assert colors don’t match test colors

[remcohaszing]

Version

v20.12.0

Platform

Linux vali 6.8.0-76060800daily20240311-generic #202403110203171019808822.04~1a3dbc7 SMP PREEMPT_DYNAMIC Mon M x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

Subsystem

assert

What steps will reproduce the bug?

Create an empty directory with the following file named test.mjs:

import assert from 'node:assert/strict'
import { test } from 'node:test'

test('fruit', () => {
  assert.equal('apple', 'pear')
})

Now run the following:

node test.mjs
node --test

How often does it reproduce? Is there a required condition?

In my experience always.

What is the expected behavior? Why is that the expected behavior?

I expected the assertion error to always be colorful, at least if the rest of the test output is.

What do you see instead?

The assertion error is colorful when running a test script directly, but not when it’s run via node --test.

Additional information

Potentially related environment variables from my desktop session:

COLORTERM=truecolor
DESKTOP_SESSION=pop
GDMSESSION=pop
SHELL=/bin/zsh
SHLVL=1
TERM=xterm-256color

From a Docker container:

SHLVL=1
TERM=xterm

[cjihrig]

This could be a duplicate of #50397, but I have not confirmed it.

[avivkeller]

This could be a duplicate of #50397, but I have not confirmed it.

It's not. This has to do with the way internal/util/colors handles non-TTY terminals. I've opened a PR to adjust that behavior (#54289)

[cjihrig]

@pmarchini was this issue fixed by your work in #55404?

[pmarchini]

@cjihrig it should be addressed.
I'll take a look to ensure I'm not mistaken, and if not, I'll close the issue!

[pmarchini]

The issue is fixed, closing it now!

[remcohaszing]

On what Node.js version is that? The issue still exists in Node.js 22.13.0

[cjihrig]

Looking at #55404, it looks like that change was released in v23.1.0 and has not been backported to the v22 release line.

[remcohaszing]

IMO a backport would be nice, but definitely not critical. I look forward to seeing this change in a near future. Thanks for fixing this! ❤️