JavadocContentLocation

Since Checkstyle 8.27

Description

Checks that the Javadoc content begins from the same position for all Javadoc comments in the project. Any leading asterisks and spaces are not counted as the beginning of the content and are therefore ignored.

It is possible to enforce two different styles:

  • {@code first_line} - Javadoc content starts from the first line: 
    /** Summary text.
  * More details.
  */
public void method();
  • {@code second_line} - Javadoc content starts from the second line: 
    /**
  * Summary text.
  * More details.
  */
public void method();

Notes

This check does not validate the Javadoc summary itself nor its presence. The check will not report any violations for missing or malformed javadoc summary. To validate the Javadoc summary use SummaryJavadoc check.

The Documentation Comment Specification permits leading asterisks on the first line. For these Javadoc comments: 

/***
  * Some text.
  */
/************
  * Some text.
  */
/**           **
  * Some text.
  */

The documentation generated will be just "Some text." without any asterisks. Since these asterisks will not appear in the generated documentation, they should not be considered as the beginning of the Javadoc content. In such cases, the check assumes that the Javadoc content begins on the second line.

Properties

name description type default value since
location Specify the policy on placement of the Javadoc content. JavadocContentLocationOption second_line 8.27

Examples

To configure the default check to validate that the Javadoc content starts from the second line: 

<module name="Checker">
  <module name="TreeWalker">
    <module name="JavadocContentLocation"/>
  </module>
</module>

This setting produces a violation for each multi-line comment starting on the same line as the initial asterisks: 

class Example1 {

  // violation below 'Javadoc content should start from the next line.'
  /** This comment causes a violation because it starts from the first line
   * and spans several lines.
   */
  private int field1;

  /**
   * This comment is OK because it starts from the second line.
   */
  private int field12;

  /** This comment is OK because it is on the single-line. */
  private int field3;

}

To ensure that Javadoc content starts from the first line: 

<module name="Checker">
  <module name="TreeWalker">
    <module name="JavadocContentLocation">
      <property name="location" value="first_line"/>
    </module>
  </module>
</module>

This setting produces a violation for each comment not starting on the same line as the initial asterisks: 

class Example2 {

  /** This comment is OK because it starts on the first line.
   * There may be additional text.
   */
  private int field1;

  // violation below, 'Javadoc content should start from the same line.'
  /**
   * This comment causes a violation because it starts on the second line.
   */
  private int field2;

  /** This single-line comment also is OK. */
  private int field3;

}

Example of Usage

Violation Messages

All messages can be customized if the default message doesn't suit you. Please see the documentation to learn how to.

Package

com.puppycrawl.tools.checkstyle.checks.javadoc

Parent Module

TreeWalker