syntax.md

Syntax

Comments

Documentation comments start with /** and end with **/. Each new line starts with *.

/** ...
 *  ...
 **/

Tags (optional)

The opening line of a comment is reserved for tags. Tags are optional. Tags are separated by a comma followed by optional whitespace(s) (, ). They can be either a tag name or a key / value pair separated by a colon and optional whitespace(s) (: ):

tagName ': ' tagValue [', ' tagName ': ' tagValue]...

Currently supported tags are:

• section: <name> - description belongs to specified section name
• alias of: <name> - entity is another name for entity name
• related to: <name> - description is related to entity name
• read-only - entity is read-only
• internal - entity is meant to be private
• chainable - method can be chained, i.e. the return value is the same object to which method belongs. E.g. $(...).on(...).on(...)
• deprecated - entity is considered deprecated. Deprecation tag in addition have the following flavors:
  • deprecated: <from> - deprecated starting from version from
  • deprecated: <from>..<out> - deprecated starting from version from and will be removed by version out

E.g.:

/** deprecated: 1.0..2.0, section: DOM, alias of: Element#descendantOf, chainable
 *  Element#childOf(@element, className) -> Element
 *
 *  ...
 **/

EBNF

The lines directly following tags are reserved for the EBNF description of the documented object. Typically, there's only one EBNF per documented object:

/** 
 *  Element#down(@element[, cssSelector][, index]) -> Element | null
 *
 *  ...
 **/

However, methods, functions, etc. may have several signatures, hence may require more than one description line, in which case description lines directly follow each other:

/** 
 *  Element#writeAttribute(@element, attribute[, value = true]) -> Element
 *  Element#writeAttribute(@element, attributes) -> Element
 *
 *  ...
 **/

Arguments

For all methods, functions, etc. parentheses around the arguments are required even if no arguments are present. The syntax for arguments is as follows:

required arguments

/** 
 *  Event.stop(event) -> Event
 *
 *  ...
 **/

optional arguments

Optional arguments are surrounded by squared brackets ([]).

/** 
 *  String#evalJSON([sanitize]) -> Object | Array
 *
 *  ...
 **/

A default value may be indicated using the equal sign (=).

/** 
 *  String#evalJSON([sanitize = false]) -> Object | Array
 *
 *  ...
 **/

Note that the argument separating comas belong inside the brackets.

/** 
 *  Event.findElement(event[, cssSelector]) -> Element | null
 *
 *  ...
 **/     

Arguments can be described below the EBNF description using the following syntax:

- argumentName (acceptedType | otherAcceptedType | ...): description.

Supported EBNF types

BIG FAT WARNING: EBNF descriptions must be separated by an empty comment line from the rest of description:

/** 
 *  String#evalJSON([sanitize = false]) -> Object | Array
 *
 *  Here goes markdown for String#evalJSON description.
 **/
 

/** 
 *  Event.findElement(event[, cssSelector]) -> Element | null
 *  - event (Event): a native Event instance
 *  - cssSelector (String): a optional CSS selector which uses
 *  the same syntax found in regular CSS.
 *
 *  Regular method markdown goes here.
 **/

Descriptions are parsed as markdown markup, with github-style extension for code blocks

Namespace

/** 
 *  Ajax
 *
 *  ...
 **/
 
/** 
 *  Prototype.Browser
 *
 *  ...
 **/

Classes

Classes require a class prefix:

/** 
 *  class Ajax.Base
 *
 *  ...
 **/

Sub-classes can indicate their parent just like in the Ruby syntax:

/** 
 *  class Ajax.Request < Ajax.Base
 *
 *  ...
 **/

Where Ajax.Base is the parent class and Ajax.Request the subclass.

Included mixins are indicated like so:

/** 
 *  class CustomHash
 *  includes Enumerable, Comparable
 *
 *  ...
 **/

Mixins

Mixins are indicated by a mixin prefix:

/** 
 *  mixin Enumerable
 *
 *  ...
 **/

Constructors

Constructors require the new prefix and their arguments.

/** 
 *  new Element(tagName[, attributes])
 *
 *  ...
 **/
      
/** 
 *  new Foobar()
 *
 *  ...
 **/

Class Methods

Class methods are identified by a dot (.).

/** 
 *  Array.from([iterable]) -> Array
 *
 *  ...
 **/

Instance Methods

Instance methods are identified by the hash symbol (#).

/** 
 *  Array#first() -> Array element
 *
 *  ...
 **/

Utilities

Utilities are global functions starting with a dollar-sign ($).

/** 
 *  $w(string) -> Array
 *
 *  ...
 **/

Methodized Methods

Methodized methods are methods which are both available as a class method and an instance method, in which case the first argument becomes the instance object itself. For example, all of Element's instance methods are methodized and thus also available as class methods of Element. Methodized methods are indicated by prefixing their first argument with the @ symbol.

/** 
 *  Element#hide(@element) -> Element
 *
 *  ...
 **/

Class Properties

Class properties are identified by a dot (.).

/** 
 *  Ajax.Responders.responders -> Array
 *
 *  ...
 **/

Instance Properties

Instance properties are identified by the hash symbol (#).

/** 
 *  Ajax.Response#responseText -> String
 *
 *  ...
 **/

Constants

Constant must have their value specified using the equal sign (=).

/** 
 *  Prototype.JSONFilter = /^\/\*-secure-([\s\S]*)\*\/\s*$/
 *
 *  ...
 **/

Events

Events are identified by @:

/** 
 *  Features@head(request, socket, head)
 *
 *  ...
 **/

Sugar

Sections

Sections are grouped parts of documentation. They don't add to element hierarchy, but just help to organize documentation.

/** 
 *  == Section Name ==
 *
 *  Describe this section here.
 **/

Short links

Short links help to quickly refer some element. Supported are two flavors:

• [[Method.Name]] - renders to <a href=HREF>Method.Name</a>
• [[Method.Name TEXT]] - renders to <a href=HREF>TEXT</a>

Difference from PDoc

1. Descriptions should be ALWAYS separated by empty line from the upper string (signature, section, tags...).
2. deprecated can have options.
3. Additional tags - read-only, internal, chainable.
4. Events support.