build-support: remove assertMsg, throwIf, and throwIfNot usage (#524535)

pkgs/build-support/appimage/default.nix

@@ -39,9 +39,9 @@ rec {
       src,
       ...
     }:
-    assert lib.assertMsg (
+    assert
       name == null
-    ) "The `name` argument is deprecated. Use `pname` and `version` instead to construct the name.";
+      || throw "The `name` argument is deprecated. Use `pname` and `version` instead to construct the name.";
     pkgs.runCommand "${pname}-${version}-extracted"
       {
         nativeBuildInputs = [ appimage-exec ];

pkgs/build-support/compress-drv/default.nix

@@ -64,9 +64,7 @@ let
     let
       matches = (builtins.length (builtins.split "\\{}" prog) - 1) / 2;
     in
-    lib.assertMsg (
-      matches == 1
-    ) "compressor ${ext} needs to have exactly one '{}', found ${toString matches}";
+    matches == 1 || throw "compressor ${ext} needs to have exactly one '{}', found ${toString matches}";
   mkCmd =
     ext: prog:
     assert validProg ext prog;

pkgs/build-support/dart/build-dart-application/default.nix

@@ -71,8 +71,7 @@ lib.extendMkDerivation {
         if autoPubspecLock == null then
           throw "The pubspecLock argument is required. If import-from-derivation is allowed (it isn't in Nixpkgs), you can set autoPubspecLock to the path to a pubspec.lock instead."
         else
-          assert lib.assertMsg (builtins.pathExists autoPubspecLock)
-            "The pubspec.lock file could not be found!";
+          assert builtins.pathExists autoPubspecLock || throw "The pubspec.lock file could not be found!";
           lib.importJSON (
             runCommand "${lib.getName args}-pubspec-lock-json" {
               nativeBuildInputs = [ yq ];

pkgs/build-support/dart/pub2nix/pubspec-lock.nix

@@ -94,8 +94,9 @@ let
 
   mkPathDependencySource =
     name: details:
-    assert lib.assertMsg details.description.relative
-      "Only relative paths are supported - ${name} has an absolue path!";
+    assert
+      details.description.relative
+      || throw "Only relative paths are supported - ${name} has an absolue path!";
     (
       if lib.isDerivation src then
         src

pkgs/build-support/docker/default.nix

@@ -655,9 +655,12 @@ rec {
       checked =
         lib.warnIf (contents != null)
           "in docker image ${name}: The contents parameter is deprecated. Change to copyToRoot if the contents are designed to be copied to the root filesystem, such as when you use `buildEnv` or similar between contents and your packages. Use copyToRoot = buildEnv { ... }; or similar if you intend to add packages to /bin."
-          lib.throwIf
-          (contents != null && copyToRoot != null)
-          "in docker image ${name}: You can not specify both contents and copyToRoot.";
+          (
+            if (contents != null && copyToRoot != null) then
+              throw "in docker image ${name}: You can not specify both contents and copyToRoot."
+            else
+              x: x
+          );
 
       rootContents = if copyToRoot == null then contents else copyToRoot;
 
@@ -1030,11 +1033,12 @@ rec {
       debug ? false,
     }:
     assert (
-      lib.assertMsg (layeringPipeline == null -> maxLayers > 1)
-        "the maxLayers argument of dockerTools.buildLayeredImage function must be greather than 1 (current value: ${toString maxLayers})"
+      (layeringPipeline == null -> maxLayers > 1)
+      || throw "the maxLayers argument of dockerTools.buildLayeredImage function must be greather than 1 (current value: ${toString maxLayers})"
     );
     assert (
-      lib.assertMsg (enableFakechroot -> !stdenv.hostPlatform.isDarwin) ''
+      (enableFakechroot -> !stdenv.hostPlatform.isDarwin)
+      || throw ''
         cannot use `enableFakechroot` because `proot` is not portable to Darwin. Workarounds:
               - use `fakeRootCommands` with the restricted `fakeroot` environment
               - cross-compile your packages
@@ -1271,11 +1275,11 @@ rec {
       command ? null,
       run ? null,
     }:
-    assert lib.assertMsg (!(drv.drvAttrs.__structuredAttrs or false))
-      "streamNixShellImage: Does not work with the derivation ${drv.name} because it uses __structuredAttrs";
-    assert lib.assertMsg (
-      command == null || run == null
-    ) "streamNixShellImage: Can't specify both command and run";
+    assert
+      !(drv.drvAttrs.__structuredAttrs or false)
+      || throw "streamNixShellImage: Does not work with the derivation ${drv.name} because it uses __structuredAttrs";
+    assert
+      command == null || run == null || throw "streamNixShellImage: Can't specify both command and run";
     let
 
       # A binary that calls the command to build the derivation

pkgs/build-support/fetchbitbucket/default.nix

@@ -24,9 +24,8 @@ lib.makeOverridable (
   }@args:
 
   assert (
-    lib.assertMsg (lib.xor (tag == null) (
-      rev == null
-    )) "fetchFromBitbucket requires one of either `rev` or `tag` to be provided (not both)."
+    lib.xor (tag == null) (rev == null)
+    || throw "fetchFromBitbucket requires one of either `rev` or `tag` to be provided (not both)."
   );
 
   let

pkgs/build-support/fetchgit/default.nix

@@ -177,7 +177,8 @@ lib.makeOverridable (
           sparseCheckoutText =
             # Changed to throw on 2023-06-04
             assert (
-              lib.assertMsg (lib.isList finalAttrs.sparseCheckout) "Please provide directories/patterns for sparse checkout as a list of strings. Passing a (multi-line) string is not supported any more."
+              lib.isList finalAttrs.sparseCheckout
+              || throw "Please provide directories/patterns for sparse checkout as a list of strings. Passing a (multi-line) string is not supported any more."
             );
             assert finalAttrs.nonConeMode -> (finalAttrs.sparseCheckout != [ ]);
             # git-sparse-checkout(1) says:

pkgs/build-support/fetchgithub/default.nix

@@ -59,9 +59,8 @@ decorate (
   }@args:
 
   assert (
-    lib.assertMsg (lib.xor (tag == null) (
-      rev == null
-    )) "fetchFromGitHub requires one of either `rev` or `tag` to be provided (not both)."
+    lib.xor (tag == null) (rev == null)
+    || throw "fetchFromGitHub requires one of either `rev` or `tag` to be provided (not both)."
   );
 
   let

pkgs/build-support/fetchgitiles/default.nix

@@ -14,9 +14,8 @@ lib.makeOverridable (
   }@args:
 
   assert (
-    lib.assertMsg (lib.xor (tag == null) (
-      rev == null
-    )) "fetchFromGitiles requires one of either `rev` or `tag` to be provided (not both)."
+    lib.xor (tag == null) (rev == null)
+    || throw "fetchFromGitiles requires one of either `rev` or `tag` to be provided (not both)."
   );
 
   let

pkgs/build-support/fetchgitlab/default.nix

@@ -27,9 +27,8 @@ lib.makeOverridable (
   }@args:
 
   assert (
-    lib.assertMsg (lib.xor (tag == null) (
-      rev == null
-    )) "fetchFromGitLab requires one of either `rev` or `tag` to be provided (not both)."
+    lib.xor (tag == null) (rev == null)
+    || throw "fetchFromGitLab requires one of either `rev` or `tag` to be provided (not both)."
   );
 
   let
@@ -65,43 +64,46 @@ lib.makeOverridable (
     fetcher = if useFetchGit then fetchgit else fetchzip;
 
     privateAttrs = lib.optionalAttrs private (
-      lib.throwIfNot (protocol == "https") "private token login is only supported for https" {
-        netrcPhase = ''
-          if [ -z "''$${varBase}USERNAME" -o -z "''$${varBase}PASSWORD" ]; then
-            echo "Error: Private fetchFromGitLab requires the nix building process (nix-daemon in multi user mode) to have the ${varBase}USERNAME and ${varBase}PASSWORD env vars set." >&2
-            exit 1
-          fi
-        ''
-        + (
-          if useFetchGit then
-            # GitLab supports HTTP Basic Authentication only when Git is used:
-            # https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/user/project/settings/project_access_tokens.html#project-access-tokens
-            ''
-              cat > netrc <<EOF
-              machine ${domain}
-                      login ''$${varBase}USERNAME
-                      password ''$${varBase}PASSWORD
-              EOF
-            ''
-          else
-            # Access via the GitLab API requires a custom header and does not work
-            # with HTTP Basic Authentication:
-            # https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/api/#personalprojectgroup-access-tokens
-            ''
-              # needed because fetchurl always sets --netrc-file if a netrcPhase is present
-              touch netrc
+      if protocol != "https" then
+        throw "private token login is only supported for https"
+      else
+        {
+          netrcPhase = ''
+            if [ -z "''$${varBase}USERNAME" -o -z "''$${varBase}PASSWORD" ]; then
+              echo "Error: Private fetchFromGitLab requires the nix building process (nix-daemon in multi user mode) to have the ${varBase}USERNAME and ${varBase}PASSWORD env vars set." >&2
+              exit 1
+            fi
+          ''
+          + (
+            if useFetchGit then
+              # GitLab supports HTTP Basic Authentication only when Git is used:
+              # https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/user/project/settings/project_access_tokens.html#project-access-tokens
+              ''
+                cat > netrc <<EOF
+                machine ${domain}
+                        login ''$${varBase}USERNAME
+                        password ''$${varBase}PASSWORD
+                EOF
+              ''
+            else
+              # Access via the GitLab API requires a custom header and does not work
+              # with HTTP Basic Authentication:
+              # https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/api/#personalprojectgroup-access-tokens
+              ''
+                # needed because fetchurl always sets --netrc-file if a netrcPhase is present
+                touch netrc
 
-              cat > private-token <<EOF
-              PRIVATE-TOKEN: ''$${varBase}PASSWORD
-              EOF
-              curlOpts="$curlOpts --header @./private-token"
-            ''
-        );
-        netrcImpureEnvVars = [
-          "${varBase}USERNAME"
-          "${varBase}PASSWORD"
-        ];
-      }
+                cat > private-token <<EOF
+                PRIVATE-TOKEN: ''$${varBase}PASSWORD
+                EOF
+                curlOpts="$curlOpts --header @./private-token"
+              ''
+          );
+          netrcImpureEnvVars = [
+            "${varBase}USERNAME"
+            "${varBase}PASSWORD"
+          ];
+        }
     );
 
     gitRepoUrl = "${protocol}://${domain}/${slug}.git";

pkgs/build-support/fetchhg/default.nix

@@ -30,14 +30,18 @@ lib.extendMkDerivation {
 
       outputHashAlgo = if finalAttrs.hash != null && finalAttrs.hash != "" then null else "sha256";
       outputHashMode = "recursive";
-      outputHash = lib.throwIf (hash != null && sha256 != null) "Only one of sha256 or hash can be set" (
-        if finalAttrs.hash != null then
-          finalAttrs.hash
-        else if sha256 != null then
-          sha256
+      outputHash =
+        if (hash != null && sha256 != null) then
+          throw "Only one of sha256 or hash can be set"
         else
-          ""
-      );
+          (
+            if finalAttrs.hash != null then
+              finalAttrs.hash
+            else if sha256 != null then
+              sha256
+            else
+              ""
+          );
 
       inherit url rev hash;
       inherit preferLocalBuild;

pkgs/build-support/fetchpatch/default.nix

@@ -38,10 +38,10 @@ in
 let
   inherit (args') stripLen extraPrefix;
 in
-lib.throwIfNot (excludes == [ ] || includes == [ ])
-  "fetchpatch: cannot use excludes and includes simultaneously"
-  fetchurl
-  (
+if excludes != [ ] && includes != [ ] then
+  throw "fetchpatch: cannot use excludes and includes simultaneously"
+else
+  fetchurl (
     {
       nativeBuildInputs = [ patchutils ] ++ nativeBuildInputs;
       postFetch = ''

pkgs/build-support/fetchradicle/default.nix

@@ -10,9 +10,9 @@ lib.makeOverridable (
     ...
   }@args:
 
-  assert lib.assertMsg (lib.xor (tag != null) (
-    rev != null
-  )) "fetchFromRadicle requires one of either `rev` or `tag` to be provided (not both).";
+  assert
+    lib.xor (tag != null) (rev != null)
+    || throw "fetchFromRadicle requires one of either `rev` or `tag` to be provided (not both).";
 
   let
     namespacePrefix = lib.optionalString (node != null) "refs/namespaces/${node}/";

pkgs/build-support/fetchradiclepatch/default.nix

@@ -12,9 +12,8 @@ lib.makeOverridable (
     ...
   }@args:
 
-  assert lib.assertMsg (
-    !args ? rev && !args ? tag
-  ) "fetchRadiclePatch does not accept `rev` or `tag` arguments.";
+  assert
+    (!args ? rev && !args ? tag) || throw "fetchRadiclePatch does not accept `rev` or `tag` arguments.";
 
   fetchFromRadicle (
     {

pkgs/build-support/fetchsourcehut/default.nix

@@ -28,9 +28,8 @@ makeOverridable (
   }@args:
 
   assert (
-    lib.assertMsg (lib.xor (tag == null) (
-      rev == null
-    )) "fetchFromSourcehut requires one of either `rev` or `tag` to be provided (not both)."
+    lib.xor (tag == null) (rev == null)
+    || throw "fetchFromSourcehut requires one of either `rev` or `tag` to be provided (not both)."
   );
 
   assert (

pkgs/build-support/fetchtorrent/default.nix

@@ -83,12 +83,16 @@ let
     else
       [ ];
 in
-assert lib.assertMsg (config != { } -> backend == "transmission") ''
-  json config for configuring fetchtorrent only works with the transmission backend
-'';
-assert lib.assertMsg (backend == "transmission" -> flatten') ''
-  `flatten = false` is only supported by the rqbit backend for fetchtorrent
-'';
+assert
+  (config != { } -> backend == "transmission")
+  || throw ''
+    json config for configuring fetchtorrent only works with the transmission backend
+  '';
+assert
+  (backend == "transmission" -> flatten')
+  || throw ''
+    `flatten = false` is only supported by the rqbit backend for fetchtorrent
+  '';
 runCommand name
   {
     inherit meta;

pkgs/build-support/make-pkgconfigitem/default.nix

@@ -34,7 +34,8 @@ let
 
   keywordsSection =
     let
-      mustBeAList = attr: attrName: lib.throwIfNot (lib.isList attr) "'${attrName}' must be a list" attr;
+      mustBeAList =
+        attr: attrName: if !(lib.isList attr) then throw "'${attrName}' must be a list" else attr;
     in
     {
       "Name" = name;

pkgs/build-support/node/fetch-pnpm-deps/default.nix

@@ -60,17 +60,17 @@ in
           pnpm-fixup-state-db;
     in
     # pnpmWorkspace was deprecated, so throw if it's used.
-    assert (lib.throwIf (args ? pnpmWorkspace)
-      "fetchPnpmDeps: `pnpmWorkspace` is no longer supported, please migrate to `pnpmWorkspaces`."
-    ) true;
+    assert
+      !args ? pnpmWorkspace
+      || throw "fetchPnpmDeps: `pnpmWorkspace` is no longer supported, please migrate to `pnpmWorkspaces`.";
 
-    assert (lib.throwIf (fetcherVersion == null)
-      "fetchPnpmDeps: `fetcherVersion` is not set, see https://nixos.org/manual/nixpkgs/stable/#javascript-pnpm-fetcherVersion."
-    ) true;
+    assert
+      fetcherVersion != null
+      || throw "fetchPnpmDeps: `fetcherVersion` is not set, see https://nixos.org/manual/nixpkgs/stable/#javascript-pnpm-fetcherVersion.";
 
-    assert (lib.throwIf (!(builtins.elem fetcherVersion supportedFetcherVersions))
-      "fetchPnpmDeps `fetcherVersion` is not set to a supported value (${lib.concatStringsSep ", " (map toString supportedFetcherVersions)}), see https://nixos.org/manual/nixpkgs/stable/#javascript-pnpm-fetcherVersion."
-    ) true;
+    assert
+      builtins.elem fetcherVersion supportedFetcherVersions
+      || throw "fetchPnpmDeps `fetcherVersion` is not set to a supported value (${lib.concatStringsSep ", " (map toString supportedFetcherVersions)}), see https://nixos.org/manual/nixpkgs/stable/#javascript-pnpm-fetcherVersion.";
 
     lib.warnIf (fetcherVersion < 3)
       "fetchPnpmDeps: `fetcherVersion = ${toString fetcherVersion}` is deprecated and scheduled for removal in the 26.11 release. Please migrate `${pname}` to `fetcherVersion = 3` and regenerate the hash. See https://nixos.org/manual/nixpkgs/stable/#javascript-pnpm-fetcherVersion."

pkgs/build-support/ocaml/topkg.nix

@@ -19,11 +19,10 @@
   ...
 }@args:
 
-lib.throwIf (args ? minimalOCamlVersion && lib.versionOlder ocaml.version args.minimalOCamlVersion)
-  "${pname}-${version} is not available for OCaml ${ocaml.version}"
-
-  stdenv.mkDerivation
-  (
+if (args ? minimalOCamlVersion && lib.versionOlder ocaml.version args.minimalOCamlVersion) then
+  throw "${pname}-${version} is not available for OCaml ${ocaml.version}"
+else
+  stdenv.mkDerivation (
     {
 
       dontAddStaticConfigureFlags = true;

pkgs/build-support/php/builders/v1/build-composer-repository.nix

@@ -24,24 +24,20 @@ let
       phpDrv = finalAttrs.php or php;
       composer = finalAttrs.composer or phpDrv.packages.composer-local-repo-plugin;
     in
-    assert (lib.assertMsg (previousAttrs ? src) "mkComposerRepository expects src argument.");
+    assert previousAttrs ? src || throw "mkComposerRepository expects src argument.";
+    assert previousAttrs ? vendorHash || throw "mkComposerRepository expects vendorHash argument.";
+    assert previousAttrs ? version || throw "mkComposerRepository expects version argument.";
+    assert previousAttrs ? pname || throw "mkComposerRepository expects pname argument.";
     assert (
-      lib.assertMsg (previousAttrs ? vendorHash) "mkComposerRepository expects vendorHash argument."
-    );
-    assert (lib.assertMsg (previousAttrs ? version) "mkComposerRepository expects version argument.");
-    assert (lib.assertMsg (previousAttrs ? pname) "mkComposerRepository expects pname argument.");
-    assert (
-      lib.assertMsg (previousAttrs ? composerNoDev) "mkComposerRepository expects composerNoDev argument."
+      previousAttrs ? composerNoDev || throw "mkComposerRepository expects composerNoDev argument."
     );
     assert (
-      lib.assertMsg (
-        previousAttrs ? composerNoPlugins
-      ) "mkComposerRepository expects composerNoPlugins argument."
+      previousAttrs ? composerNoPlugins
+      || throw "mkComposerRepository expects composerNoPlugins argument."
     );
     assert (
-      lib.assertMsg (
-        previousAttrs ? composerNoScripts
-      ) "mkComposerRepository expects composerNoScripts argument."
+      previousAttrs ? composerNoScripts
+      || throw "mkComposerRepository expects composerNoScripts argument."
     );
     {
       composerNoDev = previousAttrs.composerNoDev or true;

pkgs/build-support/php/builders/v2/build-composer-vendor.nix

@@ -25,9 +25,9 @@ let
       dontCheckForBrokenSymlinks ? true,
       ...
     }@args:
-    assert (lib.assertMsg (args ? pname) "mkComposerVendor expects pname argument.");
-    assert (lib.assertMsg (args ? version) "mkComposerVendor expects version argument.");
-    assert (lib.assertMsg (args ? src) "mkComposerVendor expects src argument.");
+    assert args ? pname || throw "mkComposerVendor expects pname argument.";
+    assert args ? version || throw "mkComposerVendor expects version argument.";
+    assert args ? src || throw "mkComposerVendor expects src argument.";
     {
       name = "${args.pname}-composer-vendor-${args.version}";
 

pkgs/build-support/portable-service/default.nix

@@ -87,9 +87,9 @@ let
     };
 in
 
-assert lib.assertMsg (lib.all (
-  u: lib.hasPrefix pname u.name
-) units) "Unit names must be prefixed with the service name";
+assert
+  lib.all (u: lib.hasPrefix pname u.name) units
+  || throw "Unit names must be prefixed with the service name";
 
 stdenv.mkDerivation {
   pname = "${pname}-img";

pkgs/build-support/rust/build-rust-crate/test/rcgen-crates.nix

@@ -4669,7 +4669,7 @@ rec {
                   # Not rate-limited, CDN URL.
                   url = "https://static.crates.io/crates/${crateConfig.crateName}/${crateConfig.crateName}-${crateConfig.version}.crate";
                   sha256 =
-                    assert (lib.assertMsg (crateConfig ? sha256) "Missing sha256 for ${name}");
+                    assert crateConfig ? sha256 || throw "Missing sha256 for ${name}";
                     crateConfig.sha256;
                 });
               extraRustcOpts =

pkgs/build-support/rust/build-rust-package/default.nix

@@ -78,8 +78,9 @@ lib.extendMkDerivation {
       ...
     }@args:
 
-    assert lib.assertMsg useFetchCargoVendor
-      "buildRustPackage: `useFetchCargoVendor` is non‐optional and enabled by default as of 25.05, remove it";
+    assert
+      useFetchCargoVendor
+      || throw "buildRustPackage: `useFetchCargoVendor` is non‐optional and enabled by default as of 25.05, remove it";
 
     assert lib.warnIf (args ? useFetchCargoVendor)
       "buildRustPackage: `useFetchCargoVendor` is non‐optional and enabled by default as of 25.05, remove it"

pkgs/build-support/rust/import-cargo-lock.nix

@@ -120,9 +120,11 @@ let
       checksum =
         pkg.checksum or parsedLockFile.metadata."checksum ${pkg.name} ${pkg.version} (${pkg.source})";
     in
-    assert lib.assertMsg (checksum != null) ''
-      Package ${pkg.name} does not have a checksum.
-    '';
+    assert
+      checksum != null
+      || throw ''
+        Package ${pkg.name} does not have a checksum.
+      '';
     fetchurl {
       name = "crate-${pkg.name}-${pkg.version}.tar.gz";
       url = "${downloadUrl}/${pkg.name}/${pkg.version}/download";

pkgs/build-support/setup-hooks/wrap-gapps-hook/default.nix

@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ makeSetupHook {
   # depsTargetTargetPropagated will essentially be buildInputs when wrapGAppsHook3 is placed into nativeBuildInputs
   # the librsvg and gtk3 above should be removed but kept to not break anything that implicitly depended on its binaries
   depsTargetTargetPropagated =
-    assert (lib.assertMsg (!targetPackages ? raw) "wrapGAppsHook3 must be in nativeBuildInputs");
+    assert (!targetPackages ? raw || throw "wrapGAppsHook3 must be in nativeBuildInputs");
     lib.optionals isGraphical [
       # librsvg provides a module for gdk-pixbuf to allow rendering
       # SVG icons. Most icon themes are SVG-based and so are some

pkgs/build-support/substitute/substitute.nix

@@ -54,8 +54,9 @@ optionalDeprecationWarning stdenvNoCC.mkDerivation (
   // args
   // lib.optionalAttrs (args ? substitutions) {
     substitutions =
-      assert lib.assertMsg (lib.isList args.substitutions)
-        ''pkgs.substitute: For "${name}", `substitutions` is passed, which is expected to be a list, but it's a ${builtins.typeOf args.substitutions} instead.'';
+      assert
+        lib.isList args.substitutions
+        || throw ''pkgs.substitute: For "${name}", `substitutions` is passed, which is expected to be a list, but it's a ${builtins.typeOf args.substitutions} instead.'';
       lib.escapeShellArgs args.substitutions;
   }
 )

pkgs/build-support/trivial-builders/default.nix

@@ -131,12 +131,14 @@ rec {
           preferLocalBuild
           ;
         destination =
-          assert lib.assertMsg (destination != "" -> (lib.hasPrefix "/" destination && destination != "/")) ''
-            destination must be an absolute path, relative to the derivation's out path,
-            got '${destination}' instead.
+          assert
+            (destination != "" -> (lib.hasPrefix "/" destination && destination != "/"))
+            || throw ''
+              destination must be an absolute path, relative to the derivation's out path,
+              got '${destination}' instead.
 
-            Ensure that the path starts with a / and specifies at least the filename.
-          '';
+              Ensure that the path starts with a / and specifies at least the filename.
+            '';
           destination;
         passAsFile = [ "text" ] ++ derivationArgs.passAsFile or [ ];
 
@@ -184,8 +186,9 @@ rec {
   writeText =
     name: text:
     # TODO: To fully deprecate, replace the assertion with `lib.isString` and remove the warning
-    assert lib.assertMsg (lib.strings.isConvertibleWithToString text)
-      "pkgs.writeText ${lib.strings.escapeNixString name}: The second argument should be a string, but it's a ${builtins.typeOf text} instead.";
+    assert
+      lib.strings.isConvertibleWithToString text
+      || throw "pkgs.writeText ${lib.strings.escapeNixString name}: The second argument should be a string, but it's a ${builtins.typeOf text} instead.";
     lib.warnIf (!lib.isString text)
       "pkgs.writeText ${lib.strings.escapeNixString name}: The second argument should be a string, but it's a ${builtins.typeOf text} instead, which is deprecated. Use `toString` to convert the value to a string first."
       writeTextFile
@@ -534,9 +537,9 @@ rec {
       finalAttrs:
       args@{
         name ?
-          assert lib.assertMsg (
-            finalAttrs ? pname && finalAttrs ? version
-          ) "symlinkJoin requires either a `name` OR `pname` and `version`";
+          assert
+            (finalAttrs ? pname && finalAttrs ? version)
+            || throw "symlinkJoin requires either a `name` OR `pname` and `version`";
           "${finalAttrs.pname}-${finalAttrs.version}",
         paths,
         stripPrefix ? "",
@@ -546,11 +549,13 @@ rec {
         failOnMissing ? stripPrefix == "",
         ...
       }:
-      assert lib.assertMsg (stripPrefix != "" -> (hasPrefix "/" stripPrefix && stripPrefix != "/")) ''
-        stripPrefix must be either an empty string (disable stripping behavior), or relative path prefixed with /.
+      assert
+        (stripPrefix != "" -> (hasPrefix "/" stripPrefix && stripPrefix != "/"))
+        || throw ''
+          stripPrefix must be either an empty string (disable stripping behavior), or relative path prefixed with /.
 
-        Ensure that the path starts with / and specifies path to the subdirectory.
-      '';
+          Ensure that the path starts with / and specifies path to the subdirectory.
+        '';
       let
         mapPaths =
           f:
@@ -1012,12 +1017,9 @@ rec {
         src,
         ...
       }@args:
-      assert lib.assertMsg (
-        !args ? meta
-      ) "applyPatches will not merge 'meta', change it in 'src' instead";
-      assert lib.assertMsg (
-        !args ? passthru
-      ) "applyPatches will not merge 'passthru', change it in 'src' instead";
+      assert !args ? meta || throw "applyPatches will not merge 'meta', change it in 'src' instead";
+      assert
+        !args ? passthru || throw "applyPatches will not merge 'passthru', change it in 'src' instead";
       let
         keepAttrs = names: lib.filterAttrs (name: val: lib.elem name names);
         # enables tools like nix-update to determine what src attributes to replace