serialize-error-cjs

Serialize/deserialize an error into a plain object in commonjs

Loosely based on serialize-error, but with support for commonjs projects.

Useful if you for example need to JSON.stringify() or process.send() the error.

Install

npm install serialize-error-cjs

Usage

import {serializeError, deserializeError} from 'serialize-error-cjs';

const error = new Error('🦄');

console.log(error);
//=> [Error: 🦄]

const serialized = serializeError(error);

console.log(serialized);
//=> {name: 'Error', message: '🦄', stack: 'Error: 🦄\n    at Object.<anonymous> …'}

const deserialized = deserializeError(serialized);

console.log(deserialized);
//=> [Error: 🦄]

Error constructors

When a serialized error with a known name is encountered, it will be deserialized using the corresponding error constructor, while unknown error names will be deserialized as regular errors:

import {deserializeError} from 'serialize-error';

const known = deserializeError({
  name: 'TypeError',
  message: '🦄'
});

console.log(known);
//=> [TypeError: 🦄] <-- Still a TypeError

const unknown = deserializeError({
  name: 'TooManyCooksError',
  message: '🦄'
});

console.log(unknown);
//=> [Error: 🦄] <-- Just a regular Error

The list of known errors can be extended globally. This also works if serialize-error-cjs is a sub-dependency that's not used directly.

import {errorConstructors} from 'serialize-error-cjs';
import {MyCustomError} from './errors.js'

errorConstructors.set('MyCustomError', MyCustomError)

Warning: Only simple errors are supported. The constructor of errors classes will NOT be called during deserialization, so if your custom error relies on it being called it will not work.

API

serializeError(value: T extends Error): SerializedError

Serialize an Error object into a plain object.

• Custom properties NOT are preserved.
• Non-enumerable properties are kept non-enumerable (name, message, stack).
• Circular references are NOT handled.

deserializeError<T extends Error>(value: SerializedError): T

Deserialize a plain object or any value into an Error object.

• All passed values are interpreted as errors
• Custom properties are NOT preserved
• Non-enumerable properties are kept non-enumerable (name, message, stack, cause)
• Circular references are NOT handled
• The constructor method of the class is NOT called