The 2012 Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla. Recent conventions have grown so scripted that moments of true spontaneity are rare. This year could be the one that shatters the calm. Damon Winter/The New York Times

There will be no contested convention this year. But that doesn’t mean it won’t get contentious.

And while there is little doubt that Donald J. Trump will emerge from the Republican National Convention in Cleveland as the party’s presidential nominee, there is still some uncertainty about what could unfold there starting July 18.

Over the course of four days, Mr. Trump will have to navigate potential hazards, like hostile delegates suspicious of his conservatism and determined to thwart his candidacy. Complicating matters further, many of those delegates possess an intricate knowledge of the parliamentary process that establishes the convention’s rules and program. Any of them looking to make trouble certainly could try.