInIgnore).toHaveLength(55);

// These extra paths are "interior paths" within circular schemas that get
// re-visited because $ref objects allow re-entry from different traversal routes.
// With circular: true, these paths aren't reported because the same object
// instance is detected by parents.has() which doesn't trigger onCircular.
//
// Example extra paths (interior of circular schemas reached via different routes):
// Customer contains customerNode.items → CustomerNode (circular).
// - In 'true' mode: Customer.customerNode.items becomes the resolved CustomerNode object.
// When Customer is accessed from another route, customerNode.items is the same object
// instance already in `parents`, so no onCircular fires for that interior path.
// - In 'ignore' mode: Customer.customerNode.items remains { $ref: "..." }.
// When Customer is accessed from another route, the $ref is re-encountered and
// triggers onCircular via cache hit, reporting the interior path.
expect(pathsOnlyInIgnore).toContain("/components/schemas/Customer/properties/customerNode/items");
expect(pathsOnlyInIgnore).toContain("/components/schemas/Customer/properties/customerExternalReference/items");
expect(pathsOnlyInIgnore).toContain("/components/schemas/Node/properties/configWcCodeNode/items");
});
});
50 changes: 50 additions & 0 deletions test/specs/circular-multi-occurrence/circular-multi-occurrence.spec.ts
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@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
import { describe, it, expect } from "vitest";
import $RefParser from "../../../lib/index.js";
import path from "../../utils/path.js";

/**
* Tests that onCircular is called for EVERY occurrence of a circular $ref,
* not just the first detection. The schema has 5 $refs to #/definitions/Node:
* 1. definitions/Node/properties/self (self-reference)
* 2. definitions/Container/properties/primaryNode
* 3. definitions/Container/properties/secondaryNode
* 4. definitions/Container/properties/nodeList/items
* 5. root
*/
describe("Schema with multiple occurrences of the same circular $ref target", () => {
const SCHEMA_PATH = "test/specs/circular-multi-occurrence/schema.yaml";

const EXPECTED_PATH_SUFFIXES = [
"definitions/Node/properties/self",
"definitions/Container/properties/primaryNode",
"definitions/Container/properties/secondaryNode",
"definitions/Container/properties/nodeList/items",
"/root",
] as const;

it.each([
{ mode: "true (default)", circular: true as const },
{ mode: "'ignore'", circular: "ignore" as const },
])("should call onCircular for every occurrence (circular: $mode)", async ({ circular }) => {
const circularRefs: string[] = [];

const parser = new $RefParser();
await parser.dereference(path.rel(SCHEMA_PATH), {
dereference: {
circular,
onCircular: (refPath: string) => circularRefs.push(refPath),
},
});

// Exactly 5 calls, all unique paths
expect(circularRefs).toHaveLength(5);
expect(new Set(circularRefs).size).toBe(5);
expect(parser.$refs.circular).toBe(true);

// Each expected path suffix should appear exactly once
for (const expectedSuffix of EXPECTED_PATH_SUFFIXES) {
const matches = circularRefs.filter((p) => p.endsWith(expectedSuffix));
expect(matches, `Expected exactly one path ending with "${expectedSuffix}"`).toHaveLength(1);
}
});
});
26 changes: 26 additions & 0 deletions test/specs/circular-multi-occurrence/schema.yaml
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@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
# Test schema: Multiple occurrences of the same circular $ref target
# Verifies onCircular is called for ALL 5 occurrences, not just the first.

definitions:
Node:
type: object
properties:
name:
type: string
self:
$ref: "#/definitions/Node" # 1. Self-reference

Container:
type: object
properties:
primaryNode:
$ref: "#/definitions/Node" # 2. First external ref
secondaryNode:
$ref: "#/definitions/Node" # 3. Second external ref
nodeList:
type: array
items:
$ref: "#/definitions/Node" # 4. Array items ref

root:
$ref: "#/definitions/Node" # 5. Root-level ref