Introduction

Docstrings are a type of documentation used in Python to describe and document the purpose and behavior of functions, classes, and modules. Docstrings are an essential part of writing maintainable and reusable code, as they provide context and guidance for developers who may need to use or modify your code in the future.

Docstring Types

The three types of docstrings commonly used in Python are:

1. Module-level docstrings
2. Function and method docstrings
3. Class docstrings

Module-level docstrings are used to document the purpose and behavior of a module, while function and method docstrings are used to document the purpose and behavior of a function or method. Class docstrings are used to document the purpose and behavior of a class.

Why Use Docstrings?

There are several reasons why you should use docstrings in your Python code:

• Clarity: Docstrings help to clarify the purpose and behavior of functions, classes, and methods. They provide context and guidance for developers who may need to use or modify your code in the future.
• Readability: Docstrings make your code more readable by providing an easy-to-understand summary of what the code does.
• Maintainability: Docstrings make your code more maintainable by providing a clear specification of the inputs, outputs, and behavior of functions and methods. This makes it easier to modify and debug the code in the future.

Types of Docstrings

There are three types of docstrings commonly used in Python:

1. Module-level docstrings: These docstrings are used to document the purpose and behavior of a module. They are typically placed at the beginning of the module file, before any functions or classes are defined.

"""
This module provides functions to calculate the area of various shapes.
"""

1. Function and method docstrings: These docstrings are used to document the purpose and behavior of a function or method. They are typically placed immediately after the function or method definition.

def calculate_area(radius):
    """
    Calculates the area of a circle with the given radius.

    Args:
        radius (float): The radius of the circle.

    Returns:
        float: The area of the circle.
    """
    return math.pi * radius ** 2

1. Class docstrings: These docstrings are used to document the purpose and behavior of a class. They are typically placed immediately after the class definition.