yard 0.9.29 → 0.9.30

data/docs/Tags.md

@@ -0,0 +1,283 @@
+# @title Tags Overview
+
+# Tags Overview
+
+Tags represent meta-data as well as behavioural data that can be added to
+documentation through the `@tag` style syntax. As mentioned, there are two
+basic types of tags in YARD, "meta-data tags" and "behavioural tags", the
+latter is more often known as "directives". These two tag types can be
+visually identified by their prefix. Meta-data tags have a `@` prefix,
+while directives have a prefix of `@!` to indicate that the directive
+performs some potentially mutable action on or with the docstring. The
+two tag types would be used in the following way, respectively:
+
+    # @meta_data_tag some data
+    # @!directive_tag some data
+    class Foo; end
+
+This document describes how tags can be specified, how they affect your
+documentation, and how to use specific built-in tags in YARD, as well
+as how to define custom tags.
+
+## Meta-Data Tags
+
+Meta-data tags are useful to add arbitrary meta-data about a documented
+object. These tags simply add data to objects that can be looked up later,
+either programmatically, or displayed in templates. The benefit to describing
+objects using meta-data tags is that your documentation can be organized
+semantically. Rather than having a huge listing of text with no distinction
+of what each paragraph is discussing, tags allow you to focus in on specific
+elements of your documentation.
+
+For example, describing parameters of a method can often be important to your
+documentation, but should not be mixed up with the documentation that describes
+what the method itself does. In this case, separating the parameter documentation
+into {tag:param} tags can yield much better organized documentation, both in
+source and in your output, without having to manually format the data using
+standard markup.
+
+All of this meta-data can be easily parsed by tools and used both in your templates
+as well as in code checker tools. An example of how you can leverage tags
+programmatically is shown in the {tag:todo} tag, which lists a small snippet of
+Ruby code that can list all of your TODO items, if they are properly tagged.
+
+Custom meta-data tags can be added either programmatically or via the YARD
+command-line. This is discussed in the "[Adding Custom Tags](#Adding_Custom_Tags)"
+section.
+
+A list of built-in meta-data tags are found below in the [Tag List](#Tag_List).
+
+## Directives
+
+Directives are similar to meta-data tags in the way they are specified, but they
+do not add meta-data to the object directly. Instead, they affect the parsing
+context and objects themselves, allowing a developer to create objects
+(like methods) outright, rather than simply add text to an existing object.
+Directives have a `@!` prefix to differentiate these tags from meta-data tags,
+as well as to indicate that the tag may modify or create new objects when
+it is called.
+
+A list of built-in directives are found below in the [Directive List](#Directive_List).
+
+## Tag Syntax
+
+Tags begin with the `@` or `@!` prefix at the start of a comment line, followed
+immediately by the tag name, and then optional tag data (if the tag requires it).
+Unless otherwise specified by documentation for the tag, all "description" text
+is considered free-form data and can include any arbitrary textual data.
+
+### Multi-line Tags
+
+Tags can span multiple lines if the subsequent lines are indented by more than
+one space. The typical convention is to indent subsequent lines by 2 spaces.
+In the following example, `@tagname` will have the text *"This is indented tag data"*:
+
+    # @tagname This is
+    #   indented tag data
+    # but this is not
+
+For most tags, newlines and indented data are not significant and do not impact
+the result of the tag. In other words, you can decide to span a tag onto multiple
+lines at any point by creating an indented block. However, some tags like
+{tag:example}, {tag:overload}, {tag:!macro}, {tag:!method}, and {tag:!attribute}
+rely on the first line for special information about the tag, and you cannot
+split this first line up. For instance, the {tag:example} tag uses the first line
+to indicate the example's title.
+
+### Common Tag Syntaxes
+
+Although custom tags can be parsed in any way, the built-in tags follow a few
+common syntax structures by convention in order to simplify the syntax. The
+following syntaxes are available:
+
+1. **Freeform data** — In this case, any amount of textual data is allowed,
+  including no data. In some cases, no data is necessary for the tag.
+2. **Freeform data with a types specifier list** — Mostly freeform data
+  beginning with an *optional* types specifier list surrounded in `[brackets]`.
+  Note that for extensibility, other bracket types are allowed, such as `<>`,
+  `()` and `{}`. The contents of the list are discussed in detail below.
+3. **Freeform data with a name and types specifier list** &mdash; freeform
+  data beginning with an *optional* types list, as well as a name key, placed
+  either before or after the types list. The name key is *required*. Note that
+  for extensibility, the name can be placed *before* the types list, like:
+  `name [Types] description`. In this case, a separating space is not required
+  between the name and types, and you can still use any of the other brackets
+  that the type specifier list allows.
+4. **Freeform data with title** &mdash; freeform data where the first line cannot
+  be split into multiple lines. The first line must also always refer to the
+  "title" portion, and therefore, if there is no title, the first line must
+  be blank. The "title" might occasionally be listed by another name in tag
+  documentation, however, you can identify this syntax by the existence of
+  a multi-line signature with "Indented block" on the second line.
+
+In the tag list below, the term "description" implies freeform data, `[Types]`
+implies a types specifier list, "name" implies a name key, and "title" implies
+the first line is a newline significant field that cannot be split into multiple
+lines.
+
+### Types Specifier List
+
+In some cases, a tag will allow for a "types specifier list"; this will be evident
+from the use of the `[Types]` syntax in the tag signature. A types specifier list
+is a comma separated list of types, most often classes or modules, but occasionally
+literals. For example, the following {tag:return} tag lists a set of types returned
+by a method:
+
+    # Finds an object or list of objects in the db using a query
+    # @return [String, Array<String>, nil] the object or objects to
+    #   find in the database. Can be nil.
+    def find(query) finder_code_here end
+
+A list of conventions for type names is specified below. Typically, however,
+any Ruby literal or class/module is allowed here. Duck-types (method names
+prefixed with "#") are also allowed.
+
+Note that the type specifier list is always an optional field and can be omitted
+when present in a tag signature. This is the reason why it is surrounded by
+brackets. It is also a freeform list, and can contain any list of values, though
+a set of conventions for how to list types is described below.
+
+### Type List Conventions
+
+<p class="note">
+  A list of examples of common type listings and what they translate into is
+  available at <a href="http://yardoc.org/types">http://yardoc.org/types</a>.
+</p>
+
+Typically, a type list contains a list of classes or modules that are associated
+with the tag. In some cases, however, certain special values are allowed or required
+to be listed. This section discusses the syntax for specifying Ruby types inside of
+type specifier lists, as well as the other non-Ruby types that are accepted by
+convention in these lists.
+
+It's important to realize that the conventions listed here may not always adequately
+describe every type signature, and is not meant to be a complete syntax. This is
+why the types specifier list is freeform and can contain any set of values. The
+conventions defined here are only conventions, and if they do not work for your
+type specifications, you can define your own appropriate conventions.
+
+Note that a types specifier list might also be used for non-Type values. In this
+case, the tag documentation will describe what values are allowed within the
+type specifier list.
+
+#### Class or Module Types
+
+Any Ruby type is allowed as a class or module type. Such a type is simply the name
+of the class or module.
+
+Note that one extra type that is accepted by convention is the `Boolean` type,
+which represents both the `TrueClass` and `FalseClass` types. This type does not
+exist in Ruby, however.
+
+#### Parametrized Types
+
+In addition to basic types (like String or Array), YARD conventions allow for
+a "generics" like syntax to specify container objects or other parametrized types.
+The syntax is `Type<SubType, OtherSubType, ...>`. For instance, an Array might
+contain only String objects, in which case the type specification would be
+`Array<String>`. Multiple parametrized types can be listed, separated by commas.
+
+Note that parametrized types are typically not order-dependent, in other words,
+a list of parametrized types can occur in any order inside of a type. An array
+specified as `Array<String, Fixnum>` can contain any amount of Strings or Fixnums,
+in any order. When the order matters, use "order-dependent lists", described below.
+
+#### Duck-Types
+
+Duck-types are allowed in type specifier lists, and are identified by method
+names beginning with the "#" prefix. Typically, duck-types are recommended
+for {tag:param} tags only, though they can be used in other tags if needed.
+The following example shows a method that takes a parameter of any type
+that responds to the "read" method:
+
+    # Reads from any I/O object.
+    # @param io [#read] the input object to read from
+    def read(io) io.read end
+
+#### Hashes
+
+Hashes can be specified either via the parametrized type discussed above,
+in the form `Hash<KeyType, ValueType>`, or using the hash specific syntax:
+`Hash{KeyTypes=>ValueTypes}`. In the latter case, KeyTypes or ValueTypes can
+also be a list of types separated by commas.
+
+#### Order-Dependent Lists
+
+An order dependent list is a set of types surrounded by "()" and separated by
+commas. This list must contain exactly those types in exactly the order specified.
+For instance, an Array containing a String, Fixnum and Hash in that order (and
+having exactly those 3 elements) would be listed as: `Array<(String, Fixnum, Hash)>`.
+
+#### Literals
+
+Some literals are accepted by virtue of being Ruby literals, but also by YARD
+conventions. Here is a non-exhaustive list of certain accepted literal values:
+
+* `true`, `false`, `nil` &mdash; used when a method returns these explicit literal
+  values. Note that if your method returns both `true` or `false`, you should use
+  the `Boolean` conventional type instead.
+* `self` &mdash; has the same meaning as Ruby's "self" keyword in the context of
+  parameters or return types. Recommended mostly for {tag:return} tags that are
+  chainable.
+* `void` &mdash; indicates that the type for this tag is explicitly undefined.
+  Mostly used to specify {tag:return} tags that do not care about their return
+  value. Using a `void` return tag is recommended over no type, because it makes
+  the documentation more explicit about what the user should expect. YARD will
+  also add a note for the user if they have undefined return types, making things
+  clear that they should not use the return value of such a method.
+
+<a name="reftags"></a>
+
+### Reference Tags
+
+<p class="note">
+  Reference tag syntax applies only to meta-data tags, not directives.
+</p>
+
+If a tag's data begins with `(see OBJECT)` it is considered a "reference tag".
+A reference tag literally copies the tag data by the given tag name from the
+specified OBJECT. For instance, a method may copy all {tag:param} tags from
+a given object using the reference tag syntax:
+
+    # @param user [String] the username for the operation
+    # @param host [String] the host that this user is associated with
+    # @param time [Time] the time that this operation took place
+    def clean(user, host, time = Time.now) end
+
+    # @param (see #clean)
+    def activate(user, host, time = Time.now) end
+
+## Adding Custom Tags
+
+<p class="note">If a tag is specific to a given project, consider namespacing
+  it by naming it in the form <tt>projectname.tagname</tt>, ie.,
+  <tt>yard.tag_signature</tt>.</p>
+
+Custom tags can be added to YARD either via the command-line or programmatically.
+The programmatic method is not discussed in this document, but rather in the
+{file:docs/TagsArch.md} document.
+
+To add a custom tag via the command-line or .yardopts file, you can use the
+`--*-tag` options. A few different options are available for the common tag
+syntaxes described above. For example, to add a basic freeform tag, use:
+
+    !!!sh
+    $ yard doc --tag rest_url:"REST URL"
+
+This will register the `@rest_url` tag for use in your documentation and display
+this tag in HTML output wherever it is used with the heading "REST URL".
+Note that the tag title should follow the tag name with a colon (`:`). Other
+tag syntaxes exist, such as the type specifier list freeform tag
+(`--type-tag`), or a named key tag with types (`--type-name-tag`).
+
+If you want to create a tag but not display it in output (it is only for
+programmatic use), add `--hide-tag tagname` after the definition:
+
+    !!!sh
+    $ yard doc --tag complexity:"McCabe Complexity" --hide-tag complexity
+
+Note that you might not need a tag title if you are hiding it. The title
+part can be omitted.
+
+{yard:include_tags}
+

data/docs/TagsArch.md

@@ -0,0 +1,123 @@
+# @title Tags Architecture
+
+# Tags Architecture
+
+## Programmatic API
+
+### Accessing Tag Information
+
+Tag metadata is added when a {YARD::Docstring} is added to a {file:docs/CodeObjects.md code object}
+using the {YARD::CodeObjects::Base#docstring=} attribute. In addition to adding
+conventional comments, tags are parsed and associated with the object. The easiest
+way to access tags on an object is to use the {YARD::CodeObjects::Base#tag} and `#tags`
+methods, for example:
+
+    # Using the Foo class object from above
+    obj.tags(:tagname).first.text #=> "some data"
+
+Because multiple tags can be stored with the same name, they are stored as a list
+of tags. The `#tag` method is an alias for the first item in the list of tags.
+Also note that the `#tag`, `#tags` and `#has_tag?` methods are all convenience
+methods that delegate to the {YARD::Docstring} object described above.
+
+### Adding Custom Tags
+
+The `@tagname` tag used in the above examples is clearly not part of the tags
+that come with YARD. If such a tag would actually be part of documentation under
+a default install, YARD would raise a warning that the tag does not exist. It is,
+however, trivial to add this tag to be recognized by YARD.
+
+All tags in YARD are added to the {YARD::Tags::Library tag library} which makes
+use of a tag factory class to parse the data inside the tags. To simply add a
+tag that stores simple text like our `@tagname` tag above, use:
+
+    YARD::Tags::Library.define_tag("A Sample Tag", :tagname)
+
+This will now allow YARD to add the metadata from `@tagname` to the docstring.
+
+## Tag Factory Architecture
+
+Recognizing a tag is one part of the process. Parsing the tag contents is the
+second step. YARD has a tag architecture that allows developers to add or completely
+change the way tags contents can be parsed.
+
+The separation of registration and tag creation can be seen in the following
+class diagram:
+
+![Tags Architecture Class Diagram](images/tags-class-diagram.png)
+
+### DefaultFactory
+
+By default, YARD has a few standard syntaxes that can be parsed for tags. These
+are all implemented by the {YARD::Tags::DefaultFactory} class. These syntaxes
+are:
+
+  * Standard text: no parsing is done, but text is stripped of newlines and
+    multiple spaces.
+
+  * Raw text: does no parsing at all, no stripping of newlines or spaces. This
+    is best used for code snippets.
+
+  * Raw text with title: does no parsing on the text but extracts the first line
+    of the metadata as the "title", useful for tags such as `@example`:
+
+        # @example Inspect an element
+        #   myobj.inspect #=> #<Object:0x123525>
+
+  * Text with types: parses a list of types at the beginning of the text. Types
+    are optional. The standard syntax is in the form `[type1, type2, ...]`,
+    for example:
+
+        # @return [String, Symbol] a description here
+        # @return description here with no types
+
+  * Text with types and a name: parses a list of types at the beginning of text
+    followed by a name and extra descriptive text. For example:
+
+        # @param [String] str the string to reverse
+        def reverse(str) '...' end
+
+As mentioned above, this syntax is implemented by the `DefaultFactory` which can
+be swapped out for any factory. In some cases, a developer may want to change
+the type declaration syntax to be in the form:
+
+    # @tagname name <Types, here> description
+
+This can be done by simply implementing a new factory that parses the data in
+this form.
+
+### Implementing a Factory
+
+Factories should implement the method `parse_tag` as well as any `parse_tag_SUFFIX`
+method where SUFFIX refers to the suffix added when declaring the tag. For example,
+a tag can also be declared as follows:
+
+    YARD::Tags::Library.define_tag "Parameter", :param, :with_types
+
+In such a case, the factory will be called with method `parse_tag_with_types`. In
+all cases, the method should return a new {YARD::Tags::Tag} object. Generally,
+the `parse_tag` methods take 2 or 3 parameters. A simple tag can be implemented
+as:
+
+    def parse_tag(tag_name, text)
+      Tag.new(tag_name, text)
+    end
+
+The text parameter contains pre-parsed text with extra spaces and newlines removed.
+If required, the method could also be declared with a third parameter containing
+unmodified raw text:
+
+    def parse_tag_with_raw_text(tag_name, text, raw_text)
+      Tag.new(tag_name, raw_text)
+    end
+
+Note that this method would be invoked for a tag declared with the `:with_raw_text`
+suffix.
+
+### Changing the Factory
+
+To change the factory, set the {YARD::Tags::Library.default_factory} attribute:
+
+    YARD::Tags::Library.default_factory = MyFactory
+
+This must be done before any parsing is done, or the factory will not be used.