Features

Ponyfill error.cause on older Node.js and browsers
Properly set error.name
Fix issues when Error has been polyfilled

Example

import {
  ensureCorrectClass,
  ponyfillCause,
  setErrorName,
} from 'error-class-utils'

export class CustomError extends Error {
  constructor(message, parameters) {
    super(message, parameters)

    // Fix some issues when `Error` has been polyfilled
    ensureCorrectClass(this, new.target)

    // Ponyfill `error.cause` on old Node.js/browsers
    ponyfillCause(this, parameters)
  }
}

// Properly set `error.name` as a non-enumerable and inherited property
setErrorName(CustomError, 'CustomError')

import { CustomError } from './errors.js'

const cause = new Error('innerMessage')
const error = new CustomError('message', { cause })
console.log(error instanceof CustomError) // true
console.log(error.name) // 'CustomError'
console.log(error.cause) // Error: innerMessage ...

Install

npm install error-class-utils

This package works in both Node.js >=18.18.0 and browsers.

This is an ES module. It must be loaded using an import or import() statement, not require(). If TypeScript is used, it must be configured to output ES modules, not CommonJS.

API

ensureCorrectClass(error, new.target)

error Error
new.target typeof Error
Return value: void

Some Error polyfills (such as es-shims/error-cause) prevent extending from it. This fixes it.

The second argument must be new.target. This must be called directly inside a class constructor, after super(message, parameters).

import { ensureCorrectClass } from 'error-class-utils'

class CustomError extends Error {
  constructor(message, parameters) {
    super(message, parameters)
    ensureCorrectClass(this, new.target)
  }
}

// Thanks to `ensureCorrectClass()`, this is now always true even when
// `Error` has been polyfilled
console.log(new CustomError('message') instanceof CustomError) // true

ponyfillCause(error, parameters?)

error Error
parameters ErrorParams?
Return value: void

Ponyfills error.cause on older Node.js and browsers.

This must be called inside a class constructor, after super(message, parameters).

import { ponyfillCause } from 'error-class-utils'

class CustomError extends Error {
  constructor(message, parameters) {
    super(message, parameters)
    ponyfillCause(this, parameters)
  }
}

try {
  throw new Error('innerMessage')
} catch (cause) {
  // Works on any platforms thanks to ponyfill
  const error = new CustomError('message', { cause })
  console.log(error.cause.message) // 'innerMessage'
}

setErrorName(ErrorClass, name)

ErrorClass typeof Error
name string
Return value: void

Set an ErrorClass's name.

This must be performed on an error class, not instance. Unlike setting this.name = '...' inside an error's constructor, this follows the native Error classes' pattern where error.name:

Ends with the Error suffix
Matches the constructor's name
Is inherited
Is non-enumerable

import { setErrorName } from 'error-class-utils'

class CustomError extends Error {}
setErrorName(CustomError, 'CustomError')

console.log(CustomError.name) // 'CustomError'
console.log(CustomError.prototype.name) // 'CustomError'

const error = new CustomError('message')
console.log(error.name) // 'CustomError'
console.log(Object.keys(error).includes('name')) // false

Related projects

modern-errors: Handle errors in a simple, stable, consistent way
error-custom-class: Create one error class
error-serializer: Convert errors to/from plain objects
normalize-exception: Normalize exceptions/errors
is-error-instance: Check if a value is an Error instance
merge-error-cause: Merge an error with its cause
set-error-class: Properly update an error's class
set-error-message: Properly update an error's message
wrap-error-message: Properly wrap an error's message
set-error-props: Properly update an error's properties
set-error-stack: Properly update an error's stack
error-cause-polyfill: Polyfill error.cause
handle-cli-error: 💣 Error handler for CLI applications 💥
beautiful-error: Prettify error messages and stacks
log-process-errors: Show some ❤ to Node.js process errors
error-http-response: Create HTTP error responses
winston-error-format: Log errors with Winston

Support

For any question, don't hesitate to submit an issue on GitHub.

Everyone is welcome regardless of personal background. We enforce a Code of conduct in order to promote a positive and inclusive environment.

Contributing

This project was made with ❤️. The simplest way to give back is by starring and sharing it online.

If the documentation is unclear or has a typo, please click on the page's Edit button (pencil icon) and suggest a correction.

If you would like to help us fix a bug or add a new feature, please check our guidelines. Pull requests are welcome!

ehmicky/error-class-utils