Enable rapid testing and development on Compiler Explorer

.gitignore

@@ -10,7 +10,14 @@
 /.idea
 /cmake-build-*
 
-/.vs
+/.vs/
+/.vscode/
+
+# clangd cache
+/.cache/
+
+# build directories (vscode-cmake-tools, user-defined, ...)
+/build*/
 
 /docs/mkdocs/docs/examples/
 /docs/mkdocs/docs/__pycache__/
@@ -19,3 +26,8 @@
 /docs/docset/JSON_for_Modern_C++.docset/
 /docs/docset/JSON_for_Modern_C++.tgz
 /docs/mkdocs/docs/images/json.gif
+
+# serve_header
+/serve_header.yml
+/localhost.pem
+/localhost-key.pem

Makefile

@@ -251,3 +251,10 @@ update_hedley:
 	$(SED) -i '1s/^/#pragma once\n\n/' include/nlohmann/thirdparty/hedley/hedley.hpp
 	$(SED) -i '1s/^/#pragma once\n\n/' include/nlohmann/thirdparty/hedley/hedley_undef.hpp
 	$(MAKE) amalgamate
+
+##########################################################################
+# serve_header.py
+##########################################################################
+
+serve_header:
+	./tools/serve_header/serve_header.py --make $(MAKE)

tools/serve_header/README.md

@@ -0,0 +1,91 @@
+serve_header.py
+===============
+
+Serves the `single_include/nlohmann/json.hpp` header file over HTTP(S).
+
+The header file is automatically amalgamated on demand.
+
+![serve_header.py demo](demo.png)
+
+## Prerequisites
+
+1. Make sure these Python packages are installed.
+    ```
+    PyYAML
+    watchdog
+    ```
+    (see `tools/serve_header/requirements.txt`)
+
+2. To serve the header over HTTPS (which is required by Compiler Explorer at this time), a certificate is needed.
+   The recommended method for creating a locally-trusted certificate is to use [`mkcert`](https://github.com/FiloSottile/mkcert).
+   - Install the `mkcert` certificate authority into your trust store(s):
+     ```
+     $ mkcert -install
+     ```
+   - Create a certificate for `localhost`:
+     ```
+     $ mkcert localhost
+     ```
+     The command will create two files, `localhost.pem` and `localhost-key.pem`, in the current working directory. It is recommended to create them in the top level or project root directory.
+
+## Usage
+
+`serve_header.py` has a built-in default configuration that will serve the `single_include/nlohmann/json.hpp` header file relative to the top level or project root directory it is homed in.
+The built-in configuration expects the certificate `localhost.pem` and the private key `localhost-key.pem`to be located in the top level or project root directory.
+
+To start serving the `json.hpp` header file at `https://localhost:8443/json.hpp`, run this command from the top level or project root directory:
+```
+$ make serve_header
+```
+
+Open [Compiler Explorer](https://godbolt.org/) and try it out:
+```cpp
+#include <https://localhost:8443/json.hpp>
+using namespace nlohmann;
+
+#include <iostream>
+
+int main() {
+    // these macros are dynamically injected into the header file
+    std::cout << JSON_BUILD_TIME << " (" << JSON_BUILD_COUNT << ")\n";
+
+    return 0;
+}
+```
+
+> `serve_header.py` dynamically injects the macros `JSON_BUILD_COUNT` and `JSON_BUILD_TIME` into the served header file. By comparing build count or time output from the compiled program with the output from `serve_header.py`, one can be reasonably sure the compiled code uses the expected revision of the header file.
+
+## Configuration
+
+`serve_header.py` will try to read a configuration file `serve_header.yml` in the top level or project root directory, and will fall back on built-in defaults if the file cannot be read.
+An annotated example configuration can be found in `tools/serve_header/serve_header.yml.example`.
+
+## Serving `json.hpp` from multiple project directory instances or working trees
+
+`serve_header.py` was designed with the goal of supporting multiple project roots or working trees at the same time.
+The recommended directory structure is shown below but `serve_header.py` can work with other structures as well, including a nested hierarchy.
+```
+json/          ⮜ the parent or web server root directoy
+├── develop/   ⮜ the main git checkout
+│   └── ...
+├── feature1/
+│   └── ...      any number of additional
+├── feature2/  ⮜ working trees (e.g., created
+│   └── ...      with git worktree)
+└── feature3/
+    └── ...
+```
+
+To serve the header of each working tree at `https://localhost:8443/<worktree>/json.hpp`, a configuration file is needed.
+1. Create the file `serve_header.yml` in the top level or project root directory of any working tree:
+    ```yaml
+    root: ..
+    ```
+   By shifting the web server root directory up one level, the `single_include/nlohmann/json.hpp` header files relative to each sibling directory or working tree will be served.
+
+2. Start `serve_header.py` by running this command from the same top level or project root directory the configuration file is located in:
+    ```
+    $ make serve_header
+    ```
+
+`serve_header.py` will automatically detect the addition or removal of working trees anywhere within the configured web server root directory.

tools/serve_header/requirements.txt

@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+PyYAML==6.0
+watchdog==2.1.7