# Docstring Extractor Extract and parse documentation from JavaScript/TypeScript, Python, and Java source code > Canonical page: https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/docstring-extractor - **Category:** Development - **Keywords:** documentation, docstring, jsdoc, javadoc, python, javascript, typescript, java, parser, comments ## Overview ## Features Extract documentation from multiple programming languages: - **JSDoc**: JavaScript and TypeScript documentation comments - **Python Docstrings**: Triple-quoted function and class documentation - **JavaDoc**: Java documentation comments with standard tags ## Extraction Extracts complete documentation metadata: - **Function/Class names**: Symbol identifiers - **Descriptions**: Main documentation text - **Parameters**: @param tags with names, types, and descriptions - **Return values**: @return or @returns tags - **Exceptions**: @throws, @exception, or raises sections - **Examples**: @example tags or example code blocks - **Line numbers**: Location in source code - **Visibility**: Public, private, or protected members ## Parsing Parses common documentation patterns: - JSDoc: `/** ... */` with @param, @return, @throws - Python: `"""..."""` with Args, Returns, Raises sections - JavaDoc: `/** ... */` with @param, @return, @throws ## Index Generates searchable documentation index: - Symbol names for quick lookup - Type categorization (functions, classes, methods) - Documentation completeness metrics - Examples, parameters, and return type counts ## Inputs - **Source Code** (textarea): Paste your source code here to extract documentation... - **Programming Language** (select) - **Include Full Documentation Text** (checkbox): Include complete original documentation comments ## When to use - When generating API documentation from source code comments. - When auditing codebases to check for documentation completeness and consistency. - When migrating or standardizing documentation across different programming languages. ## How it works - Paste your source code into the input field or upload a file. - Select the programming language manually or use auto-detect for mixed code. - Optionally enable 'Include Full Documentation Text' to retain original comments. - Click extract to parse the documentation and receive a JSON output with extracted metadata. ## Use cases - Building interactive API documentation websites from extracted comments. - Performing code reviews to ensure functions are properly documented with parameters and return types. - Extracting documentation for use in IDEs or static analysis tools to improve developer productivity. ## Frequently asked questions ### What programming languages are supported? JavaScript, TypeScript, Python, and Java. ### What types of documentation comments does it extract? JSDoc for JavaScript/TypeScript, triple-quoted docstrings for Python, and JavaDoc for Java. ### Can it handle code with multiple languages? Yes, use auto-detect or specify the language hint for accurate parsing. ### What information is included in the JSON output? Function/class names, descriptions, parameters, return values, exceptions, examples, line numbers, and visibility. ### Is the output customizable? 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