Add `allow_section_headings` to SphinxDirective parsing methods (#12503)

sphinx/directives/__init__.py

@@ -278,7 +278,8 @@ class ObjectDescription(SphinxDirective, Generic[ObjDescT]):
             # needed for association of version{added,changed} directives
             self.env.temp_data['object'] = self.names[0]
         self.before_content()
-        content_node = addnodes.desc_content('', *self.parse_content_to_nodes())
+        content_children = self.parse_content_to_nodes(allow_section_headings=True)
+        content_node = addnodes.desc_content('', *content_children)
         node.append(content_node)
         self.transform_content(content_node)
         self.env.app.emit('object-description-transform',

sphinx/domains/javascript.py

@@ -311,7 +311,7 @@ class JSModule(SphinxDirective):
         self.env.ref_context['js:module'] = mod_name
         no_index = 'no-index' in self.options or 'noindex' in self.options
 
-        content_nodes = self.parse_content_to_nodes()
+        content_nodes = self.parse_content_to_nodes(allow_section_headings=True)
 
         ret: list[Node] = []
         if not no_index:

sphinx/domains/python/__init__.py

@@ -416,7 +416,7 @@ class PyModule(SphinxDirective):
         no_index = 'no-index' in self.options or 'noindex' in self.options
         self.env.ref_context['py:module'] = modname
 
-        content_nodes = self.parse_content_to_nodes()
+        content_nodes = self.parse_content_to_nodes(allow_section_headings=True)
 
         ret: list[Node] = []
         if not no_index:

sphinx/domains/std/__init__.py

@@ -405,7 +405,9 @@ class Glossary(SphinxDirective):
 
             if definition:
                 offset = definition.items[0][1]
-                definition_nodes = nested_parse_to_nodes(self.state, definition, offset=offset)
+                definition_nodes = nested_parse_to_nodes(
+                    self.state, definition, offset=offset, allow_section_headings=False,
+                )
             else:
                 definition_nodes = []
             termnodes.append(nodes.definition('', *definition_nodes))

sphinx/ext/autosummary/__init__.py

@@ -409,7 +409,8 @@ class Autosummary(SphinxDirective):
             for text in column_texts:
                 vl = StringList([text], f'{source}:{line}:<autosummary>')
                 with switch_source_input(self.state, vl):
-                    col_nodes = nested_parse_to_nodes(self.state, vl)
+                    col_nodes = nested_parse_to_nodes(self.state, vl,
+                                                      allow_section_headings=False)
                     if col_nodes and isinstance(col_nodes[0], nodes.paragraph):
                         node = col_nodes[0]
                     else:

sphinx/ext/ifconfig.py

@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ class IfConfig(SphinxDirective):
         node.document = self.state.document
         self.set_source_info(node)
         node['expr'] = self.arguments[0]
-        node += self.parse_content_to_nodes()
+        node += self.parse_content_to_nodes(allow_section_headings=True)
         return [node]
 
 

sphinx/util/docutils.py

@@ -434,21 +434,49 @@ class SphinxDirective(Directive):
             return f'<unknown>:{line}'
         return ''
 
-    def parse_content_to_nodes(self) -> list[Node]:
+    def parse_content_to_nodes(self, allow_section_headings: bool = False) -> list[Node]:
-        """Parse the directive's content into nodes."""
+        """Parse the directive's content into nodes.
-        return nested_parse_to_nodes(self.state, self.content, offset=self.content_offset)
 
-    def parse_text_to_nodes(self, text: str = '', /, *, offset: int = -1) -> list[Node]:
+        :param allow_section_headings:
+            Are titles (sections) allowed in the directive's content?
+            Note that this option bypasses Docutils' usual checks on
+            doctree structure, and misuse of this option can lead to
+            an incoherent doctree. In Docutils, section nodes should
+            only be children of ``Structural`` nodes, which includes
+            ``document``, ``section``, and ``sidebar`` nodes.
+        """
+        return nested_parse_to_nodes(
+            self.state,
+            self.content,
+            offset=self.content_offset,
+            allow_section_headings=allow_section_headings,
+        )
+
+    def parse_text_to_nodes(
+        self, text: str = '', /, *, offset: int = -1, allow_section_headings: bool = False,
+    ) -> list[Node]:
         """Parse *text* into nodes.
 
         :param text:
             Text, in string form. ``StringList`` is also accepted.
+        :param allow_section_headings:
+            Are titles (sections) allowed in *text*?
+            Note that this option bypasses Docutils' usual checks on
+            doctree structure, and misuse of this option can lead to
+            an incoherent doctree. In Docutils, section nodes should
+            only be children of ``Structural`` nodes, which includes
+            ``document``, ``section``, and ``sidebar`` nodes.
         :param offset:
             The offset of the content.
         """
         if offset == -1:
             offset = self.content_offset
-        return nested_parse_to_nodes(self.state, text, offset=offset)
+        return nested_parse_to_nodes(
+            self.state,
+            text,
+            offset=offset,
+            allow_section_headings=allow_section_headings,
+        )
 
     def parse_inline(
         self, text: str, *, lineno: int = -1,

sphinx/util/nodes.py

@@ -334,7 +334,7 @@ def nested_parse_with_titles(state: RSTState, content: StringList, node: Node,
     context, such as docstrings.
 
     This function is retained for compatability and will be deprecated in
-    Sphinx 8. Prefer ``parse_block_text()``.
+    Sphinx 8. Prefer ``nested_parse_to_nodes()``.
     """
     with _fresh_title_style_context(state):
         ret = state.nested_parse(content, content_offset, node, match_titles=True)

sphinx/util/parsing.py

@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ def nested_parse_to_nodes(
     *,
     source: str = '<generated text>',
     offset: int = 0,
+    allow_section_headings: bool = True,
     keep_title_context: bool = False,
 ) -> list[nodes.Node]:  # Element | nodes.Text
     """Parse *text* into nodes.
@@ -32,6 +33,13 @@ def nested_parse_to_nodes(
         The text's source, used when creating a new ``StringList``.
     :param offset:
         The offset of the content.
+    :param allow_section_headings:
+        Are titles (sections) allowed in *text*?
+        Note that this option bypasses Docutils' usual checks on
+        doctree structure, and misuse of this option can lead to
+        an incoherent doctree. In Docutils, section nodes should
+        only be children of ``Structural`` nodes, which includes
+        ``document``, ``section``, and ``sidebar`` nodes.
     :param keep_title_context:
         If this is False (the default), then *content* is parsed as if it were
         an independent document, meaning that title decorations (e.g. underlines)
@@ -49,10 +57,10 @@ def nested_parse_to_nodes(
     node.document = document
 
     if keep_title_context:
-        state.nested_parse(content, offset, node, match_titles=True)
+        state.nested_parse(content, offset, node, match_titles=allow_section_headings)
     else:
         with _fresh_title_style_context(state):
-            state.nested_parse(content, offset, node, match_titles=True)
+            state.nested_parse(content, offset, node, match_titles=allow_section_headings)
     return node.children
 
 

tests/test_util/test_util_docutils_sphinx_directive.py

@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ def test_sphinx_directive_parse_content_to_nodes():
     content = 'spam\n====\n\nEggs! *Lobster thermidor.*'
     directive.content = StringList(content.split('\n'), source='<source>')
 
-    parsed = directive.parse_content_to_nodes()
+    parsed = directive.parse_content_to_nodes(allow_section_headings=True)
     assert len(parsed) == 1
     node = parsed[0]
     assert isinstance(node, nodes.section)
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ def test_sphinx_directive_parse_text_to_nodes():
     directive = make_directive(env=SimpleNamespace())
     content = 'spam\n====\n\nEggs! *Lobster thermidor.*'
 
-    parsed = directive.parse_text_to_nodes(content)
+    parsed = directive.parse_text_to_nodes(content, allow_section_headings=True)
     assert len(parsed) == 1
     node = parsed[0]
     assert isinstance(node, nodes.section)