Improve error message for immutable descriptors #2664
Merged
+83
−5
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Purpose (TL;DR) - mandatory
Fix issue #2533 by improving the error message for immutable property descriptors to be more helpful and include a link to new FAQ documentation that explains the problem and provides solutions.
Background (Problem in detail) - optional
This PR addresses GitHub issue #2533 (#2533) where users encounter an unhelpful error message when trying to stub properties with immutable descriptors: "Descriptor for property X is non-configurable and non-writable".
This error commonly occurs when:
The original error message provided no guidance on what causes this issue or how to resolve it, leading to user frustration and support requests.
Solution - optional
This solution works by:
lib/sinon/stub.jsto explain that Sinon cannot stub immutable properties and includes a direct link to documentationdocs/faq.mdthat explains what causes immutable descriptors and provides practical solutions like dependency injection and module-level stubbingThe new error message is more actionable and guides users to solutions rather than leaving them confused about what went wrong.
How to verify - mandatory
npm installnpm test- verify all tests pass with the updated error message expectationsdocs/faq.mdand contains helpful content about property descriptor errorsChecklist for author
npm run lintpasses