Docstring for variable

Question

Is it posible to use docstring for plain variable? For example I have module called t

def f():
    \"\"\"f\"\"\"

l = lambda x: x
\"\"\"l\"\"\"


        

Answer 1

Some python documentation scripts have notation that can be use in the module/classes docstring to document a var.

E.g. for spinx, you can use :var and :ivar. See this document (about half-way down).

Answer 2

Sphinx has a built-in syntax for documenting attributes (i.e. NOT the values as @duncan describes). Examples:

#: This is module attribute
x = 42

class MyClass:

    #: This is a class attribute
    y = 43

You can read more in the Sphinx docs: http://www.sphinx-doc.org/en/1.4.8/ext/autodoc.html#directive-autoattribute

...or in this other question: How to document a module constant in Python?

Answer 3

Epydoc allows for docstrings on variables:

While the language doesn't directly provides for them, Epydoc supports variable docstrings: if a variable assignment statement is immediately followed by a bare string literal, then that assignment is treated as a docstring for that variable.

Example:

class A:
    x = 22
    """Docstring for class variable A.x"""

    def __init__(self, a):
        self.y = a
        """Docstring for instance variable A.y