JavadocVariable

Since Checkstyle 3.0

Description

Checks that a variable has a Javadoc comment. Ignores serialVersionUID fields.

Properties

name description type default value since
excludeScope Specify the visibility scope where Javadoc comments are not checked. Scope null 3.4
ignoreNamePattern Specify the regexp to define variable names to ignore. Pattern null 5.8
scope Specify the visibility scope where Javadoc comments are checked. Scope private 3.0
tokens tokens to check subset of tokens ENUM_CONSTANT_DEF . ENUM_CONSTANT_DEF . 3.0

Examples

To configure the default check: 

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

By default, this setting will report a violation if there is no javadoc for any scope member. 

public class Test {
private int a; // violation, missing javadoc for private member

/**
 * Some description here
 */
private int b; // OK
protected int c; // violation, missing javadoc for protected member
public int d; // violation, missing javadoc for public member
/*package*/ int e; // violation, missing javadoc for package member
}

To configure the check for public scope: 

<module name="Checker">
  <module name="TreeWalker">
    <module name="JavadocVariable">
      <property name="scope" value="public"/>
    </module>
  </module>
</module>

This setting will report a violation if there is no javadoc for public member. 

public class Test {
private int a; // OK

/**
 * Some description here
 */
private int b; // OK
protected int c; // OK
public int d; // violation, missing javadoc for public member
/*package*/ int e; // OK
}

To configure the check for members which are in private, but not in protected scope: 

<module name="Checker">
  <module name="TreeWalker">
    <module name="JavadocVariable">
      <property name="scope" value="private"/>
      <property name="excludeScope" value="protected"/>
    </module>
  </module>
</module>

This setting will report a violation if there is no javadoc for private member and ignores protected member. 

public class Test {
private int a; // violation, missing javadoc for private member

/**
 * Some description here
 */
private int b; // OK
protected int c; // OK
public int d; // OK
/*package*/ int e; // violation, missing javadoc for package member
}

To ignore absence of Javadoc comments for variables with names log or logger: 

<module name="Checker">
  <module name="TreeWalker">
    <module name="JavadocVariable">
      <property name="ignoreNamePattern" value="log|logger"/>
    </module>
  </module>
</module>

This setting will report a violation if there is no javadoc for any scope member and ignores members with name log or logger. 

public class Test {
private int a; // violation, missing javadoc for private member

/**
 * Some description here
 */
private int b; // OK
protected int c; // violation, missing javadoc for protected member
public int d; // violation, missing javadoc for public member
/*package*/ int e; // violation, missing javadoc for package member
private int log; // OK
private int logger; // OK
}

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