Create documentation comments

Creating documentation comments for Python functions

To create documentation comment for a Python function

Place the caret after the declaration of a function you want to document.
Type opening triple quotes, and press Enter, or Space.
Mind the following:
- Generation of docstrings on pressing Space after typing opening triple quotes only works when the checkbox Insert pair quote is cleared in the page Smart Keys of the editor settings.
- If you rename a parameter of a function, PyCharm will correspondingly update the tag in documentation comment.
Add meaningful description of parameters and return values.

To create documentation comment for a Python function using intention action

Place the caret somewhere within the function you want to document.
Press Alt+Enter to show the available intention actions.
Choose Insert documentation string stub:
PyCharm generates documentation comment stub according to docstring format, selected in the Python Integrated Tools page.

Example of a Python documentation comment

Consider the following function:

def handle(self, myParam1, myParam2):

Open settings Ctrl+Alt+S and navigate to Tools | Python Integrated Tools.

In the Docstring format dropdown, select Epytext:

Then type the opening triple double-quotes and press Enter or Space. PyCharm generates a documentation comment stub in Epytext format:

"""

@param self:
@param myParam1:
@param myParam2:
@return:
"""
            

Go back to the Python Integrated Tools page in settings (Ctrl+Alt+S) and switch Docstring format to reStructuredText. Then type the opening triple double-quotes and press Enter or Space. PyCharm generates a documentation comment stub in reStructuredText format:

"""

:param self:
:param myParam1:
:param myParam2:
:return:
"""
            

You can use markup for text formatting, as well as substitutions, bulleted lists, links, code blocks, and tables:

Example of text formatting in a function docstring

Last modified: 05 April 2024