#Which command builds an overview of document contents how to
#Which command builds an overview of document contents install
#Which command builds an overview of document contents generator

#Which command builds an overview of document contents generator

`pycounts` can be used to count words in a text file and plotįrom pycounts.pycounts import count_wordsįile_path = 'test.txt' # path to your fileīuild documentation: compile and render the manually written documentation into an organized, coherent, and shareable format, such as HTML or PDF, using the documentation generator tool sphinx.

#Which command builds an overview of document contents how to

Below we show an example of the README.md file we wrote for the pycounts package we developed in Chapter 3: How to package a Python. These are usually written in a plain-text format like Markdown (.

Write documentation: manually write the documentation source files that will support your package, such as those listed in Table 6.1. The typical workflow for documenting a Python package consists of three steps: But it’s first helpful to understand the big-picture documentation workflow and what we’re aiming to build. We’ll discuss what each of these pieces of documentation are and how to write them in Section 6.2. Typically created automatically from your package’s docstrings using the sphinx tool as we’ll discuss in Section 3.8.4. Step-by-step, tutorial-like examples showing how the package works in more detail.Īn organized list of the user-facing functionality of your package (i.e., functions, classes, etc.) along with a short description of what they do and how to use them. Accessible to users via the help() command. Text appearing as the first statement in a function, method, class, or module in Python that describes what the code does and how to use it.

#Which command builds an overview of document contents install

Provides high-level information about the package, e.g., what it does, how to install it, and how to use it.Įxplains who owns the copyright to your package source and how it can be used and shared.Įxplains how to contribute to the project.ĭefines standards for how to appropriately engage with and contribute to the project and its community.Ī chronologically ordered list of notable changes to the package over time, usually organized by version. Table 6.1 Typical Python package documentation. To give you an idea of what we mean when we say “documentation”, Table 6.1 shows the documentation included with a typical Python package and where it is usually located in the package’s directory structure. We’ll revise those steps here and will provide more detail about the documentation workflow and the individual elements of package documentation. In Section 3.8, we walked through the steps required to create documentation, compile it into a user-friendly and shareable HTML format, and then host it online. The reality is, if no one knows how to use your package, it will probably not get used!

For the users of your code (including your future self), having readable and accessible documentation is invaluable. The purpose of documentation is to help users understand how they can use and interact with your package, without having to read the source code.

Writing documentation for your package is arguably one of the most important, but perhaps least exciting, parts of the packaging process.