JSDoc

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

JSDoc is a syntax for adding inline API documentation to JavaScript source code. This is distinct from the various tools that parse and manipulate code that follows the JSDoc syntax.

The JSDoc syntax is similar to the Javadoc syntax, used for documenting Java code, but is specialized to work with JavaScript's more dynamic syntax and therefore unique, as it is not completely compatible with Javadoc. However, like Javadoc, JSDoc allows the programmer to create doclets and tags which can then be translated into published output, like HTML or RTF.

Contents

[edit] JSDoc tags

Tag Description
@author Developer's name.
@constructor Marks a function as a constructor.
@deprecated Marks a method as deprecated.
@exception Documents an exception thrown by a method, synonym for @throws.
@param Documents a method parameter.
@return Documents a return value.
@see Documents an association to another object.
@throws Documents an exception thrown by a method.
@version Provides the version number of a library.

[edit] Example

An example of using JSDoc to document a constructor.

/**
  * Create an instance of Circle.
  * 
  * @constructor
  * @param {number} r The desired radius of the circle.
  */
  function Circle(r) {
  }

[edit] History

The earliest example of using a Javadoc-like syntax to document JavaScript was released in 1999 with the Netscape/Mozilla project named Rhino.

[edit] JSDoc In Use

  • The JSDoc syntax has been described at length in the Apress book Foundations of Ajax ISBN 1-59059-582-3.
  • The Eclipse IDE has extensions that understand the JSDoc syntax.
  • The open source project OpenLayers uses JSDoc.
  • Mozile, the Mozilla Inline Editor uses JSDoc.
  • The Helma application framework uses JSDoc.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

[edit] Documentation generators