require-description.md

require-description

• Options
  • checkConstructors
  • checkGetters
  • checkSetters
  • contexts
  • descriptionStyle
  • exemptedBy
• Context and settings
• Failing examples
• Passing examples

Requires that all functions (or optionally other structures) with a JSDoc block have a description.

• All functions must have an implicit description (e.g., text above tags) or have the option descriptionStyle set to tag (requiring @description (or @desc if that is set as your preferred tag name)).
• Every JSDoc block description (or @description tag if descriptionStyle is "tag") must have a non-empty description that explains the purpose of the method.

Options

A single options object has the following properties.

checkConstructors

A value indicating whether constructors should be checked. Defaults to true.

checkGetters

A value indicating whether getters should be checked. Defaults to true.

checkSetters

A value indicating whether setters should be checked. Defaults to true.

contexts

Set to an array of strings representing the AST context where you wish the rule to be applied (e.g., ClassDeclaration for ES6 classes).

context defaults to any and comment defaults to no specific comment context.

Overrides the default contexts (ArrowFunctionExpression, FunctionDeclaration, FunctionExpression). Set to "any" if you want the rule to apply to any JSDoc block throughout your files (as is necessary for finding function blocks not attached to a function declaration or expression, i.e., @callback or @function (or its aliases @func or @method) (including those associated with an @interface).

See the "AST and Selectors" section of our Advanced docs for more on the expected format.

descriptionStyle

Whether to accept implicit descriptions ("body") or @description tags ("tag") as satisfying the rule. Set to "any" to accept either style. Defaults to "body".

exemptedBy

Array of tags (e.g., ['type']) whose presence on the document block avoids the need for a @description. Defaults to an array with inheritdoc. If you set this array, it will overwrite the default, so be sure to add back inheritdoc if you wish its presence to cause exemption of the rule.

Context and settings

Context	ArrowFunctionExpression, FunctionDeclaration, FunctionExpression; others when contexts option enabled
Tags	description or JSDoc block
Aliases	desc
Recommended	false
Options	checkConstructors, checkGetters, checkSetters, contexts, descriptionStyle, exemptedBy
Settings	ignoreReplacesDocs, overrideReplacesDocs, augmentsExtendsReplacesDocs, implementsReplacesDocs

Failing examples

The following patterns are considered problems:

/**
 *
 */
function quux () {

}
// "jsdoc/require-description": ["error"|"warn", {"descriptionStyle":"tag"}]
// Message: Missing JSDoc @description declaration.

/**
 *
 */
function quux () {

}
// "jsdoc/require-description": ["error"|"warn", {"descriptionStyle":"any"}]
// Message: Missing JSDoc block description or @description declaration.

/**
 *
 */
function quux () {

}
// "jsdoc/require-description": ["error"|"warn", {"descriptionStyle":"body"}]
// Message: Missing JSDoc block description.

/**
 * @desc Not a blank description
 */
function quux () {

}
// "jsdoc/require-description": ["error"|"warn", {"descriptionStyle":"body"}]
// Message: Remove the @desc tag to leave a plain block description or add additional description text above the @desc line.

/**
 * @description Not a blank description
 */
function quux () {

}
// "jsdoc/require-description": ["error"|"warn", {"descriptionStyle":"body"}]
// Message: Remove the @description tag to leave a plain block description or add additional description text above the @description line.

/**
 *
 */
class quux {

}
// "jsdoc/require-description": ["error"|"warn", {"contexts":["ClassDeclaration"],"descriptionStyle":"tag"}]
// Message: Missing JSDoc @description declaration.

/**
 *
 */
class quux {

}
// Settings: {"jsdoc":{"contexts":["ClassDeclaration"]}}
// "jsdoc/require-description": ["error"|"warn", {"descriptionStyle":"tag"}]
// Message: Missing JSDoc @description declaration.

/**
 *
 */
// "jsdoc/require-description": ["error"|"warn", {"contexts":["any"],"descriptionStyle":"tag"}]
// Message: Missing JSDoc @description declaration.

/**
 * @description
 */
function quux () {

}
// "jsdoc/require-description": ["error"|"warn", {"descriptionStyle":"tag"}]
// Message: Missing JSDoc @description description.

/**
 *
 */
interface quux {

}
// "jsdoc/require-description": ["error"|"warn", {"contexts":["TSInterfaceDeclaration"],"descriptionStyle":"tag"}]
// Message: Missing JSDoc @description declaration.

/**
 *
 */
var quux = class {

};
// "jsdoc/require-description": ["error"|"warn", {"contexts":["ClassExpression"],"descriptionStyle":"tag"}]
// Message: Missing JSDoc @description declaration.

/**
 *
 */
var quux = {

};
// "jsdoc/require-description": ["error"|"warn", {"contexts":["ObjectExpression"],"descriptionStyle":"tag"}]
// Message: Missing JSDoc @description declaration.

/**
 * @someDesc
 */
function quux () {

}
// Settings: {"jsdoc":{"tagNamePreference":{"description":{"message":"Please avoid `{{tagName}}`; use `{{replacement}}` instead","replacement":"someDesc"}}}}
// "jsdoc/require-description": ["error"|"warn", {"descriptionStyle":"tag"}]
// Message: Missing JSDoc @someDesc description.

/**
 * @description
 */
function quux () {

}
// Settings: {"jsdoc":{"tagNamePreference":{"description":false}}}
// "jsdoc/require-description": ["error"|"warn", {"descriptionStyle":"tag"}]
// Message: Unexpected tag `@description`

/**
 * @description
 */
function quux () {

}
// Settings: {"jsdoc":{"tagNamePreference":{"description":false}}}
// "jsdoc/require-description": ["error"|"warn", {"descriptionStyle":"any"}]
// Message: Missing JSDoc block description or @description declaration.

/**
 *
 */
function quux () {
}
// "jsdoc/require-description": ["error"|"warn", {"exemptedBy":["notPresent"]}]
// Message: Missing JSDoc block description.

class TestClass {
  /**
   *
   */
  constructor() { }
}
// Message: Missing JSDoc block description.

class TestClass {
  /**
   *
   */
  constructor() { }
}
// "jsdoc/require-description": ["error"|"warn", {"checkConstructors":true}]
// Message: Missing JSDoc block description.

class TestClass {
  /**
   *
   */
  get Test() { }
}
// Message: Missing JSDoc block description.

class TestClass {
  /**
   *
   */
  get Test() { }
}
// "jsdoc/require-description": ["error"|"warn", {"checkGetters":true}]
// Message: Missing JSDoc block description.

class TestClass {
  /**
   *
   */
  set Test(value) { }
}
// Message: Missing JSDoc block description.

class TestClass {
  /**
   *
   */
  set Test(value) { }
}
// "jsdoc/require-description": ["error"|"warn", {"checkSetters":true}]
// Message: Missing JSDoc block description.

/**
 *
 */
class Foo {
    /**
     *
     */
    constructor() {}

    /**
     *
     */
    bar() {}
}
// "jsdoc/require-description": ["error"|"warn", {"checkConstructors":false,"contexts":["MethodDefinition"]}]
// Message: Missing JSDoc block description.

/**
 * @implements {Bar}
 */
class quux {

}
// Settings: {"jsdoc":{"implementsReplacesDocs":false}}
// "jsdoc/require-description": ["error"|"warn", {"contexts":[{"comment":"JsdocBlock[postDelimiter=\"\"]:has(JsdocTag[rawType=\"Bar\"])","context":"ClassDeclaration"}],"descriptionStyle":"tag"}]
// Message: Missing JSDoc @description declaration.

/**
 * Has some
 *   description already.
 * @implements {Bar}
 */
class quux {

}
// Settings: {"jsdoc":{"implementsReplacesDocs":false}}
// "jsdoc/require-description": ["error"|"warn", {"contexts":[{"comment":"JsdocBlock[postDelimiter=\"\"]:has(JsdocTag[rawType=\"Bar\"])","context":"ClassDeclaration"}],"descriptionStyle":"tag"}]
// Message: Missing JSDoc @description declaration.

/**
 * @implements {Bar
 *   | Foo}
 */
class quux {

}
// Settings: {"jsdoc":{"implementsReplacesDocs":false}}
// "jsdoc/require-description": ["error"|"warn", {"contexts":[{"comment":"JsdocBlock[postDelimiter=\"\"]:has(JsdocTypeUnion > JsdocTypeName[value=\"Bar\"]:nth-child(1))","context":"ClassDeclaration"}],"descriptionStyle":"tag"}]
// Message: Missing JSDoc @description declaration.

/**
 * @implements {Bar}
 */
class quux {

}
// Settings: {"jsdoc":{"implementsReplacesDocs":false}}
// "jsdoc/require-description": ["error"|"warn", {"contexts":[{"comment":"JsdocBlock[postDelimiter=\"\"]:has(JsdocTag[tag=\"implements\"])","context":"ClassDeclaration"}],"descriptionStyle":"tag"}]
// Message: Missing JSDoc @description declaration.

/**
 * @implements {Bar}
 */
class quux {

}
// Settings: {"jsdoc":{"implementsReplacesDocs":false}}
// "jsdoc/require-description": ["error"|"warn", {"contexts":[{"comment":"JsdocBlock[postDelimiter=\"\"]:has(JsdocTag[tag=\"implements\"])","context":"any"}],"descriptionStyle":"tag"}]
// Message: Missing JSDoc @description declaration.

app.use(
  /** @type {express.ErrorRequestHandler} */
  (err, req, res, next) => {
    // foo
  }
);
// Message: Missing JSDoc block description.

app.use(
  /** @type {express.ErrorRequestHandler} */
  (
    (err, req, res, next) => {
      // foo
    }
  )
);
// Message: Missing JSDoc block description.

/** @type {TreeViewItemData[]} */
this.treeViewSelection = [];
// "jsdoc/require-description": ["error"|"warn", {"contexts":["AssignmentExpression"]}]
// Message: Missing JSDoc block description.

Passing examples

The following patterns are not considered problems:

/**
 *
 */

/**
 * @description
 * // arbitrary description content
 */
function quux () {

}
// "jsdoc/require-description": ["error"|"warn", {"descriptionStyle":"tag"}]

/**
 * @description
 * quux(); // does something useful
 */
function quux () {

}
// "jsdoc/require-description": ["error"|"warn", {"descriptionStyle":"tag"}]

/**
 * @description <caption>Valid usage</caption>
 * quux(); // does something useful
 *
 * @description <caption>Invalid usage</caption>
 * quux('random unwanted arg'); // results in an error
 */
function quux () {

}
// "jsdoc/require-description": ["error"|"warn", {"descriptionStyle":"tag"}]

/**
 *
 */
class quux {

}
// "jsdoc/require-description": ["error"|"warn", {"descriptionStyle":"tag"}]

/**
 *
 */
function quux () {

}
// "jsdoc/require-description": ["error"|"warn", {"contexts":["ClassDeclaration"]}]

/**
 * @type {MyCallback}
 */
function quux () {

}
// "jsdoc/require-description": ["error"|"warn", {"exemptedBy":["type"]}]

/**
 *
 */
interface quux {

}
// "jsdoc/require-description": ["error"|"warn", {"descriptionStyle":"tag"}]

interface quux {
  /**
   * If the thing should be checked.
   */
  checked?: boolean
}
// "jsdoc/require-description": ["error"|"warn", {"contexts":["TSPropertySignature"]}]

/**
 *
 */
var quux = class {

};
// "jsdoc/require-description": ["error"|"warn", {"descriptionStyle":"tag"}]

/**
 *
 */
var quux = {

};
// "jsdoc/require-description": ["error"|"warn", {"descriptionStyle":"tag"}]

/**
 * Has an implicit description
 */
function quux () {

}
// "jsdoc/require-description": ["error"|"warn", {"descriptionStyle":"body"}]

/**
 * Has an implicit description
 */
function quux () {

}

/**
 * Has an implicit description
 */
function quux () {

}
// "jsdoc/require-description": ["error"|"warn", {"descriptionStyle":"any"}]

/**
 * @description Has an explicit description
 */
function quux () {

}
// "jsdoc/require-description": ["error"|"warn", {"descriptionStyle":"any"}]

/**
 *
 */
function quux () {

}
// Settings: {"jsdoc":{"tagNamePreference":{"description":false}}}

class TestClass {
  /**
   * Test.
   */
  constructor() { }
}

class TestClass {
  /**
   *
   */
  constructor() { }
}
// "jsdoc/require-description": ["error"|"warn", {"checkConstructors":false}]

class TestClass {
  /**
   * Test.
   */
  get Test() { }
}

class TestClass {
  /**
   *
   */
  get Test() { }
}
// "jsdoc/require-description": ["error"|"warn", {"checkGetters":false}]

class TestClass {
  /**
   * Test.
   */
  set Test(value) { }
}

class TestClass {
  /**
   *
   */
  set Test(value) { }
}
// "jsdoc/require-description": ["error"|"warn", {"checkSetters":false}]

/**
 * Multi
 * line
 */
function quux () {

}

/** Single line */
function quux () {

}

/** @description something */
function quux () {

}
// "jsdoc/require-description": ["error"|"warn", {"descriptionStyle":"tag"}]

/**
 * @implements {Bar}
 */
class quux {

}
// Settings: {"jsdoc":{"implementsReplacesDocs":false}}
// "jsdoc/require-description": ["error"|"warn", {"contexts":[{"comment":"JsdocBlock[postDelimiter=/\\s{4}/]:has(JsdocTag[rawType=\"class\"])","context":"ClassDeclaration"}],"descriptionStyle":"tag"}]

/**
 * Has some
 *   description already.
 */
class quux {

}
// "jsdoc/require-description": ["error"|"warn", {"contexts":[{"comment":"JsdocBlock[postDelimiter=\"\"]:has(JsdocTag[rawType=\"{Bar}\"])","context":"ClassDeclaration"}],"descriptionStyle":"tag"}]

/**
 * Has some
 *   description already.
 */
class quux {

}
// "jsdoc/require-description": ["error"|"warn", {"contexts":[{"comment":"JsdocBlock[postDelimiter=\"\"]:has(JsdocTag[rawType=\"{Bar}\"])","context":"any"}],"descriptionStyle":"tag"}]

/**
 * Has some
 *   description already.
 */
// "jsdoc/require-description": ["error"|"warn", {"contexts":[{"comment":"JsdocBlock[postDelimiter=\"\"]:has(JsdocTag[rawType=\"{Bar}\"])","context":"any"}],"descriptionStyle":"tag"}]