VSCode Pylint Missing Function Docstring - JavaScript

If you are working with Python in Visual Studio Code and using Pylint for static analysis, you may come across the "missing-function-docstring" error if you have not written docstrings for all your functions. This error message is generated by Pylint and can help you catch any undocumented functions.

What is a Docstring?

A docstring is a string literal that appears as the first statement of a function, class, or module. Its purpose is to provide documentation about the code that follows it. Docstrings follow certain formatting conventions that make them easier to read and more informative.

Here is an example of a function with a docstring:

/**
* This function adds two numbers and returns the result
* @param {number} num1 - the first number to add
* @param {number} num2 - the second number to add
* @returns {number} the sum of num1 and num2
*/
function add(num1, num2) {
  return num1 + num2;
}

In this example, the docstring explains what the function does, what parameters it takes, what type those parameters should be, and what the function returns.

How to Fix the "missing-function-docstring" Error

If you encounter the "missing-function-docstring" error in Pylint, the solution is to add a docstring for the function.

Here is an example of a function with a missing docstring:

function subtract(num1, num2) {
  return num1 - num2;
}

To fix this error, we simply need to add a docstring to the function:

/**
* This function subtracts two numbers and returns the result
* @param {number} num1 - the first number to subtract from
* @param {number} num2 - the second number to subtract
* @returns {number} the difference of num1 and num2
*/
function subtract(num1, num2) {
  return num1 - num2;
}

With the added docstring, Pylint will no longer generate the "missing-function-docstring" error.

Conclusion

Writing proper docstrings for your functions, classes, and modules is an important part of writing maintainable and readable code. With Pylint's "missing-function-docstring" error message, you can catch any undocumented functions and ensure that your code is properly documented.