Guidelines for documenting C++ function parameters

Writing clear and comprehensive documentation of C function parameters is critical. Best practices include describing parameters clearly and concisely. Explain the purpose of parameters and their effects. Specify the data type and range of the parameter. Indicate the default value of the parameter (if any). Mark parameters that can be nullptr. Automatically generate documentation using documentation blocks.

Guidelines for document writing of C function parameters

Overview

Write clearly, Comprehensive function parameter documentation is critical to developing high-quality and easy-to-maintain code. This article provides guidance on documenting C function parameters, including best practices, examples, and practical examples.

Best Practices

• Clear and concise: Use concise, clear, and unambiguous language to describe parameters.
• Explain intent: Explain the purpose of the parameter and how it affects function behavior.
• Explicit type: Specify the data type of the parameter and its range or allowed values.
• Describe the default value: If the parameter has a default value, please indicate and explain the value.
• Marking (optional): Use C 11 annotations to mark nullptr parameters.
• Use documentation blocks: Use documentation generation tools such as Doxygen or Sphinx to automatically generate documentation.

Example

void set_name(const std::string& name, size_t max_length = 100);

/// 函数：set_name
/// \brief 设置指定对象的名称。
/// \param name 要设置的名称。不得超过 100 个字符。
/// \param max_length 名称的最大允许长度（可选，默认为 100）。

Practical case

The following is a function in the file system library written in C Documentation example:

void create_file(const std::string& path, const std::string& content = "");

/// 函数：create_file
/// \brief 创建一个新文件。如果文件已存在，则覆盖其内容。
/// \param path 要创建的文件的路径。
/// \param content 要写入文件的内容（可选，默认为空字符串）。
/// \throw std::invalid_argument 如果 path 为空或路径中包含非法字符。
/// \throw std::ios_base::failure 如果无法创建文件或写入内容。

By following these best practices, you can write clear and comprehensive documentation of C function parameters, thereby improving the maintainability and readability of your code.

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