Question 1

How to set up power-assert with Jest and Babel?

Accepted Answer

Install babel-preset-power-assert or babel-plugin-espower and configure Babel to transform your test files. Since Jest works with Babel, this allows power-assert to enhance assertions automatically, but ensure Jest's Babel configuration includes the preset or plugin.

Question 2

Power assert vs Chai: which is better for debugging?

Accepted Answer

Power-assert excels at visualizing complex boolean expressions with detailed error breakdowns, while Chai offers more readable syntax with specific matchers. For deep debugging of expression failures, power-assert is superior, but Chai might be preferred for test clarity with custom assertions.

Question 3

Can I use power-assert with TypeScript without Babel?

Accepted Answer

Yes, via espower-typescript, which instruments TypeScript code directly. This allows power-assert to work in TypeScript projects without Babel, though setup may require configuring your build process to use this instrumentor, as mentioned in the README.

Question 4

What's the easiest way to start using power-assert in a Node.js project?

Accepted Answer

Install power-assert and intelli-espower-loader, then require intelli-espower-loader in your test runner (e.g., with Mocha's --require flag). This automatically enhances assert calls without additional code changes, making it a simple drop-in for Node.js environments.

Question 5

Why do I see 'Critical dependencies' warnings with webpack and power-assert?

Accepted Answer

These warnings arise from webpack's handling of dynamic requires in instrumentors like babel-plugin-espower. To suppress them, adjust webpack configuration or use specific loader options, as detailed in the power-assert FAQ entries on GitHub.

Question 6

How to migrate from should.js to power-assert?

Accepted Answer

Use the migration tool should2assert provided by the power-assert ecosystem to convert existing test code to standard assert syntax. Then, instrument the code with power-assert via an appropriate tool like intelli-espower-loader for enhanced error messages.

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