@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ coverage-serve *args:
 
 # Run slow Hypothesis tests and write coverage.xml
 hypothesis *args:
-    hatch run {{ quote(hatch_env) }}:coverage run --source=src -m pytest -nauto --run-slow-hypothesis tests/test_properties.py tests/test_store/test_stateful* "$@"
+    hatch run {{ quote(hatch_env) }}:coverage run --source=src -m pytest -nauto --run-slow-hypothesis tests/test_properties.py tests/test_store/test_stateful* tests/test_array_stateful.py "$@"
     hatch run {{ quote(hatch_env) }}:coverage xml
 
 # Validate executable documentation code blocks
 
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+A chunk edge length is now always at least 1, while an array extent may be 0. Every spelling of one chunk spanning an axis (`chunks=-1`, `chunks=False`, `chunks="auto"`, `shards=-1`, `shards=False`) gives chunk size 1 on a zero-length axis, and a shard spanning an axis is a multiple of the inner chunk size, so `shards=-1` no longer fails when the axis length is not a multiple of it. Rectilinear chunk grids can be created on a zero-length dimension with a non-empty list of positive chunk sizes, which are kept for later growth.
+
+`FixedDimension(size=0, ...)` now raises a `ValueError`. `ArrayV2Metadata(chunks=(0,))` is still accepted and written as given; an array built from such metadata (with `create_hierarchy`, for example) reads the chunk size as a stored chunk size of 0 is read (below). `create_hierarchy` now builds every array and group before it deletes or stores anything, so a node that cannot be built fails with the store untouched. The regular chunk grid metadata class reads a `bool` chunk edge length as the `int` it equals, and rejects a string or a mapping as a chunk shape as a whole. `RectilinearChunkGridMetadata`, which is experimental, now reads a `bool` edge length as the `int` it equals and rejects a NumPy integer or a float edge length such as `4.0` with a `TypeError`; it used to keep them as given, so that it could not store a NumPy integer, could not read back a `bool`, and stored a float as a JSON float, which the Zarr specification does not allow.
+
+Stored metadata with a regular chunk size of 0 or JSON `false` (Zarr format 2 `chunks`, Zarr format 3 `regular` `chunk_shape`) is now read as chunk size 1 (the inner chunk size for sharded arrays, which previously failed to open), however long the axis is: that is the chunk size `chunks=-1` gives on a zero-length axis, and it does not depend on how far the axis has grown since. zarr-python wrote such sizes for arrays created with a zero-length axis until 3.4, and, from 2.18.7 to 3.2.1, for an explicit chunk size of 0 or `False` on an axis of any length, as in `chunks=(0,)` (those arrays could store no data). On a zero-length axis this opens silently, as before, and appending to it stores chunks of size 1. On an axis of positive length it opens with a `ZarrUserWarning`, which says that the array holds only its fill value, so that recreating it with the wanted chunk shape loses nothing (`zarr.from_array(array.store, name=array.path, data=array, chunks=..., overwrite=True, write_data=False)` keeps its data type, fill value, attributes and codecs), and how to keep it by storing valid metadata instead: `array.update_attributes({})`, then `zarr.consolidate_metadata` if the metadata is consolidated. JSON `true`, as zarr-python 3.0 and 3.2 wrote for a chunk size of `True`, is read as 1, silently, in the chunk grid (regular, and the explicit edges and run-length encoded sizes of a rectilinear one) and in the inner chunk shape of every sharding codec, nested or not. A stored rectilinear chunk grid whose edge lengths are integral JSON floats (`[[4.0, 2]]`), as zarr-python 3.2 wrote for float edges, is read with those edges as integers, silently; a float anywhere no release wrote one (a regular chunk shape, the inner chunk shape of a sharding codec, a run-length repeat count, an edge below 1) is rejected.
+
+Writing data to an array whose stored metadata holds a regular chunk size of 0 or `false` (other than an empty selection) first stores the repair of the metadata the store then holds, unless another writer has stored valid metadata since, so that other readers find the chunks written (a `true` chunk size or an integral float edge is read as the value it equals, so a write stores no metadata for it); in a `ZipStore` this adds a second entry for the metadata document, as every metadata update does. If the metadata the store then holds lays out chunks differently (another writer stored a different chunk size since, say), the write raises a `ValueError` asking to reopen the array, and stores nothing. Apart from the array's own metadata writes (`update_attributes`, `resize`), which store the repair as before, this is the only operation that stores it: a group's consolidated metadata keeps such an array's metadata as it was stored (`zarr.consolidate_metadata` copies it as the array's own document holds it) until the array stores its repair through the group's handle, and changing a group reads and writes no metadata of its members.
@@ -707,6 +707,12 @@ z.append(np.arange(10, dtype='float64'))
 print(f"After append:  shape={z.shape}, chunk_sizes={z.write_chunk_sizes}")
 ```
 
+A rectilinear array can also be created with a zero-length dimension: because no
+non-empty list of positive chunk sizes can sum to 0, the chunk sizes given for such a
+dimension are stored as-is and describe the chunks the dimension will grow into
+on `append` or `resize` — the same state as resizing an existing rectilinear
+dimension down to 0.
+
 ### Compressors and filters
 
 Rectilinear arrays work with all codecs — compressors, filters, and checksums.
 
@@ -41,6 +41,12 @@ def buffer_to_json(buffer: Buffer) -> JSON:
     return cast("JSON", json.loads(buffer.to_bytes()))
 
 
+def json_equal(a: JSON, b: JSON) -> bool:
+    """Whether two JSON values have the same JSON encoding. Python compares `True` and
+    `1`, or `1.0` and `1`, as equal; JSON does not."""
+    return json.dumps(a) == json.dumps(b)
+
+
 def buffer_to_json_object(buffer: Buffer) -> dict[str, JSON]:
     """Parse the contents of a `Buffer` as a JSON object (a `dict`).
 
 
@@ -118,7 +118,14 @@
     ArrayV2MetadataDict,
     ArrayV3Metadata,
 )
-from zarr.core.metadata.io import save_metadata, save_new_metadata
+from zarr.core.metadata.io import (
+    ARRAY_DOCUMENTS,
+    parse_stored_array,
+    read_documents,
+    save_metadata,
+    save_new_metadata,
+    upsert_metadata,
+)
 from zarr.core.metadata.v2 import (
     CompressorLikev2,
     get_object_codec_id,
@@ -201,13 +208,22 @@ def _chunk_sizes_from_shape(
     return tuple(result)
 
 
-def parse_array_metadata(data: Any) -> ArrayMetadata:
+def parse_array_metadata(data: Any, path: str | None = None) -> ArrayMetadata:
+    """Array metadata from a metadata object or a metadata document, naming the array at
+    `path` in warnings about how an invalid document was read.
+
+    `ArrayV2Metadata` accepts a chunk size of 0, as it always has, though only an
+    invalid document holds one: such metadata is read as the documents it would store
+    are (see `zarr.core.metadata.repair`), so an array can be built from it. No data
+    was read or written under that chunk size, so the reading is silent."""
+    if isinstance(data, ArrayV2Metadata) and 0 in data.chunks:
+        return parse_stored_array(data.to_buffer_dict(default_buffer_prototype()), 2)
     if isinstance(data, ArrayMetadata):
         return data
-    elif isinstance(data, dict):
+    if isinstance(data, dict):
         zarr_format = data.get("zarr_format")
         if zarr_format == 3:
-            meta_out = ArrayV3Metadata.from_dict(data)
+            meta_out = ArrayV3Metadata.from_dict(data, path=path)
             if len(meta_out.storage_transformers) > 0:
                 msg = (
                     f"Array metadata contains storage transformers: {meta_out.storage_transformers}."
@@ -216,7 +232,7 @@ def parse_array_metadata(data: Any) -> ArrayMetadata:
                 raise ValueError(msg)
             return meta_out
         elif zarr_format == 2:
-            return ArrayV2Metadata.from_dict(data)
+            return ArrayV2Metadata.from_dict(data, path=path)
         else:
             raise ValueError(f"Invalid zarr_format: {zarr_format}. Expected 2 or 3")
     raise TypeError  # pragma: no cover
@@ -388,7 +404,7 @@ def __init__(
         store_path: StorePath,
         config: ArrayConfigLike | None = None,
     ) -> None:
-        metadata_parsed = parse_array_metadata(metadata)
+        metadata_parsed = parse_array_metadata(metadata, str(store_path))
         config_parsed = parse_array_config(config)
 
         object.__setattr__(self, "metadata", metadata_parsed)
@@ -745,7 +761,7 @@ def from_dict(
         ValueError
             If the dictionary data is invalid or incompatible with either Zarr format 2 or 3 array creation.
         """
-        metadata = parse_array_metadata(data)
+        metadata = parse_array_metadata(data, str(store_path))
         return cls(metadata=metadata, store_path=store_path)
 
     @classmethod
@@ -1590,10 +1606,54 @@ async def get_coordinate_selection(
         return out_array
 
     async def _save_metadata(self, metadata: ArrayMetadata, ensure_parents: bool = False) -> None:
-        """
-        Asynchronously save the array metadata.
-        """
+        """Store `metadata` as this array's own documents, then clear the
+        `_stored_document` mark (see `_stored_document_replaced`)."""
         await save_metadata(self.store_path, metadata, ensure_parents=ensure_parents)
+        self._stored_document_replaced()
+
+    def _stored_document_replaced(self) -> None:
+        """Record that the store no longer holds a document of this array that needs an
+        repair: it holds the repair, a valid document, or none. The metadata this handle
+        holds, which a consolidated group handle may share, then stops standing for the
+        document it was read from (see `mark_repaired`), so no later write through either
+        handle stores that document again."""
+        object.__setattr__(self.metadata, "_stored_document", None)
+
+    async def _store_repaired_document(self) -> None:
+        """Store the repair of this array's current stored document, if it needs one,
+        before chunks are written under this handle's metadata.
+
+        Only for metadata read from a document whose repair moves chunks (see
+        `zarr.core.metadata.repair`). The document is read again, because the store may
+        hold a newer one than this handle's metadata. If that one lays out chunks
+        differently (another writer stored a different chunk size since), this handle
+        would write chunks no reader finds, so it raises and stores nothing. If it needs
+        no repair (the array was re-saved since, possibly by another implementation), it
+        is left as written; if there is none, there is nothing to repair.
+
+        Storing the same repair twice is harmless, so handles that write chunks
+        concurrently need no coordination. The read and the store are not one atomic
+        step, though: a metadata write by another handle between them (a resize, an
+        attribute update) is replaced by the repair of the document read before it, as
+        with any two metadata writes that race.
+        """
+        if self.metadata._stored_document is None:
+            return
+        zarr_format = self.metadata.zarr_format
+        documents = await read_documents(self.store_path, ARRAY_DOCUMENTS[zarr_format])
+        try:
+            current = parse_stored_array(documents, zarr_format)
+        except ArrayNotFoundError:
+            pass
+        else:
+            if _chunk_layout(current) != _chunk_layout(self.metadata):
+                raise ValueError(
+                    f"The metadata stored for the array at {str(self.store_path)!r} has "
+                    "changed since this array was opened: reopen the array to write to it."
+                )
+            if current._stored_document is not None:
+                await upsert_metadata(self.store_path, current, documents)
+        self._stored_document_replaced()
 
     async def _set_selection(
         self,
@@ -1603,6 +1663,10 @@ async def _set_selection(
         prototype: BufferPrototype,
         fields: Fields | None = None,
     ) -> None:
+        if product(indexer.shape) > 0:
+            # Chunks are about to be stored under the repaired metadata, so store it
+            # first: every reader of the store then agrees with them.
+            await self._store_repaired_document()
         return await _set_selection(
             self.store_path,
             self.metadata,
@@ -1654,16 +1718,10 @@ async def setitem(
         - This method is asynchronous and should be awaited.
         - Supports basic indexing, where the selection is contiguous and does not involve advanced indexing.
         """
-        return await _setitem(
-            self.store_path,
-            self.metadata,
-            self.codec_pipeline,
-            self.config,
-            self._chunk_grid,
-            selection,
-            value,
-            prototype=prototype,
-        )
+        if prototype is None:
+            prototype = default_buffer_prototype()
+        indexer = BasicIndexer(selection, shape=self.metadata.shape, chunk_grid=self._chunk_grid)
+        return await self._set_selection(indexer, value, prototype=prototype)
 
     @property
     def oindex(self) -> AsyncOIndex[T_ArrayMetadata]:
@@ -4824,6 +4882,16 @@ async def create_array(
         )
 
 
+def _chunk_layout(
+    metadata: ArrayMetadata,
+) -> tuple[tuple[int, ...] | ChunkGridMetadata, tuple[int, ...] | None]:
+    """How an array's chunks are laid out: its chunk grid and, if it is sharded, the
+    inner chunk shape."""
+    grid = metadata.chunks if isinstance(metadata, ArrayV2Metadata) else metadata.chunk_grid
+    sharding = _sharding_codec(metadata)
+    return grid, None if sharding is None else sharding.chunk_shape
+
+
 def _sharding_codec(metadata: ArrayMetadata) -> ShardingCodec | None:
     """The array's sharding codec, or None if the array is not sharded.
 
@@ -5805,58 +5873,6 @@ async def _set_selection(
     )
 
 
-async def _setitem(
-    store_path: StorePath,
-    metadata: ArrayMetadata,
-    codec_pipeline: CodecPipeline,
-    config: ArrayConfig,
-    chunk_grid: ChunkGrid,
-    selection: BasicSelection,
-    value: npt.ArrayLike,
-    prototype: BufferPrototype | None = None,
-) -> None:
-    """
-    Set values in the array using basic indexing.
-
-    Parameters
-    ----------
-    store_path : StorePath
-        The store path of the array.
-    metadata : ArrayMetadata
-        The array metadata.
-    codec_pipeline : CodecPipeline
-        The codec pipeline for encoding/decoding.
-    config : ArrayConfig
-        The array configuration.
-    chunk_grid : ChunkGrid
-        The chunk grid.
-    selection : BasicSelection
-        The selection defining the region of the array to set.
-    value : npt.ArrayLike
-        The values to be written into the selected region of the array.
-    prototype : BufferPrototype or None, optional
-        A prototype buffer that defines the structure and properties of the array chunks being modified.
-        If None, the default buffer prototype is used.
-    """
-    if prototype is None:
-        prototype = default_buffer_prototype()
-    indexer = BasicIndexer(
-        selection,
-        shape=metadata.shape,
-        chunk_grid=chunk_grid,
-    )
-    return await _set_selection(
-        store_path,
-        metadata,
-        codec_pipeline,
-        config,
-        chunk_grid,
-        indexer,
-        value,
-        prototype=prototype,
-    )
-
-
 async def _resize(
     array: AsyncArray[ArrayV2Metadata] | AsyncArray[ArrayV3Metadata],
     new_shape: ShapeLike,
@@ -5906,7 +5922,7 @@ async def _delete_key(key: str) -> None:
         )
 
     # Write new metadata
-    await save_metadata(array.store_path, new_metadata)
+    await array._save_metadata(new_metadata)
 
     # Update metadata and chunk_grid (in place)
     object.__setattr__(array, "metadata", new_metadata)
@@ -5971,15 +5987,7 @@ async def _append(
         slice(None) if i != axis else slice(old_shape[i], new_shape[i])
         for i in range(len(array.shape))
     )
-    await _setitem(
-        array.store_path,
-        array.metadata,
-        array.codec_pipeline,
-        array.config,
-        array._chunk_grid,
-        append_selection,
-        data,
-    )
+    await array.setitem(append_selection, data)
 
     return new_shape
 
@@ -6006,7 +6014,7 @@ async def _update_attributes(
     array.metadata.attributes.update(new_attributes)
 
     # Write new metadata
-    await save_metadata(array.store_path, array.metadata)
+    await array._save_metadata(array.metadata)
 
     return array