Docstrings and documentation in Python - Mini Project: Build & Apply

Docstrings and Documentation

📖 Scenario: You are creating a small program to help a friend understand how to write clear explanations inside their Python code. This will make the code easier to read and use later.

🎯 Goal: Build a simple Python function with a proper docstring that explains what the function does, its inputs, and its output.

📋 What You'll Learn

Create a function named add_numbers that takes two numbers as input

Write a docstring inside the add_numbers function explaining its purpose, parameters, and return value

Call the add_numbers function with two numbers

Print the result of the function call

💡 Why This Matters

🌍 Real World

Writing clear docstrings helps other programmers understand your code quickly, just like clear instructions help someone use a tool properly.

💼 Career

Good documentation is a key skill for software developers, making code easier to maintain and collaborate on in teams.

1

Create the function add_numbers

Write a function named add_numbers that takes two parameters called a and b. Inside the function, return the sum of a and b.

Python

# Define the function add_numbers with parameters a and b
# Your code here

Need a hint?

Use the def keyword to create the function and return to send back the sum.

2

Add a docstring to add_numbers

Inside the add_numbers function, add a docstring that explains:
1. The function adds two numbers.
2. The parameters a and b are numbers.
3. The function returns their sum.
Use triple double quotes """ for the docstring.

Python

def add_numbers(a, b):
    """Add two numbers a and b and return the result."""
    # Your code here

Need a hint?

Place the docstring right after the function header, before the return statement.

3

Call the add_numbers function

Call the add_numbers function with the numbers 5 and 7. Store the result in a variable called result.

Python

def add_numbers(a, b):
    """Add two numbers a and b and return the result."""
    return a + b

# Call add_numbers with 5 and 7 and save to result
# Your code here

Need a hint?

Use the function name with parentheses and pass the numbers inside.

4

Print the result

Print the value stored in the variable result.

Python

def add_numbers(a, b):
    """Add two numbers a and b and return the result."""
    return a + b

result = add_numbers(5, 7)

# Print the result
# Your code here

Need a hint?

Use print(result) to show the output.