# serialize-error

> Serialize/deserialize an error into a plain object

Latest version **13.0.1** (published 2026-01-18) · MIT license · 0 weekly downloads

## Install

```sh
npm install serialize-error
pnpm add serialize-error
yarn add serialize-error
bun add serialize-error
```

## Health

**Score 65/100 (B)** — status: stable.

Positive: has types; esm support; no vulnerabilities; high maintenance score; high quality score.

Warnings: low downloads.

## Facts

| | |
|---|---|
| Version | 13.0.1 |
| Published | 2026-01-18 |
| First published | 2015-10-27 |
| Weekly downloads | 0 |
| License | MIT |
| TypeScript types | bundled |
| Module format | ESM |
| Node | >=20 |
| Dependencies | 2 |
| Unpacked size | 19.5 KB |
| Known vulnerabilities | 0 |
| Install scripts | no |
| GitHub stars | 606 |
| Author | Sindre Sorhus |
| Maintainers | sindresorhus |
| Keywords | error, serialize, stringify, object, convert, process, send, cause, deserialize |

## Links

- npm: https://www.npmjs.com/package/serialize-error
- Repository: https://github.com/sindresorhus/serialize-error
- Homepage: https://github.com/sindresorhus/serialize-error#readme
- Issues: https://github.com/sindresorhus/serialize-error/issues
- Funding: https://github.com/sponsors/sindresorhus
- npm.io page: https://npm.io/package/serialize-error

## Dependencies (2)

- [non-error](https://npm.io/package/non-error.md) ^0.1.0
- [type-fest](https://npm.io/package/type-fest.md) ^5.4.1

## Alternatives

- [@sentry/react-native](https://npm.io/package/@sentry/react-native.md) — 2.6M weekly downloads
- [@ardatan/aggregate-error](https://npm.io/package/@ardatan/aggregate-error.md) — 708.1K weekly downloads
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- [@technik-sde/prosemirror-recreate-transform](https://npm.io/package/@technik-sde/prosemirror-recreate-transform.md) — 1.5K weekly downloads
- [@suchipi/error-utils](https://npm.io/package/@suchipi/error-utils.md) — 78 weekly downloads

## Recent versions

- 13.0.1 (latest) — 2026-01-18
- 13.0.0 — 2026-01-16
- 12.0.0 — 2025-01-05
- 11.0.3 — 2023-11-10
- 11.0.2 — 2023-08-25
- 11.0.1 — 2023-08-02
- 11.0.0 — 2022-05-13
- 10.0.0 — 2022-04-18
- 9.1.1 — 2022-03-21
- 9.1.0 — 2022-02-14
- 9.0.0 — 2021-11-17
- 8.1.0 — 2021-04-19
- 8.0.1 — 2021-01-24
- 8.0.0 — 2021-01-08
- 7.0.1 — 2020-05-12
- … 10 more at https://npm.io/package/serialize-error/versions

## README

# serialize-error

> Serialize/deserialize an error into a plain object

Useful if you for example need to `JSON.stringify()` or `process.send()` the error.

## Install

```sh
npm install serialize-error
```

## Usage

```js
import {serializeError, deserializeError} from 'serialize-error';

const error = new Error('🦄');

console.log(error);
//=> [Error: 🦄]

const serialized = serializeError(error);

console.log(serialized);
//=> {name: 'Error', message: '🦄', stack: 'Error: 🦄\n    at Object.<anonymous> …'}

const deserialized = deserializeError(serialized);

console.log(deserialized);
//=> [Error: 🦄]
```

### Error constructors

When a serialized error with a known `name` is encountered, it will be deserialized using the corresponding error constructor, while unknown error names will be deserialized as regular errors:

```js
import {deserializeError} from 'serialize-error';

const known = deserializeError({
	name: 'TypeError',
	message: '🦄'
});

console.log(known);
//=> [TypeError: 🦄] <-- Still a TypeError

const unknown = deserializeError({
	name: 'TooManyCooksError',
	message: '🦄'
});

console.log(unknown);
//=> [Error: 🦄] <-- Just a regular Error
```

The [list of known errors](./error-constructors.js) can be extended globally. This also works if `serialize-error` is a sub-dependency that's not used directly.

```js
import {addKnownErrorConstructor} from 'serialize-error';
import {MyCustomError} from './errors.js'

addKnownErrorConstructor(MyCustomError);
```

For error constructors that require arguments, you can provide a factory function:

```js
import {addKnownErrorConstructor} from 'serialize-error';

class CustomError extends Error {
	name = 'CustomError';

	constructor(message, options) {
		super(message);
		this.code = options.code;
	}
}

addKnownErrorConstructor(CustomError, () => new CustomError('', {code: 'ERR_UNICORN'}));
```

## API

### serializeError(value, options?)

Serialize an `Error` object into a plain object.

- Custom properties are preserved.
- Non-enumerable properties are kept non-enumerable (name, message, stack).
- Enumerable properties are kept enumerable (all properties besides the non-enumerable ones).
- Primitive values (including `null`, `undefined`, strings, numbers, etc.) and functions are wrapped in a `NonError` error and serialized.
- Buffer properties are replaced with `[object Buffer]`.
- Circular references are handled.
- If the input object has a `.toJSON()` method, then it's called instead of serializing the object's properties.
- It's up to `.toJSON()` implementation to handle circular references and enumerability of the properties.

### value

Type: `Error | unknown`

### toJSON implementation examples

```js
import {serializeError} from 'serialize-error';

class ErrorWithDate extends Error {
	constructor() {
		super();
		this.date = new Date();
	}
}

const error = new ErrorWithDate();

console.log(serializeError(error));
//=> {date: '1970-01-01T00:00:00.000Z', name, message, stack}
```

```js
import {serializeError} from 'serialize-error';

const error = new Error('Unicorn');

error.horn = {
	toJSON() {
		return 'x';
	}
};

serializeError(error);
// => {horn: 'x', name, message, stack}
```

### deserializeError(value, options?)

Deserialize a plain object or any value into an `Error` object.

- `Error` objects are passed through.
- Objects that have at least a `message` property are interpreted as errors.
- All other values are wrapped in a `NonError` error.
- Custom properties are preserved.
- Non-enumerable properties are kept non-enumerable (name, message, stack, cause).
- Enumerable properties are kept enumerable (all properties besides the non-enumerable ones).
- Circular references are handled.
- [Native error constructors](./error-constructors.js) are preserved (TypeError, DOMException, etc) and [more can be added.](#error-constructors)

### value

Type: `{message: string} | unknown`

### options

Type: `object`

#### maxDepth

Type: `number`\
Default: `Number.POSITIVE_INFINITY`

The maximum depth of properties to preserve when serializing/deserializing.

```js
import {serializeError} from 'serialize-error';

const error = new Error('🦄');
error.one = {two: {three: {}}};

console.log(serializeError(error, {maxDepth: 1}));
//=> {name: 'Error', message: '🦄', one: {}}

console.log(serializeError(error, {maxDepth: 2}));
//=> {name: 'Error', message: '🦄', one: { two: {}}}
```

#### useToJSON

Type: `boolean`\
Default: `true`

Indicate whether to use a `.toJSON()` method if encountered in the object. This is useful when a custom error implements [its own serialization logic via `.toJSON()`](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/JSON/stringify#tojson_behavior) but you prefer to not use it.

### isErrorLike(value)

Predicate to determine whether a value looks like an error, even if it's not an instance of `Error`. It must have at least the `name`, `message`, and `stack` properties.

```js
import {isErrorLike} from 'serialize-error';

const error = new Error('🦄');
error.one = {two: {three: {}}};

isErrorLike({
	name: 'DOMException',
	message: 'It happened',
	stack: 'at foo (index.js:2:9)',
});
//=> true

isErrorLike(new Error('🦄'));
//=> true

isErrorLike(serializeError(new Error('🦄')));
//=> true

isErrorLike({
	name: 'Bluberricious pancakes',
	stack: 12,
	ingredients: 'Blueberry',
});
//=> false
```

---
_Source: https://npm.io/package/serialize-error · Machine-readable twin of the npm.io package page. Health data is recomputed on every publish._