[bug]: List Matching In JSON isn't Working Properly

👀 Is there an existing issue for this?

• I have searched and didn't find similar issue

👍 Current behavior

• In the file pkg/matcher/utils, the function matchJSONWithNoiseHandling (around line 801) processes slices by attempting to match every element of the expected array with every element of the actual array.
• When a match is found, the corresponding element in the actual array is not excluded from further matching. This can lead to incorrect behavior.
• For example, when testing with a recorded JSON object for a GET request (with ignore order set to true):

  {
    "Code": 200,
    "Balance": 100,
    "CreatedAt": "2025-03-17T06:00:57.303781054+02:00",
    "UpdatedAt": "2025-03-17T06:00:57.303781224+02:00",
    "RandNumber": { "Number": 1, "Note": "Random integer" },
    "List": [1, 1, 1]
  }
  
  

• and modifying the app code to send:

  {
    "Code": 200,
    "Balance": 100,
    "CreatedAt": "2025-03-17T06:00:57.303781054+02:00",
    "UpdatedAt": "2025-03-17T06:00:57.303781224+02:00",
    "RandNumber": { "Number": 1, "Note": "Random integer" },
    "List": [1, 2, 3]
  }
  
  

• the test unexpectedly passes when ignore order is true. However, setting ignore order to false causes the test to fail with an error stating that the objects are identical but not in the same order.

👟 Steps to Replicate

• Navigate to the pkg/matcher/utils directory in the codebase.

• Open the function matchJSONWithNoiseHandling and inspect the slice-handling code near line 888.

• Create a test case using a recorded JSON object, for example:

  {
    "Code": 200,
    "Balance": 100,
    "CreatedAt": "2025-03-17T06:00:57.303781054+02:00",
    "UpdatedAt": "2025-03-17T06:00:57.303781224+02:00",
    "RandNumber": { "Number": 1, "Note": "Random integer" },
    "List": [1, 1, 1]
  }
  

• Modify the application to respond with a slightly different array, for instance:

  {
    "Code": 200,
    "Balance": 100,
    "CreatedAt": "2025-03-17T06:00:57.303781054+02:00",
    "UpdatedAt": "2025-03-17T06:00:57.303781224+02:00",
    "RandNumber": { "Number": 1, "Note": "Random integer" },
    "List": [1, 2, 3]
  }
  
  

• Run the test with ignore order enabled. Notice that the test passes despite the differences in the List field.

• Change the setting to ignore order disabled and run the test again. Observe that the test now fails with a message indicating that the objects are the same but are not in the same order.

• Verify that the root cause is that the function does not exclude matched elements from further comparisons during slice matching.

🧱 Your Environment

No response

💻 Operating system

Linux

🎲 Version

version: 2-dev

💻 Repository

keploy

Start in pkg/matcher/utils at matchJSONWithNoiseHandling, especially the slice-handling code near the referenced lines. Reproduce the recorded JSON case with ignore order enabled, then compare behavior for [1, 1, 1] versus [1, 2, 3]. Done means unmatched array elements are handled correctly and the differing List values no longer pass when order is ignored.