jestjs/jest · error · Error

Not enough arguments supplied for given headings

Error message

Not enough arguments supplied for given headings:
${headings.join(' | ')}

Received:
${pretty(data)}

Missing ${missingData.toString()} ${pluralize('argument', missingData)}

What it means

Thrown by `validateTemplateTableArguments` when using tagged template `.each` syntax and the number of interpolated data values is not evenly divisible by the number of headings. Each data row must fill all heading columns, so a partial row triggers this error listing the missing count.

Solutions

Count the headings and ensure each data row provides exactly that many interpolated values.
Re-read the error — it prints the headings and the received data, so compare the counts visually.
Add the missing interpolated value(s) to complete the partial row.

Example fix

// before — 3 headings, 2 values
test.each`a | b | c
  ${1} | ${2}`('test', ({a,b,c}) => {});

// after — 3 headings, 3 values
test.each`a | b | c
  ${1} | ${2} | ${3}`('test', ({a,b,c}) => {});

Defensive patterns

Strategy: validation

Validate before calling

// Validate heading count vs data count for tagged template .each
function validateHeadingsDataAlignment(headings, data) {
  if (data.length % headings.length !== 0) {
    const missing = headings.length - (data.length % headings.length);
    throw new Error(`Missing ${missing} value(s) for ${headings.length} headings`);
  }
}

Prevention

Count headings and data values manually before running.
Keep headings and data rows aligned visually in the template.
Consider using array-of-objects syntax for complex multi-column tables.

When it happens

Trigger: Writing `` test.each`a | b | c\n ${1} | ${2}` `` — three headings but only two interpolated values. The modulo check `data.length % headings.length` is non-zero, and the missing count is computed.

Common situations: Adding a new column heading but forgetting to update data rows. Misaligned pipe characters in the template header. Copy-pasting rows and missing a value.

Related errors

AI-assisted analysis of jestjs/jest@8e6d128e4a (2026-08-10). Data as JSON: /api/errors/bb3b584d622fbfd3. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at packages/jest-each/src/validation.ts:61

      'Error: `.each` called with an empty Array of table data.\n',
    );
  }
};

const isTaggedTemplateLiteral = (array: any) => array.raw !== undefined;
const isEmptyTable = (table: Array<unknown>) => table.length === 0;
const isEmptyString = (str: string | unknown) =>
  typeof str === 'string' && str.trim() === '';

export const validateTemplateTableArguments = (
  headings: Array<string>,
  data: TemplateData,
): void => {
  const incompleteData = data.length % headings.length;
  const missingData = headings.length - incompleteData;

  if (incompleteData > 0) {
    throw new Error(
      `Not enough arguments supplied for given headings:\n${EXPECTED_COLOR(
        headings.join(' | '),
      )}\n\n` +
        `Received:\n${RECEIVED_COLOR(pretty(data))}\n\n` +
        `Missing ${RECEIVED_COLOR(missingData.toString())} ${pluralize(
          'argument',
          missingData,
        )}`,
    );
  }
};

const pluralize = (word: string, count: number) =>
  word + (count === 1 ? '' : 's');

const START_OF_LINE = '^';
const NEWLINE = '\\n';
const HEADING = '\\s*[^\\s]+\\s*';

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