[Python-Dev] docstring before function declaration

[Nicholas Jacobson]

Rule #1: If the docstring is the first line of a
module, it's the module's docstring.

Rule #2: If the docstring comes right before a
class/function, it's that class/function's docstring.

> How do you distinguish between a docstring at the
> top of a module 
> that's immediately followed by a  function? Is it
> the module docstring 
> or the function docstring?

It's both.  The docstring would be assigned to both
the module and the function.  This is a *good* thing
when there is a module with only one function in it. 
i.e. there should only be one docstring for both, and
this saves repetition of that docstring.

If a programmer wanted a docstring for the function
but not the module, a blank first line would do the
trick.  A docstring for the module but not the
function?  Put a blank line between the module's
docstring and the function.

--Nick Jacobson



		
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