Comments and Documentation

What are Comments and Documentation?

• Comments: Notes added to code to explain its purpose, logic, or behavior.
• Documentation: External documents that provide more comprehensive information about a project, including design, implementation, and usage.

Why are Comments and Documentation Important?

• Code Clarity: Comments make code easier to understand, reducing the chances of errors and misunderstandings.
• Maintenance: Well-documented code simplifies updates and maintenance by providing background information.
• Collaboration: Comments and documentation help team members collaborate effectively by providing shared knowledge.

Best Practices for Comments

• Explain Logic: Use comments to explain the reasoning behind complex code decisions.
• Indicate Purpose: Briefly describe the purpose of functions, classes, and methods.
• Document Assumptions: Mention any assumptions made in the code, especially if they are not obvious.
• Avoid Excessive Comments: Keep comments concise and relevant.
• Follow Style Guidelines: Use a consistent commenting style, such as those recommended by your programming language.

Documentation Tools

For large projects, documentation tools can help organize and maintain project documentation. These tools typically generate documentation from code comments or external sources.

Example: JavaScript

// This function calculates the area of a circle.
function calculateCircleArea(radius) {
  // Check if the radius is negative.
  if (radius < 0) {
    throw new Error("Radius cannot be negative.");
  }

  // Calculate the area using the formula πr².
  return Math.PI * radius ** 2;
}

Accessibility and Ease of Use

• Use Plain Language: Write comments and documentation in clear and concise language, avoiding technical jargon.
• Provide Context: Explain the purpose of code in relation to the broader project goals.
• Consider Screen Readers: Use accessible elements, such as headings and lists, to make documentation easy to navigate with screen readers.