Creating Documentation Comments
In this section:
- Creating documentation comments for a method or function
- Creating tags
- Creating and fixing doc comments
- Creating documentation comments for Ruby methods
- Creating documentation comments for Python functions
- Fill Paragraph action
- Clickable comments
Creating documentation comments for a method or function
To create a documentation comment for a method or function
Please note the following:
- IntelliJ IDEA checks syntax in the documentation comments and treats it according to the Error settings.
- If the entered text contains HTML tags, the closing tag will be automatically added after typing
>, provided that this behavior is enabled in the editor settings. - When typing in a documentation comment, the caret automatically moves to an expected position. For example:
Creating tags
To create tags in a documentation comment block
- In a comment block, select the desired empty line and type
@or (for Python and Ruby languages) : character. - Press Ctrl+Space, or just wait for Code Completion to display the suggestion list:
- Select a tag from the suggestion list. For example, you can specify the parameters type, or return type.
- If a certain tag has several values, press Ctrl+Space after the tag, and select the desired value from the suggestion list. For example, IntelliJ IDEA suggests to select the desired parameter name.
Creating and fixing doc comments
Documentation comment can be created with the dedicated action Fix Doc Comment. It can be invoked by means of Find Action command.
Press Ctrl+Shift+A, with the caret somewhere within a class, method, function, or field, which should be documented, and enter the action name Fix Doc String. The missing documentation stub with the corresponding tags is added. For example:
/**
*
* @param userInput
* @return
*/
static boolean processRepeatConversion (@NotNull String userInput) {
boolean repeatConversion = false;
if (((userInput.equals("y")) || (userInput.equals("Y")))) {
repeatConversion = true;
}
return repeatConversion;
}The next case lays with fixing problems in the existing documentation comments.
For example, if a method signature has been changed, IntelliJ IDEA highlights a tag that doesn't match the method signature, and suggests a quick fix.
For JavaScript, IntelliJ IDEA suggests an intention action UpdateJSDoc comment. You can also press Ctrl+Shift+A, and type the action name:
Creating documentation comments for Ruby methods
To create documentation comments for a Ruby method
- Place the caret on an empty line before the declaration of the method you want to document.
- Type the beginning of a doc comment (#), or just press Ctrl+Slash.
- Press Ctrl+Space, and choose the desired tag from the suggestion list. Then press Ctrl+Space again, and choose the desired parameter name:
To create documentation comments for a Ruby method using intention action, do one of the following
- Place the caret anywhere within the method you want to document, press Alt+Enter, and choose Add @return tag. The documentation comment with the
@returntag is created. Specify the return type.
- Place the caret at the parameter you want to document, press Alt+Enter, and choose Add @param tag. The documentation comment with the
@paramtag for the selected parameter is created. Specify the parameter type.
Creating documentation comments for Python functions
To create documentation comment for a Python function
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:
IntelliJ IDEA generates documentation comment stub according to docstring format, selected in the Python Integrated Tools page.
Example of Python comment
Consider the following function:
def handle(self, myParam1, myParam2):In the Python Integrated Tools page, select Epytext. Then type the opening triple quotes and press Enter or Space. IntelliJ IDEA generates documentation comment stub:
'''
@param self:
@param myParam1:
@param myParam2:
@return:
'''Then select reStructuredText, type the opening triple quotes and press Enter or Space. IntelliJ IDEA generates documentation comment stub:
'''
:param self:
:param myParam1:
:param myParam2:
:return:
'''Fill Paragraph action
Fill Paragraph action is supported for Java comments. This action creates soft wraps in comments. To make use of this action, follow these steps:
Clickable comments
If a documentation comment contains a hyperlink, you can make it clickable.
To do that, do one of the following:
