Improve documentation on contributing to Ruby

co-authored-by: Peter Zhu <[email protected]> co-authored-by: Stan Lo <[email protected]>
author: Jemma Issroff <[email protected]> 2022-05-09 11:45:50 -0400
committer: Peter Zhu <[email protected]> 2022-05-11 10:59:24 -0400
commit: c00feffb46ac646605adc277b5454e6b067e2d8a (patch)
tree: 5dc1cd26ca18b1bc0f6a48a71b91a67a6c778d43 /doc/contributing/documentation_guide.md
parent: becafe1efb7bf8bf5a324a6005b24e133c0f69a8 (diff)
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+# Documentation Guide
+
+This guide discusses recommendations for documenting
+classes, modules, and methods
+in the Ruby core and in the Ruby standard library.
+
+## Generating documentation
+
+Most Ruby documentation lives in the source files and is written in [RDoc format](https://ruby.github.io/rdoc/RDoc/Markup.html).
+
+Some pages live under the `doc` folder and can be written in either `.rdoc` or `.md` format, determined by the file extension.
+
+To generate the output of documentation changes in HTML in the `{build folder}/.ext/html` directory, run the following inside your build directory:
+
+```
+make html
+```
+
+Then you can preview your changes by opening `{build folder}/.ext/html/index.html` file in your browser.
+
+
+## Goal
+
+The goal of Ruby documentation is to impart the most important
+and relevant in the shortest time.
+The reader should be able to quickly understand the usefulness
+of the subject code and how to use it.
+
+Providing too little information is bad, but providing unimportant
+information or unnecessary examples is not good either.
+Use your judgment about what the user needs to know.
+
+## General Guidelines
+
+- Keep in mind that the reader may not be fluent in \English.
+- Write short declarative or imperative sentences.
+- Group sentences into (ideally short) paragraphs,
+  each covering a single topic.
+- Organize material with [headers](rdoc-ref:RDoc::Markup@Headers).
+- Refer to authoritative and relevant sources using
+  [links](rdoc-ref:RDoc::Markup@Links).
+- Use simple verb tenses: simple present, simple past, simple future.
+- Use simple sentence structure, not compound or complex structure.
+- Avoid:
+    - Excessive comma-separated phrases;
+      consider a [list](rdoc-ref:RDoc::Markup@Simple+Lists).
+    - Idioms and culture-specific references.
+    - Overuse of headers.
+    - Using US-ASCII-incompatible characters in C source files;
+      see [Characters](#label-Characters) below.
+
+### Characters
+
+Use only US-ASCII-compatible characters in a C source file.
+(If you use other characters, the Ruby CI will gently let you know.)
+
+If want to put ASCII-incompatible characters into the documentation
+for a C-coded class, module, or method, there are workarounds
+involving new files <tt>doc/*.rdoc</tt>:
+
+- For class `Foo` (defined in file <tt>foo.c</tt>),
+  create file <tt>doc/foo.rdoc</tt>, declare <tt>class Foo; end</tt>,
+  and place the class documentation above that declaration:
+
+    ```ruby
+    # Documentation for class Foo goes here.
+    class Foo; end
+    ```
+
+- Similarly, for module `Bar` (defined in file <tt>bar.c</tt>,
+  create file <tt>doc/bar.rdoc</tt>, declare <tt>module Bar; end</tt>,
+  and place the module documentation above that declaration:
+
+    ```ruby
+    # Documentation for module Bar goes here.
+    module Bar; end
+    ```
+
+- For a method, things are different.
+  Documenting a method as above disables the "click to toggle source" feature
+  in the rendered documentation.
+
+    Therefore it's best to use file inclusion:
+    
+    - Retain the call-seq in the C code.
+    - Use file inclusion (`:include:`) to include text from an .rdoc file.
+
+    Example:
+
+    ```c
+    /*
+     *  call-seq:
+     *    each_byte {|byte| ... } -> self
+     *    each_byte               -> enumerator
+     *
+     *  \:include: doc/string/each_byte.rdoc
+     *
+     */
+    ```
+
+### \RDoc
+
+Ruby is documented using RDoc.
+For information on \RDoc syntax and features, see the
+[RDoc Markup Reference](rdoc-ref:RDoc::Markup@RDoc+Markup+Reference).
+
+### Output from <tt>irb</tt>
+
+For code examples, consider using interactive Ruby,
+[irb](https://ruby-doc.org/stdlib/libdoc/irb/rdoc/IRB.html).
+
+For a code example that includes `irb` output,
+consider aligning <tt># => ...</tt> in successive lines.
+Alignment may sometimes aid readability:
+
+```ruby
+a = [1, 2, 3] #=> [1, 2, 3]
+a.shuffle!    #=> [2, 3, 1]
+a             #=> [2, 3, 1]
+```
+
+### Headers
+
+Organize a long discussion with [headers](rdoc-ref:RDoc::Markup@Headers).
+
+### Blank Lines
+
+A blank line begins a new paragraph.
+
+A [code block](rdoc-ref:RDoc::Markup@Paragraphs+and+Verbatim)
+or [list](rdoc-ref:RDoc::Markup@Simple+Lists)
+should be preceded by and followed by a blank line.
+This is unnecessary for the HTML output, but helps in the `ri` output.
+
+### Auto-Linking
+
+In general, \RDoc's auto-linking should not be suppressed.
+For example, we should write `Array`, not <tt>\Array</tt>.
+
+We might consider whether to suppress when:
+
+- The word in question does not refer to a Ruby entity
+  (e.g., some uses of _Class_ or _English_).
+- The reference is to the current class document
+  (e.g., _Array_ in the documentation for class `Array`).
+- The same reference is repeated many times
+  (e.g., _RDoc_ on this page).
+
+## Documenting Classes and Modules
+
+The general structure of the class or module documentation should be:
+
+- Synopsis
+- Common uses, with examples
+- "What's Here" summary (optional)
+
+### Synopsis
+
+The synopsis is a short description of what the class or module does
+and why the reader might want to use it.
+Avoid details in the synopsis.
+
+### Common Uses
+
+Show common uses of the class or module.
+Depending on the class or module, this section may vary greatly
+in both length and complexity.
+
+### What's Here Summary
+
+The documentation for a class or module may include a "What's Here" section.
+
+Guidelines:
+
+- The section title is <tt>What's Here</tt>.
+- Consider listing the parent class and any included modules; consider
+  [links](rdoc-ref:RDoc::Markup@Links)
+  to their "What's Here" sections if those exist.
+- List methods as a bullet list:
+
+    - Begin each item with the method name, followed by a colon
+      and a short description.
+    - If the method has aliases, mention them in parentheses before the colon
+      (and do not list the aliases separately).
+    - Check the rendered documentation to determine whether \RDoc has recognized
+      the method and linked to it;  if not, manually insert a
+      [link](rdoc-ref:RDoc::Markup@Links).
+
+- If there are numerous entries, consider grouping them into subsections with headers.
+- If there are more than a few such subsections,
+  consider adding a table of contents just below the main section title.
+
+## Documenting Methods
+
+### General Structure
+
+The general structure of the method documentation should be:
+
+- Calling sequence (for methods written in C).
+- Synopsis (short description).
+- Details and examples.
+- Argument description (if necessary).
+- Corner cases and exceptions.
+- Aliases.
+- Related methods (optional).
+
+### Calling Sequence (for methods written in C)
+
+For methods written in Ruby, \RDoc documents the calling sequence automatically.
+
+For methods written in C, \RDoc cannot determine what arguments
+the method accepts, so those need to be documented using \RDoc directive
+[:call-seq:](rdoc-ref:RDoc::Markup@Method+arguments).
+
+Example:
+
+```
+*  call-seq:
+*    array.count -> integer
+*    array.count(obj) -> integer
+*    array.count {|element| ... } -> integer
+```
+
+When creating the <tt>call-seq</tt>, use the form
+
+```
+receiver_type.method_name(arguments) {|block_arguments|} -> return_type
+```
+
+Omit the parentheses for cases where the method does not accept arguments,
+and omit the block for cases where a block is not accepted.
+
+In the cases where method can return multiple different types, separate the
+types with "or".  If the method can return any type, use "object".  If the
+method returns the receiver, use "self".
+
+In cases where the method accepts optional arguments, use a <tt>call-seq</tt>
+with an optional argument if the method has the same behavior when an argument
+is omitted as when the argument is passed with the default value.  For example,
+use:
+
+```
+obj.respond_to?(symbol, include_all=false) -> true or false
+```
+
+Instead of:
+
+```
+obj.respond_to?(symbol) -> true or false
+obj.respond_to?(symbol, include_all) -> true or false
+```
+
+However, as shown above for <tt>Array#count</tt>, use separate lines if the
+behavior is different if the argument is omitted.
+
+Omit aliases from the call-seq, but mention them near the end (see below).
+
+
+A `call-seq` block should have <tt>{|x| ... }</tt>, not <tt>{|x| block }</tt> or <tt>{|x| code }</tt>.
+
+A `call-seq` output should:
+
+- Have `self`, not `receiver` or `array`.
+- Begin with `new_` if and only if the output object is a new instance
+  of the receiver's class, to emphasize that the output object is not `self`.
+
+### Synopsis
+
+The synopsis comes next, and is a short description of what the
+method does and why you would want to use it.  Ideally, this
+is a single sentence, but for more complex methods it may require
+an entire paragraph.
+
+For <tt>Array#count</tt>, the synopsis is:
+
+```
+Returns a count of specified elements.
+```
+
+This is great as it is short and descriptive.  Avoid documenting
+too much in the synopsis, stick to the most important information
+for the benefit of the reader.
+
+### Details and Examples
+
+Most non-trivial methods benefit from examples, as well as details
+beyond what is given in the synopsis.  In the details and examples
+section, you can document how the method handles different types
+of arguments, and provides examples on proper usage.  In this
+section, focus on how to use the method properly, not on how the
+method handles improper arguments or corner cases.
+
+Not every behavior of a method requires an example.  If the method
+is documented to return `self`, you don't need to provide an example
+showing the return value is the same as the receiver.  If the method
+is documented to return `nil`, you don't need to provide an example
+showing that it returns `nil`.  If the details mention that for a
+certain argument type, an empty array is returned, you don't need
+to provide an example for that.
+
+Only add an example if it provides the user additional information,
+do not add an example if it provides the same information given
+in the synopsis or details.  The purpose of examples is not to prove
+what the details are stating.
+
+### Argument Description (if necessary)
+
+For methods that require arguments, if not obvious and not explicitly
+mentioned in the details or implicitly shown in the examples, you can
+provide details about the types of arguments supported.  When discussing
+the types of arguments, use simple language even if less-precise, such
+as "level must be an integer", not "level must be an Integer-convertible
+object".  The vast majority of use will be with the expected type, not an
+argument that is explicitly convertible to the expected type, and
+documenting the difference is not important.
+
+For methods that take blocks, it can be useful to document the type of
+argument passed if it is not obvious, not explicitly mentioned in the
+details, and not implicitly shown in the examples.
+
+If there is more than one argument or block argument, use a
+[labeled list](rdoc-ref:RDoc::Markup@Labeled+Lists).
+
+### Corner Cases and Exceptions
+
+For corner cases of methods, such as atypical usage, briefly mention
+the behavior, but do not provide any examples.
+
+Only document exceptions raised if they are not obvious.  For example,
+if you have stated earlier than an argument type must be an integer,
+you do not need to document that a \TypeError is raised if a non-integer
+is passed.  Do not provide examples of exceptions being raised unless
+that is a common case, such as \Hash#fetch raising a \KeyError.
+
+### Aliases
+
+Mention aliases in the form
+
+```c
+// Array#find_index is an alias for Array#index.
+```
+
+### Related Methods (optional)
+
+In some cases, it is useful to document which methods are related to
+the current method.  For example, documentation for `Hash#[]` might
+mention `Hash#fetch` as a related method, and `Hash#merge` might mention
+`Hash#merge!` as a related method.  Consider which methods may be related
+to the current method, and if you think the reader would benefit it,
+at the end of the method documentation, add a line starting with
+"Related: " (e.g. "Related: #fetch").  Don't list more than three
+related methods. If you think more than three methods are related,
+pick the three you think are most important and list those three.
+
+### Methods Accepting Multiple Argument Types
+
+For methods that accept multiple argument types, in some cases it can
+be useful to document the different argument types separately.  It's
+best to use a separate paragraph for each case you are discussing.
author	Jemma Issroff <[email protected]>	2022-05-09 11:45:50 -0400
committer	Peter Zhu <[email protected]>	2022-05-11 10:59:24 -0400
commit	c00feffb46ac646605adc277b5454e6b067e2d8a (patch)
tree	5dc1cd26ca18b1bc0f6a48a71b91a67a6c778d43 /doc/contributing/documentation_guide.md
parent	becafe1efb7bf8bf5a324a6005b24e133c0f69a8 (diff)