assert: special handle identical error names in instance checks

This makes sure that using `assert.throws()` or `assert.rejects()`
in combination with Error classes log appropriate error messages
in case the expected and received constructor name are identical
but not part of the same prototype chain.

PR-URL: https://github.com/nodejs/node/pull/28263
Reviewed-By: Rich Trott <rtrott@gmail.com>
Reviewed-By: Benjamin Gruenbaum <benjamingr@gmail.com>
Reviewed-By: James M Snell <jasnell@gmail.com>

1 files changed, 7 insertions, 3 deletions

diff --git a/lib/assert.js b/lib/assert.js
index 0b256e604e..94104ee881 100644
--- a/lib/assert.js
+++ b/lib/assert.js
@@ -620,10 +620,14 @@ function expectedException(actual, expected, message, fn) {
       generatedMessage = true;
       message = 'The error is expected to be an instance of ' +
         `"${expected.name}". Received `;
-      // TODO: Special handle identical names.
       if (isError(actual)) {
-        const name = actual.constructor && actual.constructor.name;
-        message += `"${name || actual.name}"`;
+        const name = actual.constructor && actual.constructor.name ||
+                     actual.name;
+        if (expected.name === name) {
+          message += 'an error with identical name but a different prototype.';
+        } else {
+          message += `"${name}"`;
+        }
         if (actual.message) {
           message += `\n\nError message:\n\n${actual.message}`;
         }