tpoterba/sphinx-autodoc-typehints

Type hints support for the Sphinx autodoc extension

sphinx-autodoc-typehints

This extension allows you to use Python 3 annotations for documenting acceptable argument types and return value types of functions. This allows you to use type hints in a very natural fashion, allowing you to migrate from this:

def format_unit(value, unit):
    """
    Formats the given value as a human readable string using the given units.

    :param float|int value: a numeric value
    :param str unit: the unit for the value (kg, m, etc.)
    :rtype: str
    """
    return '{} {}'.format(value, unit)

to this:

from typing import Union

def format_unit(value: Union[float, int], unit: str) -> str:
    """
    Formats the given value as a human readable string using the given units.

    :param value: a numeric value
    :param unit: the unit for the value (kg, m, etc.)
    """
    return '{} {}'.format(value, unit)

Installation and setup

First, use pip to download and install the extension:

$ pip install sphinx-autodoc-typehints

Then, add the extension to your conf.py:

extensions = [
    'sphinx.ext.autodoc',
    'sphinx_autodoc_typehints'
]

How it works

The extension listens to the autodoc-process-signature and autodoc-process-docstring Sphinx events. In the former, it strips the annotations from the function signature. In the latter, it injects the appropriate :type argname: and :rtype: directives into the docstring.

Only arguments that have an existing :param: directive in the docstring get their respective :type: directives added. The :rtype: directive is added if and only if no existing :rtype: is found.

This extension does not currently have any configuration options.

Compatibility with sphinx.ext.napoleon

To use sphinx.ext.napoleon with sphinx-autodoc-typehints, make sure you load sphinx.ext.napoleon first, before sphinx-autodoc-typehints. See Issue 15 on the issue tracker for more information.

Project links

• Source repository
• Issue tracker