assert: wrap original error in ifError

It is hard to know where ifError is actually triggered due to the
original error being thrown.
This changes it by wrapping the original error in a AssertionError.
This has the positive effect of also making clear that it is indeed
a assertion function that triggered that error.

The original stack can still be accessed by checking the `actual`
property.

PR-URL: https://github.com/nodejs/node/pull/18247
Reviewed-By: Matteo Collina <matteo.collina@gmail.com>
Reviewed-By: James M Snell <jasnell@gmail.com>

1 files changed, 8 insertions, 3 deletions

diff --git a/doc/api/assert.md b/doc/api/assert.md
index 339351db8b..80b3019ad8 100644
--- a/doc/api/assert.md
+++ b/doc/api/assert.md
@@ -469,6 +469,11 @@ suppressFrame();
 ## assert.ifError(value)
 <!-- YAML
 added: v0.1.97
+changes:
+  - version: REPLACEME
+    pr-url: https://github.com/nodejs/node/pull/18247
+    description: Instead of throwing the original error it is now wrapped into
+                 a AssertionError that contains the full stack trace.
 -->
 * `value` {any}
 
@@ -483,11 +488,11 @@ assert.ifError(null);
 assert.ifError(0);
 // OK
 assert.ifError(1);
-// Throws 1
+// AssertionError [ERR_ASSERTION]: ifError got unwanted exception: 1
 assert.ifError('error');
-// Throws 'error'
+// AssertionError [ERR_ASSERTION]: ifError got unwanted exception: 'error'
 assert.ifError(new Error());
-// Throws Error
+// AssertionError [ERR_ASSERTION]: ifError got unwanted exception: Error
 ```
 
 ## assert.notDeepEqual(actual, expected[, message])