"mbikinyi brat" <mbikinyi_b...@yahoo.com> wrote
What is really the importance of Docstring in Python???
Some really great comments about comments, however the
significance of docstrings beyond normal comments is that
tools like help() work with them
Thus:
def f(x):
'''f(x) -> x+5'''
return x+5
help(f)
Help on function f in module __main__:
f(x)
f(x) -> x+5
So immediately help() knows about f and can read its docstring.
This is a huge help when using other peoples modules, or even
your own modules that you haven't worked on for a while. You
can import them and read the doctrings wiothout actually opening
the code in an editor (which you would need to do for normal
comments)
So they are not essential but they do have a very real use
beyond simple comments..
I say a bit more about docstrings in my tutorial topic
"Add a little style"
--
Alan Gauld
Author of the Learn to Program web site
http://www.alan-g.me.uk/
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