ECMAScript® 2024 Language Specification

Draft ECMA-262 / February 15, 2024

20.5 Error Objects

Instances of Error objects are thrown as exceptions when runtime errors occur. The Error objects may also serve as base objects for user-defined exception classes.

When an ECMAScript implementation detects a runtime error, it throws a new instance of one of the NativeError objects defined in 20.5.5 or a new instance of AggregateError object defined in 20.5.7. Each of these objects has the structure described below, differing only in the name used as the constructor name instead of NativeError, in the "name" property of the prototype object, in the implementation-defined "message" property of the prototype object, and in the presence of the %AggregateError%-specific "errors" property.

20.5.1 The Error Constructor

The Error constructor:

  • is %Error%.
  • is the initial value of the "Error" property of the global object.
  • creates and initializes a new Error object when called as a function rather than as a constructor. Thus the function call Error(…) is equivalent to the object creation expression new Error(…) with the same arguments.
  • may be used as the value of an extends clause of a class definition. Subclass constructors that intend to inherit the specified Error behaviour must include a super call to the Error constructor to create and initialize subclass instances with an [[ErrorData]] internal slot.

20.5.1.1 Error ( message [ , options ] )

This function performs the following steps when called:

  1. If NewTarget is undefined, let newTarget be the active function object; else let newTarget be NewTarget.
  2. Let O be ? OrdinaryCreateFromConstructor(newTarget, "%Error.prototype%", « [[ErrorData]] »).
  3. If message is not undefined, then
    1. Let msg be ? ToString(message).
    2. Perform CreateNonEnumerableDataPropertyOrThrow(O, "message", msg).
  4. Perform ? InstallErrorCause(O, options).
  5. Return O.

20.5.2 Properties of the Error Constructor

The Error constructor:

  • has a [[Prototype]] internal slot whose value is %Function.prototype%.
  • has the following properties:

20.5.2.1 Error.prototype

The initial value of Error.prototype is the Error prototype object.

This property has the attributes { [[Writable]]: false, [[Enumerable]]: false, [[Configurable]]: false }.

20.5.3 Properties of the Error Prototype Object

The Error prototype object:

  • is %Error.prototype%.
  • is an ordinary object.
  • is not an Error instance and does not have an [[ErrorData]] internal slot.
  • has a [[Prototype]] internal slot whose value is %Object.prototype%.

20.5.3.1 Error.prototype.constructor

The initial value of Error.prototype.constructor is %Error%.

20.5.3.2 Error.prototype.message

The initial value of Error.prototype.message is the empty String.

20.5.3.3 Error.prototype.name

The initial value of Error.prototype.name is "Error".

20.5.3.4 Error.prototype.toString ( )

This method performs the following steps when called:

  1. Let O be the this value.
  2. If O is not an Object, throw a TypeError exception.
  3. Let name be ? Get(O, "name").
  4. If name is undefined, set name to "Error"; otherwise set name to ? ToString(name).
  5. Let msg be ? Get(O, "message").
  6. If msg is undefined, set msg to the empty String; otherwise set msg to ? ToString(msg).
  7. If name is the empty String, return msg.
  8. If msg is the empty String, return name.
  9. Return the string-concatenation of name, the code unit 0x003A (COLON), the code unit 0x0020 (SPACE), and msg.

20.5.4 Properties of Error Instances

Error instances are ordinary objects that inherit properties from the Error prototype object and have an [[ErrorData]] internal slot whose value is undefined. The only specified uses of [[ErrorData]] is to identify Error, AggregateError, and NativeError instances as Error objects within Object.prototype.toString.

20.5.5 Native Error Types Used in This Standard

A new instance of one of the NativeError objects below or of the AggregateError object is thrown when a runtime error is detected. All NativeError objects share the same structure, as described in 20.5.6.

20.5.5.1 EvalError

The EvalError constructor is %EvalError%.

This exception is not currently used within this specification. This object remains for compatibility with previous editions of this specification.

20.5.5.2 RangeError

The RangeError constructor is %RangeError%.

Indicates a value that is not in the set or range of allowable values.

20.5.5.3 ReferenceError

The ReferenceError constructor is %ReferenceError%.

Indicate that an invalid reference has been detected.

20.5.5.4 SyntaxError

The SyntaxError constructor is %SyntaxError%.

Indicates that a parsing error has occurred.

20.5.5.5 TypeError

The TypeError constructor is %TypeError%.

TypeError is used to indicate an unsuccessful operation when none of the other NativeError objects are an appropriate indication of the failure cause.

20.5.5.6 URIError

The URIError constructor is %URIError%.

Indicates that one of the global URI handling functions was used in a way that is incompatible with its definition.

20.5.6 NativeError Object Structure

When an ECMAScript implementation detects a runtime error, it throws a new instance of one of the NativeError objects defined in 20.5.5. Each of these objects has the structure described below, differing only in the name used as the constructor name instead of NativeError, in the "name" property of the prototype object, and in the implementation-defined "message" property of the prototype object.

For each error object, references to NativeError in the definition should be replaced with the appropriate error object name from 20.5.5.

20.5.6.1 The NativeError Constructors

Each NativeError constructor:

  • creates and initializes a new NativeError object when called as a function rather than as a constructor. A call of the object as a function is equivalent to calling it as a constructor with the same arguments. Thus the function call NativeError(…) is equivalent to the object creation expression new NativeError(…) with the same arguments.
  • may be used as the value of an extends clause of a class definition. Subclass constructors that intend to inherit the specified NativeError behaviour must include a super call to the NativeError constructor to create and initialize subclass instances with an [[ErrorData]] internal slot.

20.5.6.1.1 NativeError ( message [ , options ] )

Each NativeError function performs the following steps when called:

  1. If NewTarget is undefined, let newTarget be the active function object; else let newTarget be NewTarget.
  2. Let O be ? OrdinaryCreateFromConstructor(newTarget, "%NativeError.prototype%", « [[ErrorData]] »).
  3. If message is not undefined, then
    1. Let msg be ? ToString(message).
    2. Perform CreateNonEnumerableDataPropertyOrThrow(O, "message", msg).
  4. Perform ? InstallErrorCause(O, options).
  5. Return O.

The actual value of the string passed in step 2 is either "%EvalError.prototype%", "%RangeError.prototype%", "%ReferenceError.prototype%", "%SyntaxError.prototype%", "%TypeError.prototype%", or "%URIError.prototype%" corresponding to which NativeError constructor is being defined.

20.5.6.2 Properties of the NativeError Constructors

Each NativeError constructor:

  • has a [[Prototype]] internal slot whose value is %Error%.
  • has a "name" property whose value is the String value "NativeError".
  • has the following properties:

20.5.6.2.1 NativeError.prototype

The initial value of NativeError.prototype is a NativeError prototype object (20.5.6.3). Each NativeError constructor has a distinct prototype object.

This property has the attributes { [[Writable]]: false, [[Enumerable]]: false, [[Configurable]]: false }.

20.5.6.3 Properties of the NativeError Prototype Objects

Each NativeError prototype object:

  • is an ordinary object.
  • is not an Error instance and does not have an [[ErrorData]] internal slot.
  • has a [[Prototype]] internal slot whose value is %Error.prototype%.

20.5.6.3.1 NativeError.prototype.constructor

The initial value of the "constructor" property of the prototype for a given NativeError constructor is the constructor itself.

20.5.6.3.2 NativeError.prototype.message

The initial value of the "message" property of the prototype for a given NativeError constructor is the empty String.

20.5.6.3.3 NativeError.prototype.name

The initial value of the "name" property of the prototype for a given NativeError constructor is the String value consisting of the name of the constructor (the name used instead of NativeError).

20.5.6.4 Properties of NativeError Instances

NativeError instances are ordinary objects that inherit properties from their NativeError prototype object and have an [[ErrorData]] internal slot whose value is undefined. The only specified use of [[ErrorData]] is by Object.prototype.toString (20.1.3.6) to identify Error, AggregateError, or NativeError instances.

20.5.7 AggregateError Objects

20.5.7.1 The AggregateError Constructor

The AggregateError constructor:

  • is %AggregateError%.
  • is the initial value of the "AggregateError" property of the global object.
  • creates and initializes a new AggregateError object when called as a function rather than as a constructor. Thus the function call AggregateError(…) is equivalent to the object creation expression new AggregateError(…) with the same arguments.
  • may be used as the value of an extends clause of a class definition. Subclass constructors that intend to inherit the specified AggregateError behaviour must include a super call to the AggregateError constructor to create and initialize subclass instances with an [[ErrorData]] internal slot.

20.5.7.1.1 AggregateError ( errors, message [ , options ] )

This function performs the following steps when called:

  1. If NewTarget is undefined, let newTarget be the active function object; else let newTarget be NewTarget.
  2. Let O be ? OrdinaryCreateFromConstructor(newTarget, "%AggregateError.prototype%", « [[ErrorData]] »).
  3. If message is not undefined, then
    1. Let msg be ? ToString(message).
    2. Perform CreateNonEnumerableDataPropertyOrThrow(O, "message", msg).
  4. Perform ? InstallErrorCause(O, options).
  5. Let errorsList be ? IteratorToList(? GetIterator(errors, sync)).
  6. Perform ! DefinePropertyOrThrow(O, "errors", PropertyDescriptor { [[Configurable]]: true, [[Enumerable]]: false, [[Writable]]: true, [[Value]]: CreateArrayFromList(errorsList) }).
  7. Return O.

20.5.7.2 Properties of the AggregateError Constructor

The AggregateError constructor:

  • has a [[Prototype]] internal slot whose value is %Error%.
  • has the following properties:

20.5.7.2.1 AggregateError.prototype

The initial value of AggregateError.prototype is %AggregateError.prototype%.

This property has the attributes { [[Writable]]: false, [[Enumerable]]: false, [[Configurable]]: false }.

20.5.7.3 Properties of the AggregateError Prototype Object

The AggregateError prototype object:

  • is %AggregateError.prototype%.
  • is an ordinary object.
  • is not an Error instance or an AggregateError instance and does not have an [[ErrorData]] internal slot.
  • has a [[Prototype]] internal slot whose value is %Error.prototype%.

20.5.7.3.1 AggregateError.prototype.constructor

The initial value of AggregateError.prototype.constructor is %AggregateError%.

20.5.7.3.2 AggregateError.prototype.message

The initial value of AggregateError.prototype.message is the empty String.

20.5.7.3.3 AggregateError.prototype.name

The initial value of AggregateError.prototype.name is "AggregateError".

20.5.7.4 Properties of AggregateError Instances

AggregateError instances are ordinary objects that inherit properties from their AggregateError prototype object and have an [[ErrorData]] internal slot whose value is undefined. The only specified use of [[ErrorData]] is by Object.prototype.toString (20.1.3.6) to identify Error, AggregateError, or NativeError instances.

20.5.8 Abstract Operations for Error Objects

20.5.8.1 InstallErrorCause ( O, options )

The abstract operation InstallErrorCause takes arguments O (an Object) and options (an ECMAScript language value) and returns either a normal completion containing unused or a throw completion. It is used to create a "cause" property on O when a "cause" property is present on options. It performs the following steps when called:

  1. If options is an Object and ? HasProperty(options, "cause") is true, then
    1. Let cause be ? Get(options, "cause").
    2. Perform CreateNonEnumerableDataPropertyOrThrow(O, "cause", cause).
  2. Return unused.