Summary
When tomlkit.items.item() builds a value from a Python list of dicts, its sort key has a misplaced parenthesis:
key=lambda i: (isinstance(i[1], dict), i[0] if _sort_keys else 1). The if _sort_keys else 1 guards only i[0], so the isinstance(i[1], dict) term stays active — dict-valued keys are forced after scalar-valued keys even when sort_keys=False. The sibling top-level branch guards the whole tuple correctly: (isinstance(i[1], dict), i[0]) if _sort_keys else 1.
Reproduction
from tomlkit.items import item
print(item([{'a': {'x': 1}, 'b': 2}]).as_string())
# b = 2
#
# [a]
# x = 1Input key order is a, b, but b is emitted before the [a] table.
Expected
With the default sort_keys=False, key order is preserved: the [a] table, then b = 2.
Actual
b = 2 is emitted before [a] — keys silently reordered.
Fix sketch
Guard the whole sort tuple with _sort_keys, matching the top-level dict branch.
Environment
tomlkit 0.15.0 (master @ 43668dd), Python 3.12.
Summary
When
tomlkit.items.item()builds a value from a Python list of dicts, its sort key has a misplaced parenthesis:key=lambda i: (isinstance(i[1], dict), i[0] if _sort_keys else 1). Theif _sort_keys else 1guards onlyi[0], so theisinstance(i[1], dict)term stays active — dict-valued keys are forced after scalar-valued keys even whensort_keys=False. The sibling top-level branch guards the whole tuple correctly:(isinstance(i[1], dict), i[0]) if _sort_keys else 1.Reproduction
Input key order is
a, b, butbis emitted before the[a]table.Expected
With the default
sort_keys=False, key order is preserved: the[a]table, thenb = 2.Actual
b = 2is emitted before[a]— keys silently reordered.Fix sketch
Guard the whole sort tuple with
_sort_keys, matching the top-level dict branch.Environment
tomlkit 0.15.0 (master @ 43668dd), Python 3.12.