How to write doc comments for the javadoc tool

The IDE auto-completes the doc comment for you. For information on how to disable this feature, refer to Disable automatic comments. In Kotlin, the param and other tags are not generated because the recommended style requires incorporating the description of parameters and return values directly into the documentation comment.

If a method signature has been changed, IntelliJ IDEA highlights the tag that doesn't match the method signature and suggests a quick-fix. You can also update an existing javadoc comment in order to account for the changes in the declaration using the Fix doc comment action :. Type fix doc comment and press Enter.

Rendered comments are easier to read, and they don't overload your code with extra tags. Rendered Javadocs allow you to click links to go to the referenced web pages, or view quick documentation for the referenced topics. To change the font size, right-click a Javadoc in the editor and select Adjust Font Size from the context menu. Note that the rendered comments use the same font size as the quick documentation popup.

Right-click the icon in the gutter or and enable the Render All option. To edit rendered Javadocs, click the icon in the gutter next to the comment. From the main menu, select Tools Generate JavaDoc.

In the dialog that opens, select a scope — a set of files or directories for which you want to generate the reference, and set the output directory where the generated documentation will be placed. The Output directory is a mandatory field: you cannot generate a Javadoc file as long it is empty.

Use the slider to define the visibility level of members that will be included in the generated documentation. Select one of the following options:.

Private : to include all classes and members to the reference. Package : to include all classes and members except the private ones. Protected : to include public and protected classes and members. Public : to include only public classes and members. UTF-8 , command line arguments, and the maximum heap size. You have to make a package. You can read about the contents and structure of this file on the How to Write Doc Comments for the Javadoc Tool page.

More details and examples are here. Which one to use: Javadoc: package. By using a package. From Sun documentation :. Typically package-info. While the file could technically contain the source code for one or more package-private classes, it would be very bad form. If this file is present, the documentation generation tool should look for the package documentation comment immediately preceding the possibly annotated package declaration in package-info.

In this way, package-info. If, in future, it becomes desirable to add any other package-level information, this file should prove a convenient home for this information. Stack Overflow for Teams — Collaborate and share knowledge with a private group. Create a free Team What is Teams? Collectives on Stack Overflow. Learn more. How to add package level comments in Javadoc? Asked 11 years, 4 months ago. Active 2 years, 10 months ago.

The add method enables you to insert items. OK to use phrases instead of complete sentences, in the interests of brevity. This holds especially in the initial summary and in param tag descriptions. Use 3rd person descriptive not 2nd person prescriptive. The description is in 3rd person declarative rather than 2nd person imperative. Method descriptions begin with a verb phrase.

A method implements an operation, so it usually starts with a verb phrase:. These API often describe things rather than actions or behaviors:.

Use "this" instead of "the" when referring to an object created from the current class. For example, the description of the getToolkit method should read as follows:. Add description beyond the API name.

If the doc comment merely repeats the API name in sentence form, it is not providing more information. For example, if method description uses only the words that appear in the method name, then it is adding nothing at all to what you could infer. The ideal comment goes beyond those words and should always reward you with some bit of information that was not immediately obvious from the API name.

Avoid - The description below says nothing beyond what you know from reading the method name. The words "set", "tool", "tip", and "text" are simply repeated in a sentence. Monica Mittal. Arnab Chakraborty. Java - Documentation Comments Advertisements. Previous Page. Next Page. Useful Video Courses. More Detail.