Python Language Tutorial => Programmatically accessing docstrings

Example

Docstrings are - unlike regular comments - stored as an attribute of the function they document, meaning that you can access them programmatically.

An example function

def func():
    """This is a function that does nothing at all"""
    return

The docstring can be accessed using the __doc__ attribute:

print(func.__doc__)

This is a function that does nothing at all

help(func)

Help on function func in module __main__:

func()

This is a function that does nothing at all

Another example function

function.__doc__ is just the actual docstring as a string, while the help function provides general information about a function, including the docstring. Here's a more helpful example:

def greet(name, greeting="Hello"):
    """Print a greeting to the user `name`

    Optional parameter `greeting` can change what they're greeted with."""
    
    print("{} {}".format(greeting, name))

help(greet)

Help on function greet in module __main__:

greet(name, greeting='Hello')

Print a greeting to the user name
Optional parameter greeting can change what they're greeted with.

Advantages of docstrings over regular comments

Just putting no docstring or a regular comment in a function makes it a lot less helpful.

def greet(name, greeting="Hello"):
    # Print a greeting to the user `name`
    # Optional parameter `greeting` can change what they're greeted with.
    
    print("{} {}".format(greeting, name))

print(greet.__doc__)

None

help(greet)

Help on function greet in module main:

greet(name, greeting='Hello')

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Python Language

Fastest Entity Framework Extensions

Example

An example function

Another example function

Advantages of docstrings over regular comments

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Python Language

Python Language Comments and Documentation Programmatically accessing docstrings

Fastest Entity Framework Extensions

Example

An example function

Another example function

Advantages of docstrings over regular comments

Got any Python Language Question?