diff --git a/src/Bundle.ts b/src/Bundle.ts
index 0ef4344..44e7b8e 100644
--- a/src/Bundle.ts
+++ b/src/Bundle.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import type { ExclusionRange } from './MagicString.ts'
 import type { DecodedSourceMap, SourceMapOptions } from './SourceMap.ts'
 import MagicString from './MagicString.ts'
+import MagicStringError from './MagicStringError.ts'
 import SourceMap from './SourceMap.ts'
 import getLocator from './utils/getLocator.ts'
 import getRelativePath from './utils/getRelativePath.ts'
@@ -72,9 +73,7 @@ export default class Bundle {
     }
 
     if (!isObject(source) || !source.content) {
-      throw new Error(
-        'bundle.addSource() takes an object with a `content` property, which should be an instance of MagicString, and an optional `filename`',
-      )
+      throw new MagicStringError('addSource() requires a `content` property that is a MagicString')
     }
 
     ['filename', 'ignoreList', 'indentExclusionRanges', 'separator'].forEach((option) => {
@@ -95,7 +94,9 @@ export default class Bundle {
       else {
         const uniqueSource = this.uniqueSources[this.uniqueSourceIndexByFilename[source.filename]]
         if (source.content.original !== uniqueSource.content) {
-          throw new Error(`Illegal source: same filename (${source.filename}), different contents`)
+          throw new MagicStringError(
+            `duplicate filename "${source.filename}" with different content, use unique filenames`,
+          )
         }
       }
     }
diff --git a/src/MagicString.ts b/src/MagicString.ts
index 618c694..2d66a6a 100644
--- a/src/MagicString.ts
+++ b/src/MagicString.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import type { DecodedSourceMap, SourceMapOptions } from './SourceMap.ts'
 import BitSet from './BitSet.ts'
 import Chunk from './Chunk.ts'
+import MagicStringError from './MagicStringError.ts'
 import SourceMap from './SourceMap.ts'
 import getLocator from './utils/getLocator.ts'
 import getRelativePath from './utils/getRelativePath.ts'
@@ -115,8 +116,9 @@ export default class MagicString {
    * Appends the specified content to the end of the string.
    */
   append(content: string): this {
-    if (typeof content !== 'string')
-      throw new TypeError('outro content must be a string')
+    if (typeof content !== 'string') {
+      throw new MagicStringError(`content must be a string, got ${typeof content}`)
+    }
 
     this.outro += content
     return this
@@ -130,8 +132,9 @@ export default class MagicString {
   appendLeft(index: number, content: string): this {
     index = index + this.offset
 
-    if (typeof content !== 'string')
-      throw new TypeError('inserted content must be a string')
+    if (typeof content !== 'string') {
+      throw new MagicStringError(`content must be a string, got ${typeof content}`)
+    }
 
     if (DEBUG)
       this.stats.time('appendLeft')
@@ -160,8 +163,9 @@ export default class MagicString {
   appendRight(index: number, content: string): this {
     index = index + this.offset
 
-    if (typeof content !== 'string')
-      throw new TypeError('inserted content must be a string')
+    if (typeof content !== 'string') {
+      throw new MagicStringError(`content must be a string, got ${typeof content}`)
+    }
 
     if (DEBUG)
       this.stats.time('appendRight')
@@ -444,9 +448,7 @@ export default class MagicString {
 
   /** @internal */
   insert(): never {
-    throw new Error(
-      'magicString.insert(...) is deprecated. Use prependRight(...) or appendLeft(...)',
-    )
+    throw new MagicStringError('insert() is deprecated, use appendLeft() or prependRight()')
   }
 
   /** @internal */
@@ -484,8 +486,9 @@ export default class MagicString {
     if (start === end)
       return this
 
-    if (index >= start && index <= end)
-      throw new Error('Cannot move a selection inside itself')
+    if (index >= start && index <= end) {
+      throw new MagicStringError('cannot move a selection inside itself')
+    }
 
     if (DEBUG)
       this.stats.time('move')
@@ -569,25 +572,29 @@ export default class MagicString {
     start = start + this.offset
     end = end + this.offset
 
-    if (typeof content !== 'string')
-      throw new TypeError('replacement content must be a string')
+    if (typeof content !== 'string') {
+      throw new MagicStringError(`content must be a string, got ${typeof content}`)
+    }
 
     if (this.original.length !== 0) {
       while (start < 0) start += this.original.length
       while (end < 0) end += this.original.length
     }
 
-    if (start < 0)
-      throw new Error('Character is out of bounds')
-    if (end > this.original.length)
-      throw new Error('end is out of bounds')
+    if (start < 0) {
+      throw new MagicStringError(`start ${start} is out of bounds`)
+    }
+    if (end > this.original.length) {
+      throw new MagicStringError(`end ${end} is out of bounds`)
+    }
     if (start === end) {
-      throw new Error(
-        'Cannot overwrite a zero-length range – use appendLeft or prependRight instead',
+      throw new MagicStringError(
+        `cannot overwrite a zero-length range at ${start}, use appendLeft() or prependRight()`,
       )
     }
-    if (start > end)
-      throw new Error(`end must be greater than start (start: ${start}, end: ${end})`)
+    if (start > end) {
+      throw new MagicStringError(`end must be greater than start (start: ${start}, end: ${end})`)
+    }
 
     if (DEBUG)
       this.stats.time('overwrite')
@@ -625,7 +632,7 @@ export default class MagicString {
       let chunk = first
       while (chunk !== last) {
         if (chunk.next !== this.byStart.get(chunk.end)) {
-          throw new Error('Cannot overwrite across a split point')
+          throw new MagicStringError('cannot overwrite across a split point')
         }
         chunk = chunk.next
         chunk.edit('', false)
@@ -651,8 +658,9 @@ export default class MagicString {
    * Prepends the string with the specified content.
    */
   prepend(content: string): this {
-    if (typeof content !== 'string')
-      throw new TypeError('outro content must be a string')
+    if (typeof content !== 'string') {
+      throw new MagicStringError(`content must be a string, got ${typeof content}`)
+    }
 
     this.intro = content + this.intro
     return this
@@ -664,8 +672,9 @@ export default class MagicString {
   prependLeft(index: number, content: string): this {
     index = index + this.offset
 
-    if (typeof content !== 'string')
-      throw new TypeError('inserted content must be a string')
+    if (typeof content !== 'string') {
+      throw new MagicStringError(`content must be a string, got ${typeof content}`)
+    }
 
     if (DEBUG)
       this.stats.time('insertRight')
@@ -692,8 +701,9 @@ export default class MagicString {
   prependRight(index: number, content: string): this {
     index = index + this.offset
 
-    if (typeof content !== 'string')
-      throw new TypeError('inserted content must be a string')
+    if (typeof content !== 'string') {
+      throw new MagicStringError(`content must be a string, got ${typeof content}`)
+    }
 
     if (DEBUG)
       this.stats.time('insertRight')
@@ -730,10 +740,12 @@ export default class MagicString {
     if (start === end)
       return this
 
-    if (start < 0 || end > this.original.length)
-      throw new Error('Character is out of bounds')
-    if (start > end)
-      throw new Error(`end must be greater than start (start: ${start}, end: ${end})`)
+    if (start < 0 || end > this.original.length) {
+      throw new MagicStringError(`range ${start}–${end} is out of bounds`)
+    }
+    if (start > end) {
+      throw new MagicStringError(`end must be greater than start (start: ${start}, end: ${end})`)
+    }
 
     if (DEBUG)
       this.stats.time('remove')
@@ -771,10 +783,12 @@ export default class MagicString {
     if (start === end)
       return this
 
-    if (start < 0 || end > this.original.length)
-      throw new Error('Character is out of bounds')
-    if (start > end)
-      throw new Error(`end must be greater than start (start: ${start}, end: ${end})`)
+    if (start < 0 || end > this.original.length) {
+      throw new MagicStringError(`range ${start}–${end} is out of bounds`)
+    }
+    if (start > end) {
+      throw new MagicStringError(`end must be greater than start (start: ${start}, end: ${end})`)
+    }
 
     if (DEBUG)
       this.stats.time('reset')
@@ -874,8 +888,9 @@ export default class MagicString {
       chunk = chunk.next
     }
 
-    if (chunk && chunk.edited && chunk.start !== start)
-      throw new Error(`Cannot use replaced character ${start} as slice start anchor.`)
+    if (chunk && chunk.edited && chunk.start !== start) {
+      throw new MagicStringError(`cannot use edited character ${start} as slice start anchor`)
+    }
 
     const startChunk = chunk
     while (chunk) {
@@ -884,8 +899,9 @@ export default class MagicString {
       }
 
       const containsEnd = chunk.start < end && chunk.end >= end
-      if (containsEnd && chunk.edited && chunk.end !== end)
-        throw new Error(`Cannot use replaced character ${end} as slice end anchor.`)
+      if (containsEnd && chunk.edited && chunk.end !== end) {
+        throw new MagicStringError(`cannot use edited character ${end} as slice end anchor`)
+      }
 
       const sliceStart = startChunk === chunk ? start - chunk.start : 0
       const sliceEnd = containsEnd ? chunk.content.length + end - chunk.end : chunk.content.length
@@ -949,8 +965,8 @@ export default class MagicString {
     if (chunk.edited && chunk.content.length) {
       // zero-length edited chunks are a special case (overlapping replacements)
       const loc = getLocator(this.original)(index)
-      throw new Error(
-        `Cannot split a chunk that has already been edited (${loc.line}:${loc.column} – "${chunk.original}")`,
+      throw new MagicStringError(
+        `cannot split a chunk that has already been edited (${loc.line}:${loc.column} – "${chunk.original}")`,
       )
     }
 
@@ -1224,9 +1240,7 @@ export default class MagicString {
     }
 
     if (!searchValue.global) {
-      throw new TypeError(
-        'MagicString.prototype.replaceAll called with a non-global RegExp argument',
-      )
+      throw new MagicStringError('replaceAll() requires a global RegExp')
     }
 
     return this._replaceRegexp(searchValue, replacement)
diff --git a/src/MagicStringError.ts b/src/MagicStringError.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d19f213
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/MagicStringError.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+/**
+ * The single error type thrown by MagicString.
+ *
+ * Every message is prefixed with `[MagicString]` so its source is obvious at a
+ * glance, and is kept short and consistent in tone.
+ */
+export default class MagicStringError extends Error {
+  override name = 'MagicStringError'
+
+  constructor(message: string, options?: ErrorOptions) {
+    super(`[MagicString] ${message}`, options)
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/SourceMap.ts b/src/SourceMap.ts
index c41b72b..50ba996 100644
--- a/src/SourceMap.ts
+++ b/src/SourceMap.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { encode } from '@jridgewell/sourcemap-codec'
+import MagicStringError from './MagicStringError.ts'
 
 type Btoa = (str: string) => string
 
@@ -61,7 +62,7 @@ function getBtoa(): Btoa {
   }
 
   return () => {
-    throw new Error('Unsupported environment: `window.btoa` or `Buffer` should be supported.')
+    throw new MagicStringError('unsupported environment: `btoa` or `Buffer` is required')
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/index.ts b/src/index.ts
index 74ba59e..7f35617 100644
--- a/src/index.ts
+++ b/src/index.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 import Bundle from './Bundle.ts'
 import MagicString from './MagicString.ts'
+import MagicStringError from './MagicStringError.ts'
 import SourceMap from './SourceMap.ts'
 
-export { Bundle, MagicString as default, MagicString, SourceMap }
+export { Bundle, MagicString as default, MagicString, MagicStringError, SourceMap }
 export type { BundleOptions } from './Bundle.ts'
 export type {
   ExclusionRange,
diff --git a/test/MagicString.test.ts b/test/MagicString.test.ts
index aa12bbb..cf1b479 100644
--- a/test/MagicString.test.ts
+++ b/test/MagicString.test.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import type { RawSourceMap } from 'source-map-js'
 import type { ExclusionRange } from '../src/index.ts'
 import { SourceMapConsumer } from 'source-map-js'
 import { assert, describe, it } from 'vitest'
+import { MagicStringError } from '../src/index.ts'
 import MagicString from './utils/IntegrityCheckingMagicString.ts'
 
 describe('magicString', () => {
@@ -40,7 +41,7 @@ describe('magicString', () => {
     it('should throw when given non-string content', () => {
       const s = new MagicString('')
       // @ts-expect-error runtime validation is the subject of this test
-      assert.throws(() => s.append([]), TypeError)
+      assert.throws(() => s.append([]), MagicStringError)
     })
   })
 
@@ -868,11 +869,11 @@ describe('magicString', () => {
     it('refuses to move a selection to inside itself', () => {
       const s = new MagicString('abcdefghijkl')
 
-      assert.throws(() => s.move(3, 6, 3), /Cannot move a selection inside itself/)
+      assert.throws(() => s.move(3, 6, 3), /cannot move a selection inside itself/)
 
-      assert.throws(() => s.move(3, 6, 4), /Cannot move a selection inside itself/)
+      assert.throws(() => s.move(3, 6, 4), /cannot move a selection inside itself/)
 
-      assert.throws(() => s.move(3, 6, 6), /Cannot move a selection inside itself/)
+      assert.throws(() => s.move(3, 6, 6), /cannot move a selection inside itself/)
     })
 
     it('does nothing when moving a zero-length range', () => {
@@ -949,7 +950,7 @@ describe('magicString', () => {
 
       assert.throws(
         () => s.overwrite(8, 12, 'yy'),
-        /Cannot split a chunk that has already been edited/,
+        /cannot split a chunk that has already been edited/,
       )
 
       assert.equal(s.toString(), 'abcdefgxxl')
@@ -1012,14 +1013,14 @@ describe('magicString', () => {
       const s = new MagicString('x')
       assert.throws(
         () => s.overwrite(0, 0, 'anything'),
-        /Cannot overwrite a zero-length range – use appendLeft or prependRight instead/,
+        /cannot overwrite a zero-length range/,
       )
     })
 
     it('should throw when given non-string content', () => {
       const s = new MagicString('')
       // @ts-expect-error runtime validation is the subject of this test
-      assert.throws(() => s.overwrite(0, 1, []), TypeError)
+      assert.throws(() => s.overwrite(0, 1, []), MagicStringError)
     })
 
     it('replaces interior inserts', () => {
@@ -1048,14 +1049,14 @@ describe('magicString', () => {
       const s = new MagicString('abcdefghijkl')
 
       s.move(6, 9, 3)
-      assert.throws(() => s.overwrite(5, 7, 'XX'), /Cannot overwrite across a split point/)
+      assert.throws(() => s.overwrite(5, 7, 'XX'), /cannot overwrite across a split point/)
     })
 
     it('disallows overwriting fully surrounding content moved away', () => {
       const s = new MagicString('abcdefghijkl')
 
       s.move(6, 9, 3)
-      assert.throws(() => s.overwrite(4, 11, 'XX'), /Cannot overwrite across a split point/)
+      assert.throws(() => s.overwrite(4, 11, 'XX'), /cannot overwrite across a split point/)
     })
 
     it('disallows overwriting fully surrounding content moved away even if there is another split', () => {
@@ -1063,7 +1064,7 @@ describe('magicString', () => {
 
       s.move(6, 9, 3)
       s.appendLeft(5, 'foo')
-      assert.throws(() => s.overwrite(4, 11, 'XX'), /Cannot overwrite across a split point/)
+      assert.throws(() => s.overwrite(4, 11, 'XX'), /cannot overwrite across a split point/)
     })
 
     it('allows later insertions at the end', () => {
@@ -1091,7 +1092,7 @@ describe('magicString', () => {
 
       assert.throws(
         () => s.update(8, 12, 'yy'),
-        /Cannot split a chunk that has already been edited/,
+        /cannot split a chunk that has already been edited/,
       )
 
       assert.equal(s.toString(), 'abcdefgxxl')
@@ -1154,14 +1155,14 @@ describe('magicString', () => {
       const s = new MagicString('x')
       assert.throws(
         () => s.update(0, 0, 'anything'),
-        /Cannot overwrite a zero-length range – use appendLeft or prependRight instead/,
+        /cannot overwrite a zero-length range/,
       )
     })
 
     it('should throw when given non-string content', () => {
       const s = new MagicString('')
       // @ts-expect-error runtime validation is the subject of this test
-      assert.throws(() => s.update(0, 1, []), TypeError)
+      assert.throws(() => s.update(0, 1, []), MagicStringError)
     })
 
     it('should throw when start is greater than end', () => {
@@ -1177,7 +1178,7 @@ describe('magicString', () => {
 
     it('should throw error when using negative indices with empty string', () => {
       const s = new MagicString('')
-      assert.throws(() => s.update(-2, -1, 'x'), /Character is out of bounds/)
+      assert.throws(() => s.update(-2, -1, 'x'), /out of bounds/)
     })
 
     it('replaces interior inserts with overwrite option', () => {
@@ -1207,14 +1208,14 @@ describe('magicString', () => {
       const s = new MagicString('abcdefghijkl')
 
       s.move(6, 9, 3)
-      assert.throws(() => s.update(5, 7, 'XX'), /Cannot overwrite across a split point/)
+      assert.throws(() => s.update(5, 7, 'XX'), /cannot overwrite across a split point/)
     })
 
     it('disallows overwriting fully surrounding content moved away', () => {
       const s = new MagicString('abcdefghijkl')
 
       s.move(6, 9, 3)
-      assert.throws(() => s.update(4, 11, 'XX'), /Cannot overwrite across a split point/)
+      assert.throws(() => s.update(4, 11, 'XX'), /cannot overwrite across a split point/)
     })
 
     it('disallows overwriting fully surrounding content moved away even if there is another split', () => {
@@ -1222,7 +1223,7 @@ describe('magicString', () => {
 
       s.move(6, 9, 3)
       s.appendLeft(5, 'foo')
-      assert.throws(() => s.update(4, 11, 'XX'), /Cannot overwrite across a split point/)
+      assert.throws(() => s.update(4, 11, 'XX'), /cannot overwrite across a split point/)
     })
 
     it('allows later insertions at the end with overwrite option', () => {
@@ -1352,7 +1353,7 @@ describe('magicString', () => {
 
       s.overwrite(5, 7, 'XX')
 
-      assert.throws(() => s.remove(4, 6), /Cannot split a chunk that has already been edited/)
+      assert.throws(() => s.remove(4, 6), /cannot split a chunk that has already been edited/)
     })
 
     it('should return this', () => {
@@ -1379,7 +1380,7 @@ describe('magicString', () => {
 
     it('should throw error when using negative indices with empty string', () => {
       const s = new MagicString('')
-      assert.throws(() => s.remove(-2, -1), /Character is out of bounds/)
+      assert.throws(() => s.remove(-2, -1), /out of bounds/)
     })
 
     it('should report the resolved indices when a negative start lands past end', () => {
@@ -1494,7 +1495,7 @@ describe('magicString', () => {
 
       s.overwrite(5, 7, 'XX')
 
-      assert.throws(() => s.reset(4, 6), /Cannot split a chunk that has already been edited/)
+      assert.throws(() => s.reset(4, 6), /cannot split a chunk that has already been edited/)
     })
 
     it('should return this', () => {
@@ -2032,8 +2033,8 @@ describe('magicString', () => {
     it('rejects with non-global regexp', () => {
       assert.throws(
         () => new MagicString('123').replaceAll(/./, ''),
-        TypeError,
-        'MagicString.prototype.replaceAll called with a non-global RegExp argument',
+        MagicStringError,
+        'replaceAll() requires a global RegExp',
       )
     })
 
diff --git a/test/index.test.ts b/test/index.test.ts
index 17f0e08..10d52be 100644
--- a/test/index.test.ts
+++ b/test/index.test.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import { assert, describe, it } from 'vitest'
 
 describe('module exports', () => {
   it('only exposes ESM exports', () => {
-    assert.deepEqual(Object.keys(magicStringModule), ['Bundle', 'MagicString', 'default', 'SourceMap'])
+    assert.deepEqual(Object.keys(magicStringModule), ['Bundle', 'MagicString', 'default', 'MagicStringError', 'SourceMap'])
     assert.equal(Object.hasOwn(MagicString, 'Bundle'), false)
     assert.equal(Object.hasOwn(MagicString, 'SourceMap'), false)
     assert.equal(Object.hasOwn(MagicString, 'default'), false)