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Nifty Docstrings: Doc Comments for Python, PHP, Rust and Go

Nifty Docstrings: Doc Comments for Python, PHP, Rust and Go

Nifty

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Type three quotes under a Python function and get a Google, NumPy or Sphinx docstring with its arguments, types, returns and raises. PHPDoc, Rust and Go doc comments too.
Installation
Launch VS Code Quick Open (Ctrl+P), paste the following command, and press enter.
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Nifty Docstrings

Type three quotes under a Python function and get a Google, NumPy or Sphinx docstring with its arguments, types, returns and raises. PHPDoc, Rust and Go doc comments too.

Maintained. No sign-in. No telemetry. Works in VS Code, Cursor, Windsurf, VSCodium and other editors that use Open VSX.

Features

Generate Docstring writes a Google-style docstring with Args, Returns and Raises, then the summary is typed in

A Google-style docstring filled in by the command

Typing three quotes under a def offers the docstring, with a preview

A PHPDoc block with aligned @param, @return and @throws

  • Python docstrings from the code. Type """ on the line under a def or class and press Enter (or pick Generate docstring from the suggestions), or press Ctrl+Shift+2 anywhere in a function. You get the summary, every argument (with *args, **kwargs and defaults), the return value, yielded values and every exception the function raises. Raises inside nested functions are left out.
  • Your style: Google, NumPy, Sphinx (reStructuredText) or a plain PEP 257 one-liner. Types come from annotations, or from the default value when there's none (retries=3 is an int). Turn them off if your annotations say it all.
  • Classes document their __init__ arguments and the public attributes they set, including annotated class attributes. @property methods get a one-line summary.
  • Tab through the placeholders to fill in each description.
  • PHPDoc: type /** above a function for @param (aligned, with nullable and variadic types), @return and @throws for each throw new. Above a property you get @var.
  • Rust: /// above a fn adds # Arguments, plus # Errors for Results, # Panics when the body can panic (unwrap, expect, panic!) and # Safety for unsafe fn. Attributes like #[inline] stay below the comment.
  • Go: // above a func or type starts the comment with its name, as go vet and golint expect.
  • Works in the browser on vscode.dev and github.dev.

Commands

Command Key What it does
Nifty Docstrings: Generate Docstring Ctrl+Shift+2 Document the function or class at the cursor

Settings

Setting Default What it does
nifty.docstrings.style google google, numpy, sphinx or pep257
nifty.docstrings.types always never leaves types to the annotations
nifty.docstrings.quotes """ Quotes used by the command
nifty.docstrings.generateOnEnter true Fill in the docstring on Enter after the opening quotes
nifty.docstrings.rust.arguments true # Arguments section in Rust
nifty.docstrings.rust.examples false # Examples section in Rust
nifty.docstrings.languages all four Where to offer doc comments

Install

  • VS Code: search for "Nifty Docstrings" in the Extensions view, or install from the Visual Studio Marketplace.
  • Cursor, Windsurf, VSCodium, Kiro, Antigravity: install from Open VSX.

Privacy

This extension collects no telemetry and needs no account.

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See all 35 Nifty tools at https://getnifty.dev

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