Make edits to Javadoc tags
It’s pretty common for developers to add Javadoc tags and brief comments as they’re creating Java code. In fact, if they don’t add some annotations, the IDE will usually produce a warning error.
However, the comments that developers add might be poor, incomplete, or incomprehensible. A tech writer’s job with Javadoc is often to edit the content that’s already there, providing more clarity, structure, inserting the right tags, and more.
What to look for when editing Javadoc content
When you make edits to Javadoc content, look for the following:
- Missing doc. Lots of Javadoc is incomplete. Look for missing documentation.
- Consistent style. See if the existing tags follow Java’s style conventions with annotations.
- Clarity. Some descriptions are unintelligible due to the curse of knowledge (it might be hard to tell without a stronger grasp of Java)
Make some edits to the Javadoc
Make some edits to a class and method. Then regenerate the Javadoc and find your changes. See how they get rendered in the output.
About Tom Johnson
I'm a technical writer / API doc specialist based in the Seattle area. In this blog, I write about topics related to technical writing and communication — such as software documentation, API documentation, visual communication, information architecture, writing techniques, plain language, tech comm careers, and more. Check out my API documentation if you're looking for more info about that. If you're a technical writer and want to keep on top of the latest trends in the field, be sure to subscribe to email updates below. You can also learn more about me or contact me. Finally, note that the opinions I express on my blog are my own points of view, not that of my employer.
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