test: use RegExp.escape to improve test reliability

PR-URL: #60803 Reviewed-By: LiviaMedeiros <livia@cirno.name> Reviewed-By: Benjamin Gruenbaum <benjamingr@gmail.com> Reviewed-By: Luigi Pinca <luigipinca@gmail.com> Reviewed-By: Colin Ihrig <cjihrig@gmail.com>
nodejs · ruyadorno · Feb 24, 2026 · Jan 24, 2026 · Jan 25, 2026 · Jan 30, 2026
commit aeed0ccc02b274db8bed642aabada27fcb095c25
diff --git a/test/common/assertSnapshot.js b/test/common/assertSnapshot.js
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ function replaceTestDuration(str) {
 
 const root = path.resolve(__dirname, '..', '..');
 const color = '(\\[\\d+m)';
-const stackTraceBasePath = new RegExp(`${color}\\(${root.replaceAll(/[\\^$*+?.()|[\]{}]/g, '\\$&')}/?${color}(.*)${color}\\)`, 'g');
+const stackTraceBasePath = new RegExp(`${color}\\(${RegExp.escape(root)}/?${color}(.*)${color}\\)`, 'g');
 
 function replaceSpecDuration(str) {
   return str

diff --git a/test/parallel/test-crypto-argon2.js b/test/parallel/test-crypto-argon2.js
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ for (const [algorithm, overrides, expected] of good) {
 for (const [algorithm, overrides, param] of bad) {
   const expected = {
     code: 'ERR_OUT_OF_RANGE',
-    message: new RegExp(`The value of "${param}" is out of range`),
+    message: new RegExp(`The value of "${RegExp.escape(param)}" is out of range`),
   };
   const parameters = { ...defaults, ...overrides };
   assert.throws(() => crypto.argon2(algorithm, parameters, () => {}), expected);
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ for (const [algorithm, overrides, param] of bad) {
 for (const key of Object.keys(defaults)) {
   const expected = {
     code: 'ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE',
-    message: new RegExp(`"parameters\\.${key}"`),
+    message: new RegExp(`"parameters\\.${RegExp.escape(key)}"`),
   };
   const parameters = { ...defaults };
   delete parameters[key];

diff --git a/test/parallel/test-crypto-x509.js b/test/parallel/test-crypto-x509.js
@@ -296,7 +296,7 @@ oans248kpal88CGqsN2so/wZKxVnpiXlPHMdiNL7hRSUqlHkUi07FrP2Htg8kjI=
       'OCSP - URI': ['http://ocsp.nodejs.org/'],
       'CA Issuers - URI': ['http://ca.nodejs.org/ca.cert']
     }),
-    modulusPattern: new RegExp(`^${modulusOSSL}$`, 'i'),
+    modulusPattern: new RegExp(`^${RegExp.escape(modulusOSSL)}$`, 'i'),
     bits: 2048,
     exponent: '0x10001',
     valid_from: 'Sep  3 21:40:37 2022 GMT',

diff --git a/test/parallel/test-module-loading-globalpaths.js b/test/parallel/test-module-loading-globalpaths.js
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ if (process.argv[2] === 'child') {
       child_process.execFileSync(testExecPath, [ __filename, 'child' ],
                                  { encoding: 'utf8', env: env });
     },
-    new RegExp(`Cannot find module '${pkgName}'`));
+    new RegExp(`Cannot find module '${RegExp.escape(pkgName)}'`));
 
   // Test module in $HOME/.node_modules.
   const modHomeDir = path.join(testFixturesDir, 'home-pkg-in-node_modules');

diff --git a/test/parallel/test-permission-warning-flags.js b/test/parallel/test-permission-warning-flags.js
@@ -21,6 +21,6 @@ for (const flag of warnFlags) {
     ]
   );
 
-  assert.match(stderr.toString(), new RegExp(`SecurityWarning: The flag ${flag} must be used with extreme caution`));
+  assert.match(stderr.toString(), new RegExp(`SecurityWarning: The flag ${RegExp.escape(flag)} must be used with extreme caution`));
   assert.strictEqual(status, 0);
 }
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-process-env-allowed-flags-are-documented.js b/test/parallel/test-process-env-allowed-flags-are-documented.js
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ const cliMd = path.join(rootDir, 'doc', 'api', 'cli.md');
 const cliText = fs.readFileSync(cliMd, { encoding: 'utf8' });
 
 const parseSection = (text, startMarker, endMarker) => {
-  const regExp = new RegExp(`${startMarker}\r?\n([^]*)\r?\n${endMarker}`);
+  const regExp = new RegExp(`${RegExp.escape(startMarker)}\r?\n([^]*)\r?\n${RegExp.escape(endMarker)}`);
   const match = text.match(regExp);
   assert(match,
          `Unable to locate text between '${startMarker}' and '${endMarker}'.`);

diff --git a/test/parallel/test-release-changelog.js b/test/parallel/test-release-changelog.js
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ const fs = require('fs');
 const path = require('path');
 
 const getDefine = (text, name) => {
-  const regexp = new RegExp(`#define\\s+${name}\\s+(.*)`);
+  const regexp = new RegExp(`#define\\s+${RegExp.escape(name)}\\s+(.*)`);
   const match = regexp.exec(text);
   assert.notStrictEqual(match, null);
   return match[1];
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ if (!release) {
 const major = getDefine(versionText, 'NODE_MAJOR_VERSION');
 const minor = getDefine(versionText, 'NODE_MINOR_VERSION');
 const patch = getDefine(versionText, 'NODE_PATCH_VERSION');
-const versionForRegex = `${major}\\.${minor}\\.${patch}`;
+const versionForRegex = RegExp.escape(`${major}.${minor}.${patch}`);
 
 const lts = getDefine(versionText, 'NODE_VERSION_IS_LTS') !== '0';
 const codename = getDefine(versionText, 'NODE_VERSION_LTS_CODENAME').slice(1, -1);
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ const changelogPath = `doc/changelogs/CHANGELOG_V${major}.md`;
   // Check table header
   let tableHeader;
   if (lts) {
-    tableHeader = new RegExp(`<th>LTS '${codename}'</th>`);
+    tableHeader = new RegExp(`<th>LTS '${RegExp.escape(codename)}'</th>`);
   } else {
     tableHeader = /<th>Current<\/th>/;
   }
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ const changelogPath = `doc/changelogs/CHANGELOG_V${major}.md`;
   // Check title for changelog entry.
   let title;
   if (lts) {
-    title = new RegExp(`## \\d{4}-\\d{2}-\\d{2}, Version ${versionForRegex} '${codename}' \\(LTS\\), @\\S+`);
+    title = new RegExp(`## \\d{4}-\\d{2}-\\d{2}, Version ${versionForRegex} '${RegExp.escape(codename)}' \\(LTS\\), @\\S+`);
   } else {
     title = new RegExp(`## \\d{4}-\\d{2}-\\d{2}, Version ${versionForRegex} \\(Current\\), @\\S+`);
   }
@@ -70,20 +70,20 @@ const changelogPath = `doc/changelogs/CHANGELOG_V${major}.md`;
   // Check for the link to the appropriate CHANGELOG_V*.md file.
   let linkToChangelog;
   if (lts) {
-    linkToChangelog = new RegExp(`\\[Node\\.js ${major}\\]\\(${changelogPath}\\) \\*\\*Long Term Support\\*\\*`);
+    linkToChangelog = new RegExp(`\\[Node\\.js ${major}\\]\\(${RegExp.escape(changelogPath)}\\) \\*\\*Long Term Support\\*\\*`);
   } else {
-    linkToChangelog = new RegExp(`\\[Node\\.js ${major}\\]\\(${changelogPath}\\) \\*\\*Current\\*\\*`);
+    linkToChangelog = new RegExp(`\\[Node\\.js ${major}\\]\\(${RegExp.escape(changelogPath)}\\) \\*\\*Current\\*\\*`);
   }
   assert.match(mainChangelog, linkToChangelog);
   // Check table header.
   let tableHeader;
   if (lts) {
-    tableHeader = new RegExp(`<th title="LTS Until \\d{4}-\\d{2}"><a href="${changelogPath}">${major}</a> \\(LTS\\)</th>`);
+    tableHeader = new RegExp(`<th title="LTS Until \\d{4}-\\d{2}"><a href="${RegExp.escape(changelogPath)}">${major}</a> \\(LTS\\)</th>`);
   } else {
-    tableHeader = new RegExp(`<th title="Current"><a href="${changelogPath}">${major}</a> \\(Current\\)</th>`);
+    tableHeader = new RegExp(`<th title="Current"><a href="${RegExp.escape(changelogPath)}">${major}</a> \\(Current\\)</th>`);
   }
   assert.match(mainChangelog, tableHeader);
   // Check the table contains a link to the release in the appropriate CHANGELOG_V*.md file.
-  const linkToVersion = new RegExp(`<b><a href="${changelogPath}#${versionForRegex}">${versionForRegex}</a></b><br/>`);
+  const linkToVersion = new RegExp(`<b><a href="${RegExp.escape(changelogPath)}#${versionForRegex}">${versionForRegex}</a></b><br/>`);
   assert.match(mainChangelog, linkToVersion);
 }
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-repl-custom-eval-previews.js b/test/parallel/test-repl-custom-eval-previews.js
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ describe('with previews', () => {
     );
     const lines = getSingleCommandLines(output);
     assert.match(lines.command, /^'Hello custom' \+ ' eval World!'/);
-    assert.match(lines.prompt, new RegExp(`${testingReplPrompt}$`));
+    assert.match(lines.prompt, new RegExp(`${RegExp.escape(testingReplPrompt)}$`));
     assert.strictEqual(lines.result, "'Hello custom eval World!'");
     assert.strictEqual(lines.preview, undefined);
   });
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ describe('with previews', () => {
     );
     const lines = getSingleCommandLines(output);
     assert.match(lines.command, /^'Hello custom' \+ ' eval World!'/);
-    assert.match(lines.prompt, new RegExp(`${testingReplPrompt}$`));
+    assert.match(lines.prompt, new RegExp(`${RegExp.escape(testingReplPrompt)}$`));
     assert.strictEqual(lines.result, "'Hello custom eval World!'");
     assert.match(lines.preview, /'Hello custom eval World!'/);
   });

diff --git a/test/parallel/test-util-inspect.js b/test/parallel/test-util-inspect.js
@@ -3190,11 +3190,10 @@ assert.strictEqual(
       frame.replaceAll('/', '\\'))
     ).join('\n');
   }
-  const escapedCWD = util.inspect(process.cwd()).slice(1, -1);
   util.inspect(err, { colors: true }).split('\n').forEach(common.mustCallAtLeast((line, i) => {
     let expected = stack[i].replace(/node_modules\/(@[^/]+\/[^/]+|[^/]+)/gi, (_, m) => {
       return `node_modules/\u001b[4m${m}\u001b[24m`;
-    }).replaceAll(new RegExp(`(\\(?${escapedCWD}(\\\\|/))`, 'gi'), (_, m) => {
+    }).replaceAll(new RegExp(`(\\(?${RegExp.escape(process.cwd())}(\\\\|/))`, 'gi'), (_, m) => {
       return `\x1B[90m${m}\x1B[39m`;
     });
     if (expected.includes(process.cwd()) && expected.endsWith(')')) {

diff --git a/test/parallel/test-watch-mode-kill-signal-default.mjs b/test/parallel/test-watch-mode-kill-signal-default.mjs
@@ -63,5 +63,5 @@ child.on('message', (msg) => {
 
 await once(child, 'exit');
 
-assert.match(stdout, new RegExp(`__SIGTERM received__ ${firstGrandchildPid}`));
-assert.doesNotMatch(stdout, new RegExp(`__SIGINT received__ ${firstGrandchildPid}`));
+assert.match(stdout, new RegExp(`__SIGTERM received__ ${RegExp.escape(firstGrandchildPid)}`));
+assert.doesNotMatch(stdout, new RegExp(`__SIGINT received__ ${RegExp.escape(firstGrandchildPid)}`));
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-watch-mode-kill-signal-override.mjs b/test/parallel/test-watch-mode-kill-signal-override.mjs
@@ -67,5 +67,5 @@ await once(child, 'exit');
 // The second grandchild, if there is one, could receive SIGTERM if it's killed as a
 // consequence of the parent being killed in this process instead of being killed by the
 // parent for file changes. Here we only care about the first grandchild.
-assert.match(stdout, new RegExp(`__SIGINT received__ ${firstGrandchildPid}`));
-assert.doesNotMatch(stdout, new RegExp(`__SIGTERM received__ ${firstGrandchildPid}`));
+assert.match(stdout, new RegExp(`__SIGINT received__ ${RegExp.escape(firstGrandchildPid)}`));
+assert.doesNotMatch(stdout, new RegExp(`__SIGTERM received__ ${RegExp.escape(firstGrandchildPid)}`));
diff --git a/test/parallel/test-whatwg-webstreams-encoding.js b/test/parallel/test-whatwg-webstreams-encoding.js
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ const kEuro = Buffer.from([0xe2, 0x82, 0xac]).toString();
       () => Reflect.get(TextDecoderStream.prototype, getter, {}), {
         name: 'TypeError',
         message: /Cannot read private member/,
-        stack: new RegExp(`at get ${getter}`)
+        stack: new RegExp(`at get ${RegExp.escape(getter)}`)
       }
     );
   });
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ const kEuro = Buffer.from([0xe2, 0x82, 0xac]).toString();
       () => Reflect.get(TextDecoderStream.prototype, getter, {}), {
         name: 'TypeError',
         message: /Cannot read private member/,
-        stack: new RegExp(`at get ${getter}`)
+        stack: new RegExp(`at get ${RegExp.escape(getter)}`)
       }
     );
   });