Skip to content

Commit

Permalink
doc: explain differences in console.assert between node and browsers
Browse files Browse the repository at this point in the history
Provide an example for implementing browser like behavior for console.assert.

This "fixes" #5340 by providing an
alternative to changing Node.js' implemented behavior. Instead, we
document the differences and show how to work around them if
browser like semantics are desired.

Fixes: #5340
PR-URL: #6169
Reviewed-By: Robert Jefe Lindstädt <[email protected]>
Reviewed-By: Jeff Harris <@techjeffharris>
  • Loading branch information
jasnell authored and Myles Borins committed May 18, 2016
1 parent df5ce6f commit 4ec9ae8
Showing 1 changed file with 41 additions and 0 deletions.
41 changes: 41 additions & 0 deletions doc/api/console.markdown
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -109,6 +109,46 @@ console.assert(false, 'Whoops %s', 'didn\'t work');
// AssertionError: Whoops didn't work
```

*Note: the `console.assert()` method is implemented differently in Node.js
than the `console.assert()` method [available in browsers][web-api-assert].*

Specifically, in browsers, calling `console.assert()` with a falsy
assertion will cause the `message` to be printed to the console without
interrupting execution of subsequent code. In Node.js, however, a falsy
assertion will cause an `AssertionError` to be thrown.

Functionality approximating that implemented by browsers can be implemented
by extending Node.js' `console` and overriding the `console.assert()` method.

In the following example, a simple module is created that extends and overrides
the default behavior of `console` in Node.js.

```js
'use strict';

// Creates a simple extension of console with a
// new impl for assert without monkey-patching.
const myConsole = Object.setPrototypeOf({
assert(assertion, message, ...args) {
try {
console.assert(assertion, message, ...args);
} catch (err) {
console.error(err.stack);
}
}
}, console);

module.exports = myConsole;
```

This can then be used as a direct replacement for the built in console:

```js
const console = require('./myConsole');
console.assert(false, 'this message will print, but no error thrown');
console.log('this will also print');
```

### console.dir(obj[, options])

Uses [`util.inspect()`][] on `obj` and prints the resulting string to `stdout`.
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -225,3 +265,4 @@ The `console.warn()` function is an alias for [`console.error()`][].
[`util.format()`]: util.html#util_util_format_format
[`util.inspect()`]: util.html#util_util_inspect_object_options
[customizing `util.inspect()` colors]: util.html#util_customizing_util_inspect_colors
[web-api-assert]: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/console/assert

0 comments on commit 4ec9ae8

Please sign in to comment.