assert.deepEqual()

assert.deepEqual(actual, expected[, message])

Tests for deep equality between the actual and expected parameters. Primitive values are compared with the equal comparison operator ( == ).

Only enumerable "own" properties are considered. The deepEqual() implementation does not test object prototypes, attached symbols, or non-enumerable properties. This can lead to some potentially surprising results. For example, the following example does not throw an AssertionError because the properties on the Error object are non-enumerable:

// WARNING: This does not throw an AssertionError!
assert.deepEqual(Error('a'), Error('b'));

"Deep" equality means that the enumerable "own" properties of child objects are evaluated also:

const assert = require('assert');

const obj1 = {
  a : {
    b : 1
  }
};
const obj2 = {
  a : {
    b : 2
  }
};
const obj3 = {
  a : {
    b : 1
  }
}
const obj4 = Object.create(obj1);

assert.deepEqual(obj1, obj1);
  // OK, object is equal to itself

assert.deepEqual(obj1, obj2);
  // AssertionError: { a: { b: 1 } } deepEqual { a: { b: 2 } }
  // values of b are different

assert.deepEqual(obj1, obj3);
  // OK, objects are equal

assert.deepEqual(obj1, obj4);
  // AssertionError: { a: { b: 1 } } deepEqual {}
  // Prototypes are ignored

If the values are not equal, an AssertionError is thrown with a message property set equal to the value of the message parameter. If the message parameter is undefined, a default error message is assigned.