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example_google

Example Google style docstrings.

This module demonstrates documentation as specified by the Google Python Style Guide_. Docstrings may extend over multiple lines. Sections are created with a section header and a colon followed by a block of indented text.

Example:

Examples can be given using either the Example or Examples sections. Sections support any reStructuredText formatting, including literal blocks::

$ python example_google.py

Section breaks are created by resuming unindented text. Section breaks are also implicitly created anytime a new section starts.

Attributes:

  • module_level_variable1 int - Module level variables may be documented in either the Attributes section of the module docstring, or in an inline docstring immediately following the variable.

    Either form is acceptable, but the two should not be mixed. Choose one convention to document module level variables and be consistent with it.

Todo:

module_level_variable2​

int: Module level variable documented inline.

The docstring may span multiple lines. The type may optionally be specified on the first line, separated by a colon.

function_with_types_in_docstring​

function_with_types_in_docstring(param1, param2)

Example function with types documented in the docstring.

PEP 484 type annotations are supported. If attribute, parameter, and return types are annotated according to PEP 484, they do not need to be included in the docstring:

Arguments:

  • param1 int - The first parameter.
  • param2 str - The second parameter.

Returns:

function_with_pep484_type_annotations​

function_with_pep484_type_annotations(param1: int, param2: str) -> bool

Example function with PEP 484 type annotations.

Arguments:

  • param1 - The first parameter.
  • param2 - The second parameter.

Returns:

The return value. True for success, False otherwise.

module_level_function​

module_level_function(param1, param2=None, *args, **kwargs)

This is an example of a module level function.

Function parameters should be documented in the Args section. The name of each parameter is required. The type and description of each parameter is optional, but should be included if not obvious.

If *args or **kwargs are accepted, they should be listed as *args and **kwargs.

The format for a parameter is::

name (type): description The description may span multiple lines. Following lines should be indented. The "(type)" is optional.

Multiple paragraphs are supported in parameter descriptions.

Arguments:

  • param1 int - The first parameter.
  • param2 :obj:str, optional - The second parameter. Defaults to None. Second line of description should be indented.
  • *args - Variable length argument list.
  • **kwargs - Arbitrary keyword arguments.

Returns:

  • bool - True if successful, False otherwise.

    The return type is optional and may be specified at the beginning of the Returns section followed by a colon.

    The Returns section may span multiple lines and paragraphs. Following lines should be indented to match the first line.

    The Returns section supports any reStructuredText formatting, including literal blocks::

    {

  • 'param1' - param1,

  • 'param2' - param2 }

Raises:

  • AttributeError - The Raises section is a list of all exceptions that are relevant to the interface.
  • ValueError - If param2 is equal to param1.

example_generator​

example_generator(n)

Generators have a Yields section instead of a Returns section.

Arguments:

  • n int - The upper limit of the range to generate, from 0 to n - 1.

Yields:

  • int - The next number in the range of 0 to n - 1.

Examples:

Examples should be written in doctest format, and should illustrate how to use the function.

>>> print([i for i in example_generator(4)]) [0, 1, 2, 3]

ExampleError Objects​

class ExampleError(Exception)

Exceptions are documented in the same way as classes.

The init method may be documented in either the class level docstring, or as a docstring on the init method itself.

Either form is acceptable, but the two should not be mixed. Choose one convention to document the init method and be consistent with it.

Notes:

Do not include the self parameter in the Args section.

Arguments:

  • msg str - Human readable string describing the exception.
  • code :obj:int, optional - Error code.

Attributes:

  • msg str - Human readable string describing the exception.
  • code int - Exception error code.

ExampleClass Objects​

class ExampleClass(object)

The summary line for a class docstring should fit on one line.

If the class has public attributes, they may be documented here in an Attributes section and follow the same formatting as a function's Args section. Alternatively, attributes may be documented inline with the attribute's declaration (see init method below).

Properties created with the @property decorator should be documented in the property's getter method.

Attributes:

  • attr1 str - Description of attr1.
  • attr2 :obj:int, optional - Description of attr2.

__init__​

 | __init__(param1, param2, param3)

Example of docstring on the init method.

The init method may be documented in either the class level docstring, or as a docstring on the init method itself.

Either form is acceptable, but the two should not be mixed. Choose one convention to document the init method and be consistent with it.

Notes:

Do not include the self parameter in the Args section.

Arguments:

  • param1 str - Description of param1.
  • param2 :obj:int, optional - Description of param2. Multiple lines are supported.
  • param3 :obj:list of :obj:str - Description of param3.

readonly_property​

 | @property
| readonly_property()

str: Properties should be documented in their getter method.

readwrite_property​

 | @property
| readwrite_property()

:obj:list of :obj:str: Properties with both a getter and setter should only be documented in their getter method.

If the setter method contains notable behavior, it should be mentioned here.

example_method​

 | example_method(param1, param2)

Class methods are similar to regular functions.

Notes:

Do not include the self parameter in the Args section.

Arguments:

  • param1 - The first parameter.
  • param2 - The second parameter.

Returns:

True if successful, False otherwise.

__special__​

 | __special__()

By default special members with docstrings are not included.

Special members are any methods or attributes that start with and end with a double underscore. Any special member with a docstring will be included in the output, if napoleon_include_special_with_doc is set to True.

This behavior can be enabled by changing the following setting in Sphinx's conf.py::

napoleon_include_special_with_doc = True